After a blockbuster Round 10 which was Magic Round, Round 11 of the NRL begins at the opposite end of the rugby league spectrum down in Melbourne. The Storm host the competition leading Broncos, in a crucial clash for both sides. With Origin on the horizon and both teams expected to be impact by player unavailability, wins leading up to this are vital. Furthermore, each will want to get a win earlier in the year against a potential opponent come September.
Check out our Storm vs Broncos preview and betting tips below, and make sure to head over to our NRL Tips page for more free Round 11 tips!
NRL Round 11 Preview & Betting Tips
Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos
Thursday 11th May, AAMI Park, 7:55pm (AEST)
The Storm couldn’t stick with the Rabbitohs in the second half of their match, after trailing 12-6 at HT, they were in with a chance of winning. A strong second half display limited the Storm's options, and they were void of answers until their second try in the 75th minute. They were competitive in most areas but failed to crack their opponents; only 1 line break demonstrated how well they were shutdown. If they want to be competitive against better sides, they must figure out a way to build pressure through their attack.
The Broncos had no such issues in their dominant 32-6 win over the Sea Eagles. Leading 20-nil at HT, the match was all but over, with the Broncos further hurting the Sea Eagles and pushing them until the 77th minute before they would score. Their defensive effort was just as impressive as their attack, with only 27 missed tackles and 7 line breaks the standouts. It was just the performance the Broncos needed following a Round 9 loss to the Rabbitohs. Seemingly back on track, this is another tough test for this young team.
History favours the Storm in this contest. They have won 38 of the 52 matches played between these two sides (73.1%) and have a 74% winning record at home compared with the Broncos 23% at this ground. The home side will need every bit of those statistics to help them here because both sides are far different from previous seasons. The odds offered are puzzling to say the least, with the Storm strong favourites ($1.70 vs $2.20). The eyes are important when judging this match and they tell a very different story to the odds; the Broncos appear to be the better placed side to win this match. Their outside backs are far more dangerous and the Rabbitohs demonstrated on the weekend just how vulnerable they are in this area. The battle of each pack will be even, with Grant giving his side an edge in this area. The Broncos are capable of combating this but will need to hang in for the entire contest. If they do find themselves behind, they cannot panic. It will be a tight game though, with the Storm bound to lift for this contest. However, the price for the Broncos is too good to overlook. Expect it to get shorter as kick-off approaches as well.
Prop Bets
SGM – Either Team Under 10.5, Cobbo & Olam to score @ $11 – 0.5 Units
Broncos 1-12 @ $3.80 – 0.5 units
Broncos to Win
$2.20 (2 Units)
