The third game on Super Saturday heads to Canberra for a blockbuster clash between the Raiders and Broncos. Both teams are set to feature in the Finals and will be out to earn a strong victory over a fellow contender. The action promises to be exciting in cold conditions and BeforeYouBet is here to guide you into finding a winner. Make sure you are following the tipsters all weekend for their previews of a host of sporting action from Australia and around the world.
NRL Round 26 Preview & Betting Tips
Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos
GIO Stadium, Saturday 26th August, 7:35pm (AEST)
Preview
The Raiders did enough to defeat the Bulldogs on Sunday but left many again wondering what they are offering moving forward. Scoring 6 tries to 4 in their 36-24 victory, they failed to completely shut out an opponent. The fact that they were locked at 12-all at HT indicates the way the match was playing out. Dominating possession (55%), they completed at just 72%, ran for more metres and made more line breaks. They need to be better defensively, as they missed 32 tackles and allowed 6 line breaks. The better teams will punish them for such mistakes.
The Broncos enjoyed the week off with the Bye, an ideal opportunity to rest ahead of this game and their Finals campaign. It was a well-earned break following their 54-10 demolition of the Eels in Round 24. After a tight opening 20 minutes, the Broncos remained patient and took control of the contest, piling on 9 tries in an impressive attacking display. They controlled possession well (57%), ran the ball strongly (9.1m per carry), had 12 line breaks and missed just 24 tackles. Despite the shortcomings of their opponents, it was a major statement from this team about what they are aiming to achieve in the weeks ahead.
Verdict
The Raiders have been underwhelming in recent weeks and while they currently sit inside the Top 8, are playing at home and are facing a team without their star halfback, they are still outsiders for this contest ($3.60 vs $1.29). The home ground advantage shouldn’t be overlooked either; the Raiders have an edge with a 59% record while the Broncos struggle on the trip to the nation’s capital (38%); the Raiders have won their past 3 games against the Broncos here. On top of that, the Raiders defeated the Broncos 20-14 back in Round 6 and will take confidence from that match. In fact, they have won 4 out of the past 5 between these two teams. While the Raiders may appear to be bogey team for the Broncos, the season statistics tell a different story. The Raiders average 21ppg in attack this season compared with the Broncos 26ppg; they have a better attacking ability but will miss Reynolds’ poise in this area. In defence, the Raiders leak too many points (25ppg) while the Broncos are strong and resolute in this area, having the second-best record in the competition (17ppg).
It cannot be overlooked that this fixture also doubles as a special event for the Raiders; both Jack Wighton and Jarrod Croker will be playing their last game for the club in front of their home fans (assuming they miss out on gaining home ground advantage in the Finals). The line (11.5) is well set and should be strongly considered. As confusing as the form of the Raiders have been, this is a game they need to ‘get up’ for. They will sense an opportunity too against the Broncos without Reynolds.
Raiders +11.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
