1300Smiles Stadium
Friday 7.35pm
Nth Queensland Cowboys $1.50 vs Brisbane Broncos $2.60 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match
Nth Queensland Cowboys $1.53 vs Brisbane Broncos $2.55 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Nth Queensland Cowboys | 1.50 | 1.56 | 1.53 | 1.56 | 1.50 | 1.55 |
|
Brisbane Broncos
|
2.60 | 2.45 | 2.55 | 2.45 | 2.60 | 2.50 |
Preview:
North Queensland host Brisbane to kick off Round 20 and with both teams sitting on sixteen competition points, a loss here would definitely spell the end of the season for the losing side.
The similarities between the two sides continue with both coming of the bye last week and recording only two wins from their past nine matches.
The advantage may lay with the home-side who, despite only being able to register three wins from the seven homes games thus far this season, still better Brisbane’s poor away record of three from nine. The Cowboys also hold a 4-2 winning record over Brisbane since 2011 including the last two matches played at this venue.
With five of their last seven games at home, the Cowboys have the opportunity here to keep whatever hope they may have of making the finals this year, alive.
Brisbane, who won three of their first six games – including a win over the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium (12 – 6), have struggled since and during the Origin period particularly.
They’ve only been able to crack the twenty point mark twice in the past nine games and whilst the return of their Origin starts will be welcomed, the Cowboys at home will be hard nut to crack.
Teams:
Nth Queensland Cowboys:
1 Matthew Bowen
2 Kalifa FaiFai Loa
3 Brent Tate
4 Kane Linnett
5 Antonio Winterstein
6 Johnathan Thurston (c)
7 Michael Morgan
8 Matthew Scott (c)
9 Anthony Mitchell
10 James Tamou
11 Gavin Cooper
12 Glenn Hall
13 Dallas Johnson
Interchange
14 Ray Thompson
15 Joel Riethmuller
16 Ricky Thorby
17 Ashton Sims
18 Scott Bolton
19 Jason Taumalolo
Coach: Neil Henry
Brisbane Broncos:
1 Josh Hoffman
2 Corey Oates
3 Alex Glenn
4 Justin Hodges
5 Lachlan Maranta
6 Scott Prince
7 Ben Hunt
8 Ben Hannant
9 Andrew McCullough
10 Josh McGuire
11 Sam Thaiday (c)
12 Matt Gillett
13 Corey Parker
Interchange
14 Peter Wallace
15 David Stagg
16 Mitchell Dodds
17 Lama Tasi
18 Dumamis Lui
Coach: Anthony Griffin
Broncos rule out Hannant for Cowboys clash
Brisbane have suffered a blow ahead of their must-win NRL clash with North Queensland in Townsville on Friday night with ex-Test prop Ben Hannant again succumbing to a calf injury.
The Broncos had hoped Hannant would bulk up their pack as they try to keep their slim finals hopes alive.
They need to win six of their final seven games to remain in the top-eight mix.
Broncos coach Anthony Griffin said Mitchell Dodds would slot into the front row for Hannant alongside Josh McGuire and had plenty of faith in the likes of bench forwards Dunamis Lui, David Stagg and ex-Sydney Rooster Lama Tasi.
“It (Hannant out) is a big blow. You’d like to have him out there,” Griffin said.
“But we are still pretty solid with Lui, Stagg and Tasi on the bench. They just have to get out there and do the job.”
Griffin admitted he was not sure when Hannant would be finally passed fit from a calf complaint that has troubled the front-rower throughout the season.
“With calves … after three of four weeks, you think you are right but then it’s another week and another week,” he said.
“He’s close but it’s not going to be tomorrow night.”
Griffin finally wielded the axe for the Cowboys clash.
The biggest scalps were Parramatta-bound fullback Corey Norman who was dropped to the second-tier Queensland Cup and ex-NSW halfback Peter Wallace who was demoted to the bench as reserve hooker.
