Check out the match preview and prediction for the round 6 clash between the Broncos and Dolphins.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Brisbane Broncos Vs Dolphins
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Date: Friday April 12, 8:00pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Broncos: 1. Reece Walsh, 2. Corey Oates, 3. Kotoni Staggs, 4. Selwyn Cobbo, 5. Jesse Arthars, 6. Ezra Mam, 7. Jock Madden, 8. Corey Jensen, 9. Billy Walters, 10. Fletcher Baker, 11. Jaiyden Hunt, 12. Jordan Riki, 13. Patrick Carrigan, 14. Tyson Smoothy, 15. Xavier Willison, 16. Kobe Hetherington, 17. Tristan Sailor, 18. Martin Taupau, 19. Benjamin Te Kura, 20. Jordan Pereira, 21. Blake Mozer, 22. Josiah Karapani
Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Jake Averillo, 4. Tesi Niu, 5. Jack Bostock, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Isaiya Katoa, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Thomas Flegler, 11. Kenny Bromwich, 12. Euan Aitken, 13. Ray Stone, 14. Josh Kerr, 15. Anthony Milford, 16. Mark Nicholls, 17. Jarrod Wallace, 18. Oryn Keeley, 19. Sean O’Sullivan, 20. Mason Teague, 21. Valynce Te Whare, 22. Lachlan Hubner
Referee: Adam Gee
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
Edition three of the Battle For Brisbane will see close to 50,000 fans descend on Suncorp Stadium as the reigning grand finalist Broncos play host to the ladder-leading Dolphins. The Broncos won both matches between the two clubs in 2023, however the addition of former Broncos prop Thomas Flegler to the Dolphins line-up will have the NRL’s youngest club confident of a breakthrough win.
Flegler has been named for his first meeting with his old team despite injuring his shoulder during the second half of the win against Wests Tigers. Not so lucky is another former Bronco in Herbie Farnworth, who is looking at a month out with a shoulder injury of his own. In his place comes Tesi Niu. Felise Kaufusi is also out having injured his hamstring against the Tigers, with Ray Stone moving into the starting side and Jarrod Wallace returning on the bench. Anthony Milford also joins the bench for the first time in 2024, replacing Kurt Donoghoe.
The Broncos have injury troubles of their own, with Adam Reynolds facing a stint on the sidelines with a hamstring strain suffered against Melbourne on Thursday night, with his place taken by Jock Madden. In some good news for Broncos fans, Reece Walsh returns from his facial fracture, pushing Tristan Sailor to the bench. Xavier Willison also returns, taking Benjamin Te Kura’s place. Corey Oates has been named to start on the wing for the first time since round 27, 2023 with Deine Mariner out with a back injury.
The Broncos won both meetings of the two sides by small margins in 2023. In the inaugural match at Suncorp in round 4, it was a late Kotoni Staggs try that got the Broncos home 18-12, while they claimed a 24-16 win over an injury-hit Dolphins late in the year at the Gabba.
The Dolphins are aiming to win four consecutive games for the first time in club history. The only other time they won three straight, they were defeated by the Broncos. They won their match at Suncorp Stadium as an away team in Magic Round against Cronulla. The Broncos are aiming to continue their loss-win pattern. They have won both home matches in 2024, losing all three games on the road. They haven’t lost a Friday night game since round 9, 2023.
It should be tight, especially with a mouth-watering fullback duel between Walsh and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. The experience of the Broncos should be enough to get the job done though.
Head-to-head stats can be found at Round 6 Number Crunch.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Broncos by 4 points.
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