NRL Preview
Canterbury Bulldogs v Brisbane Broncos

Thursday, March 30, 8.05pm (AEDT), ANZ Stadium, Sydney




The Bulldogs have their backs against the wall after an embarrassing 36-0 defeat to the Sea Eagles last week and the Bulldogs faithful will be demanding a more committed performance against the Broncos. Halfback Moses Mbye will miss the clash against the Broncos through suspension, with NSW Cup captain Matt Frawley likely to get the nod over Josh Cleeland. The Broncos will be buoyed by their one-point win over the Raiders last week and were finally on the right end of the scoreboard in a tight contest.
History
Both teams shared the spoils in 2016, with the Bulldogs smashing the Broncos 40-14 at ANZ Stadium in Round 16 last year, with Brett Morris scoring a hat-trick, while Sam Kasiano scored two tries off the bench. The Broncos bounced back at Suncorp Stadium in Round 24, winning the contest 20-10. The Broncos have also won 5 of the past 7 matches against the Bulldogs.
Form
Canterbury have started the season in very poor form with their only win over the opening month coming against a poor New Zealand team in Dunedin. They enter this off an embarrassing 36-0 loss to Manly at Brookvale, a match they jumped favourite in. Brisbane have opened the season 2-2 with their last three matches being decided by two points or less. The Broncos’ defence has been strong conceding 14 or less the last two weeks.
Key Matchup
Josh Reynolds v Anthony Milford. Reynolds has made an unhappy start to the season to say the least and the knives have already come out, with reports that he will be on his way out of Belmore at season’s end. With Mbye’s suspension, Reynolds has the opportunity to lead the side around and take the pressure off Frawley. This week’s performance could decide his fate at the club beyond this season, with Mbye on a long-term deal. Milford was very hot-and-cold in the win over the Raiders last week, making 3 errors and missing 3 tackles. He’ll look to exploit the Bulldogs big forward pack if they’re not committed for the 80 minutes and get loose around the ruck.
Stats That Matter
Canterbury are 2-2 ATS with a 3-1 under record while Brisbane are 2-2 ATS with a 2-2 totals number. Brisbane have won 5 of the last 7, while 8 of the last 10 have failed to surpass 38 total points. Teams beaten by 30-plus are 41-19 ATS in the first eight rounds of the season. Canterbury have covered 7 of their last 12 at ANZ as a home underdog.
Final Thoughts
The Bulldogs find themselves in a similar situation to the Wests Tigers last week. The Tigers played with plenty of enthusiasm in the first half against the Storm, which was to be expected after massive losses to the Panthers and Raiders in consecutive weeks. The Wolf is expecting a physical response from the Bulldogs, but like the Tigers they aren’t playing well enough to get the result after 80 minutes. The spine issues have been well-documented, with Brad Abbey, Josh Reynolds, Moses Mbye and Michael Lichaa all under-performing. The Bulldogs forwards will keep it close, but they lack the killer instinct or attacking flair to get the two competition points here.
How It’s Shaping Up
Brisbane by 4
Best Bet
Canterbury +8 ($1.90)

Other Recommended Bets
HT/NT Double – Canterbury/Brisbane ($7)

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