Match day guide and preview for the Canberra Raiders NRL round six game against the Brisbane Broncos.
Match details
- Who: Brisbane Broncos vs Canberra Raiders
- When: Saturday 8 April 7.35pm AEST
- Where: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- Weather: max 30. Chance of rain 20%
- Click here to buy tickets
- Head-to-head record: Played 54. Raiders 22 wins. Broncos 31 wins. 1 draw.
Raiders and Broncos team lists
UPDATE: Raiders star Joe Tapine will miss the match after he stayed in Canberra for the arrival of his first child. Peter Hola will make his Raiders debut in his place.
Raiders champion Jarrod Croker will play his first NRL game this season after being named at centre in place of Harley Smith-Shields. With Jack Wighton still suspended and Matt Frawley now injured, Canberra has turned to Brad Schneider to play five-eighth, making it four different half combinations in four weeks.
The high-flying Broncos are unchanged from last week’s demolition of the Tigers.
Season so far
Raiders 16th | 82 points for | 136 points against | 1 win & 4 losses
After a reasonable opening three weeks of the season, the Raiders last two matches have been appalling and there season is now quickly slipping away.
Last week’s 53-12 loss to Penrith was simply embarrassing, specifically the second half where Canberra was outscored 40-6 and it looked like they gave up.
It’s reminiscent of last year’s disastrous start where the Raiders failed to play 80 minutes and routinely dished up dreadful second half performances.
It hasn’t helped that Canberra’s spine has been out of shape all season, but that’s no excuse for poor discipline, dropped ball and not turning up for each other in defence.
After last week’s humiliation, this match against another top side should tell us whether or not Canberra are willing to turn things around or not.
Brisbane Broncos 1st | 145 points for | 70 points against | 5 wins & 0 losses
While the Raiders’ season is hanging by a thread, the Broncos are flying high with 5 straight wins to start the year.
Brisbane have responded well to last year’s late season capitulation that saw them miss finals, and are now seemingly premiership contenders.
The Broncos have scored more points than any other team through five rounds and more importantly, they are the second best defensive team behind just the Panthers.
Reece Walsh has been sensation in his first few games back at the club, while Payne Haas has been almost unstoppable in recent weeks.
This Broncos outfit is a seriously good side on its day and they should be confident extending their win streak at home against a Canberra outfit low on confidence.
Last 5 meetings and Suncorp Stadium history
- 2022 round 14: Broncos 24 – 18 Raiders at Suncorp Stadium
- 2021 round 14: Raiders 38 – 16 Broncos at GIO Stadium
- 2020 round 14: Raiders 36 – Broncos 8 at GIO Stadium
- 2019 round 6: Raiders 26 – Broncos 22 at GIO Stadium
- 2018 round 16: Broncos 26 – Raiders 22 at Suncorp Stadium
The Raiders have won three of the last five meetings, but the Broncos won their only meeting last season.
Brisbane had to deal with a number of injuries throughout that match, but were too good for Canberra to produce a gutsy win at home.
The home side has won the last five meetings between these sides and the recent clashes at Suncorp have certainly favoured the hosts as well.
The Broncos have won six in a row against the Raiders at Suncorp with Canberra’s last win coming back in 2010.
This match also sadly ends a three-year streak of the Raiders and Broncos playing each other in round 14.
Pre match predictions
Piling on the Payne: Payne Haas to inflict more misery on Canberra, running for over 200 metres and scoring a try in a big Brisbane win. Broncos by 14.
Creased Reece: Reece Walsh to wreak havoc on the Raiders edges with two try assists, in spite of being targeted with a few big shots. Broncos by 8. – Denholm Samaras
Have any predictions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
Other match details
Gates open at 6pm.
The match will be broadcast live on Fox League and is also available to stream on Kayo. Overseas fans can watch via Watch NRL.
You can listen to the match on Raiders on Mix (Mix106.3 FM), Radio 2CC (1206 AM) and ABC Grandstand (666 AM).
