Sunday’s second NRL Round 16 match is between New Zealand Warriors and Brisbane Broncos with the opening kick to commence at 4pm local time. The game is to be played at Mt Smart Stadium with the home team New Zealand Warriors hold favouritism in the match. View our preview and teams for the game between New Zealand Warriors and Brisbane Broncos.

Mt Smart Stadium

Sunday 4pm (2pm AEST)

New Zealand Warriors $1.42 vs Brisbane Broncos $2.95 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

New Zealand Warriors $1.41 vs Brisbane Broncos $3.05 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:

New Zealand Warriors	1.33	1.35	1.32	1.35	1.33	1.34
Brisbane Broncos	3.30	3.20	3.45	3.20	3.30	3.35

Preview:

These two sides met recently, back in Round 12 where without several Origin and injured players missing for Brisbane, New Zealand embarrassed the Broncos 56 – 18.

New Zealand has followed that victory up with wins over Manly and Sydney Roosters since and this form has seen them keep their faint hopes of reaching the semis this year, alive.

Sitting equal with Brisbane on the table, one win outside of the eight, both teams will be desperate for the win and to keep touch with the top half of the table.

It will be a big ask for the Broncos who snapped a three game losing streak with a comfortable home victory over the Raiders at their last start.

They have several players backing up from Wednesday night’s Origin game and have the longest, and this year one of the hardest, road trips of the season to make.

The two sides are two wins apiece over the last four matches with three of those games producing high-scoring affairs over 50+.

There’s just too much momentum behind the Warriors and too much against the Broncos this week.

Teams:

New Zealand Warriors:
Glen Fisiiahi, Ngani Laumape, Dane Nielsen, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino, Feleti Mateo, Simon Mannering, Elijah Taylor
Interchange: Russell Packer, Jacob Lillyman, Todd Lowrie, Dominique Peyroux, Kevin Locke, Suaia Matagi

Brisbane Broncos:
Corey Norman, Josh Hoffman, Jack Reed, Justin Hodges, Lachlan Maranta, Scott Prince, Peter Wallace, Ben Hannant, Andrew McCullough, Sam Thaiday, Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Corey Parker.
Interchange: Ben Hunt, Josh McGuire, David Hala, Mitchell Dodds, Jarrod Wallace, Dunamis Lui

Good time for Warriors bye

The Warriors get a breather this weekend after 14 roller-coaster weeks and coach Matthew Elliott is grateful for the timing of the club’s first bye of the NRL season.

After falling to their eighth defeat of the first 10 NRL rounds with a 62-6 thumping at Penrith, the Warriors have rebounded with four wins in a row.

The last two have come via particularly gutsy performances against top-four sides Manly and the Sydney Roosters.

But the exertions have also taken their toll, with Elliott pointing to the scene in the dressing room after the 23-12 victory over the Roosters last Sunday.

“If we played like that every week and we had to use that amount of effort to win, they would all be 70kg by the end of the season,” he said.

“So the bye did come at a really good time.”

Both halfback Shaun Johnson and second rower Feleti Mateo carried injuries into the match against the Roosters, while winger Manu Vatuvei is getting over some niggles.

But the casualty list is much lighter than earlier in the season and will be soon down to three with fullback Kevin Locke recovering from a hip problem.

After four days off, the Warriors were welcomed back on Friday with a tough 80-minute gym session.

“We need to establish a precedent of intensity, which has probably really helped us over the last few weeks,” Elliott said.

“Today was about entrenching that attitude more than the physical benefits.”

The Warriors’ next match is at home against Brisbane, who also have a bye this week.

Just three weeks ago, the Warriors rolled the Broncos 56-18 but Elliott is expecting to face a different team at Mt Smart Stadium.

Last time, Brisbane were without their State of Origin quartet as well as prop Ben Hannant, who returned from injury last week.

“We won’t be playing anything remotely like the side we played in Brisbane,” Elliott said.

“I dare say the mentality they will be bringing with them will be pretty focused.”