Match Preview: Round 24 – Broncos v Dolphins
It’s a must-win Battle for Brisbane as the Dolphins fight to keep their place in the top eight.
Both sides are coming off defeats and will be desperate to grab the two competition points. Sitting eighth, the Dolphins face a Broncos outfit holding sixth spot, adding even more weight to an already high-stakes clash. The Broncos took bragging rights in their Round 4 meeting earlier this year, but with everything on the line, the Dolphins will be out to square the ledger. And with this week’s clash doubling as the XXXX Derby, expect the intensity to hit boiling point at Suncorp Stadium.
Team Changes
Head coach Kristian Woolf recalls experienced forward Kenny Bromwich to the bench, with Mark Nicholls promoted to the starting side. The rest of the squad is unchanged from last week’s loss to the Roosters.
For the Broncos, injuries have forced a major reshuffle. Ben Hunt and Billy Walters form a fresh halves pairing in place of Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam (both sidelined with hamstrings). Cory Paix starts at hooker, Tyson Smoothy joins the bench, and Josiah Karapani replaces Selwyn Cobbo; the third Bronco hamstring in their loss to the Storm.
Clash of the Week
It’s a heavyweight showdown in the centres and the winner could tip the derby.
Averillo’s speed, sharp footwork and lethal support play have brought eight tries and nine try assists this season, while Staggs matches him with raw power, a punishing fend and an ability to turn half chances into points, crossing six times with four assists.
The numbers show just how tight this battle is shaping up to be – Staggs leads for line breaks with 19 to Averillo’s 14, while also topping tackle breaks with 74 compared to Averillo’s 64. Averillo holds a slight edge in average running metres, with 137 per game compared to Staggs’ 132. Both players found the line when they met back in Round 4, and both will be hunting another decisive moment this Saturday night.
The Run Home
The Dolphins sit eighth on 26 points, level with the Roosters and two ahead of the Sea Eagles in tenth. Saturday’s derby with the Broncos kicks off a defining final stretch against the Sea Eagles (10th), Titans (17th) and ladder-leading Raiders.
A win on Saturday would draw the Dolphins level with the Broncos on 28 points, potentially lifting them as high as sixth if other results fall their way; such as the Sharks slipping up. It would also create valuable breathing space before their Round 25 clash with Manly, a match that could decide a finals berth.
The mid-table race remains razor-tight. The Sharks, in seventh on 28 points, face the Titans this week and have a Round 25 bye to bank two competition points. The Sea Eagles will be desperate to close the gap before their showdown with the Dolphins. For the Broncos, a loss would pull them back into the congested race for finals spots, where just a game’s difference separates multiple sides and every result from here could swing the ladder.
