Check out the match preview and prediction for the 2025 National Rugby League round 2 clash between the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Canberra Raiders Vs Brisbane Broncos
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Date: Saturday 15th March 7:35pm (ADST)
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Raiders: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Albert Hopoate 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papalii 9. Tom Starling 10. Corey Horsburgh 11. Hudson Young 12. Zac Hosking 13. Morgan Smithies. Interchange: 14. Owen Pattie 15. Simi Sasagi 16. Matty Nicholson 17. Ata Mariota. Reserves: 18. Danny Levi 19. Trey Mooney 20. Chevy Stewart 21. Michael Asomua 22. Ethan Sanders.
Broncos: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Deine Mariner 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Patrick Carrigan 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Jack Gosiewski 12. Jordan Riki 13. Kobe Hetherington. Interchange: 14. Billy Walters 15. Corey Jensen 16. Xavier Willison 17. Brendan Piakura. Reserves: 18. Tyson Smoothy 19. Delouise Hoeter 20. Martin Taupau 21. Jaiyden Hunt 22. Jock Madden.
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Bunker:
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
Premiership contenders Brisbane travel down to Canberra to face the Raiders who had a nice long break after their round 1 Vegas win over The Warriors 30-8. The Broncos were equally impressive in their first outing sending the Roosters into early crisis mode beating them 50-14.
The Raiders will again go into this game as underdogs, and the task has been made even harder with captain Joe Tapine, and prolific try scorer Xavier Savage unavailable due to suspensions from the Vegas game. Albert Hopoate, who didn’t board the plane to America because he was expecting the birth of his first child replaces Savage on the wing, and new signing Matty Nicholson will make his Raiders debut off the bench. Nicholson has big wraps on him and will need to bring immediate focus to match the likes of Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan in the Broncos pack.
The Broncos good start to the season continues with the luxury of being able to name the same line up that made the Roosters look like a reserve grade side. Ben Hunt and Adam Reynolds in the halves is talent and experience heaven, they look as though they’ve already been playing with each other for years. This game is definitely a case of youth vs experience and a fantastic opportunity for Canberra to showcase their future visions of a success.
The key matchups come in the front row battle. Brisbane in my opinion have the best front row combination in the competition. Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan are a one two punch that any halfback would love to work off the back of their go forward, and boy do Brisbane have the halves to capitalise on this. For Canberra they have two starting front rowers that have also represented Queensland in origin in Josh Papalii and Corey Horsburgh. Horsburgh was arguably Canberra’s best forward and the best forward on the field against the Warriors. He is looking extremely fit and playing good minutes with stats to match, proving to the NRL community that he still has the ability in him that got him picked for representative honours. Papalii has been Canberra’s best forward for over a decade now consistently. I cannot wait for these players to go head-to-head.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
This is a battle of youth verses experience. A battle which will be decided by which forward pack comes out on top, and at this moment in time I can’t go past Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan and company.
Broncos by 14
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
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