NRL PREVIEW ROUND 24: ROOSTERS V BRONCOS

Sydney Roosters v Brisbane Broncos
Saturday, 25 August, 7:30pm
Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Recent form

The Roosters relinquished top spot on the ladder with a 14-12 loss to the Canberra Raiders last Sunday. It was a flat performance from the Chooks, who may have suffered a letdown after beating South Sydney in round 23. The opposite was true for the Broncos, who came out of the blocks firing against the Bunnies, racing out to an 18-0 lead and eventually winning 38-18. The Broncos will be aiming for a home final, although a top four berth remains a mathematical chance. The Roosters are Premiership favourites, but a loss here could dent their hopes of a top-two finish.

Stats That Matter

• Only one of the past six matches between these clubs has been decided by a margin of 13 points or more.
• Roosters centre Latrell Mitchell leads the National Rugby League for points scored this season with 200. His Broncos opposite Jamayne Isaako is right on his tail, with 199 points.
• The Broncos have covered the spread in 9 of their 14 games at Allianz Stadium since 2008.
• The last time the Broncos played at Allianz Stadium was in their 24-22 loss to the Roosters in the 2017 finals.
• The Roosters are the best defensive team in the competition, conceding only 329 points this season.

Final thoughts

The Wolf knows that whenever these two interstate rivals meet, there are always big plays and even bigger moments. Dylan Napa’s hit on Korbin Sims in their round 11 meeting stirred up plenty of emotion in the rugby league world at the time, with the two set to lock horns once again at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. The Broncos are wildly inconsistent, while the Roosters have been anything but in recent times. The Wolf is sniffing an upset and knows the Broncos love a big game and is backing them in make a statement ahead of the finals.

How It Shapes Up

Brisbane by 4.

Recommended Bets

Best: Brisbane ($2.60)

Value: Brisbane 1-12 ($3.90)

First Tryscorer: Jordan Kahu ($21)