Friday second NRL Round 3 match is between Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters with the opening kick to commence at 8:40pm. The game is to be played at Suncorp Stadium which see’s away team Sydney Roosters hold favouritism in the market. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters.

WHERE AND WHEN: Suncorp Stadium, Friday 21 March 2014 Kickoff 8:40pm

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Odds Comparison:

Brisbane Broncos	2.65	2.70	2.70	2.70	2.65	2.80
Sydney Roosters	1.50	1.48	1.49	1.48	1.50	1.45

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

Brisbane remained undefeated and made it three consecutive wins over the North Queensland Cowboys with a hard fought 16 – 12 victory last Friday night.

Brisbane’s win, as was their victory against the Bulldogs in round 1, was based on a gritty and at time desperate defence.

A try saving tackle from Daley Copley deep in the second half, was followed up by a lunging Josh Hoffman who managed to knocked the ball out of Cowboys’ Captain Johnathan Thurston’s hand just as he was about to plant the ball down for a try that would have in the least, tied up the game.

Similar defensive performances will take the Broncos a long way this season, longer than many may have suggested at the start of the season after poor trial performances.

Broncos winning games whilst several players in key positions further develop their combinations is a bonus. It will also see them well positioned for the return of centre and co-Caption Justin Hodges.

The Roosters bounced back from a plain performance in round 1 to continue their recent domination of the Parramatta Eels by running in ten tries to one in a 56 – 4 annihilation last week.

It was a near perfect game from the Roosters and would have put to rest any doubts about the reigning champions suffering from a premiership hang-over after their opening round lost loss to Souths Sydney.

They opened up the scoring through full-back and Captain Anthony Minichello in the sixth minute, the first of his three tries for the match, and never took their foot of the Eels’ throat for the duration of the game.

The Roosters and Broncos have only met once in each of the past three seasons, all in Sydney, with Broncos comfortably winners of the first two and the Roosters bashing out an 8 – 0 in round 3 last year.

Broncos have been going well, better than expected however, this game will require them to improve again, especially in offence as they’ll need to score enough points to counter a strong Rooster attack who after last week, will now be back in top gear.

Teams:

Brisbane Broncos:

1. Ben Barba 2. Daniel Vidot 3. Jack Reed 4. Dale Copley 18. Lachlan Maranta 6. Josh Hoffman 7. Ben Hunt 8. Ben Hannant 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Corey Parker 11. Alex Glenn 12. Sam Thaiday 13. Matt Gillett 14. David Hala 15. Martin Kennedy 16. Todd Lowrie 17. Jarrod Wallace

Sydney Roosters:

1. Anthony Minichiello 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. James Maloney 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Jake Friend 10. Sam Moa 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Mitchell Aubusson 13. Frank Paul Nuuausala 14. Daniel Mortimer 15. Aidan Guerra 16. Dylan Napa 17. Kane Evans 18. Sio Siua Taukeiaho

News:

What anger issues?

Broncos coach Anthony Griffin has suggested the Sydney Roosters are exaggerating ex-teammate Martin Kennedy’s much publicised temper and has almost dared the NRL premiers to bait him.

But Griffin has predicted Kennedy’s reunion with the team that overlooked him for the 2013 grand final will be a “fizzer”.

Kennedy, 25, is on a collision course with his former club after replacing injured prop Ben Hannant (hamstring) in the Broncos’ starting side for Friday night’s Suncorp Stadium clash.

And the Roosters have been quick to target their former colleague, saying they would unleash a verbal barrage to get under the hulking forward’s skin.

Canterbury’s Michael Ennis recently exposed Kennedy’s well-documented short fuse in the opening round, costing Brisbane a try near halftime.

But Griffin did not believe Kennedy’s on-field demeanour would have been an issue unless the Roosters had brought it up.

He even predicted Kennedy’s much anticipated get together with the Roosters would be similar to Ben Barba’s “fizzer” against ex-club the Bulldogs in round one.

“It (Kennedy’s temper) is something they have made a point of,” he said of the Roosters.

“Those type of things get played out more in the media.

“It adds a bit of anticipation to the contest.

“But it was like the Ben Barba thing.

“That turned into a fizzer (after the Bulldogs said) what they were going to do to him, what they weren’t going to do to him.

“(But) everyone plays against their old club at some stage these days.”

However, Griffin said Kennedy would relish having a target on his head on Friday night.

“If a team wants to put pressure on a frontrower than that’s their meat and potatoes – collisions and handling aggression the right way,” he said.

“That’s why we brought him up here.

“He’s got to get through that, but he’s a big boy.

“He needs to do it this week and the week after – it’s not about the Roosters.”

Griffin has once again been forced to reshuffle his pack after Hannant suffered a suspected hamstring tear at training on Tuesday.

Hannant had been due to make his starting debut for 2014 after Josh McGuire was suspended over two charges stemming from last round’s 16-12 win over North Queensland.

Hannant is expected to miss a week.

Boom youngster Corey Oates – back from off-season niggles – is the new face on the bench.