Matchday Details
Thursday 4 September – 7:50pm (AEST) – Suncorp Stadium
📺 Broadcast: Nine / Fox League / Kayo
Referee: Grant Atkins | Bunker: Chris Butler
Broncos
1. Reece Walsh, 2. Josiah Karapani, 3. Kotoni Staggs, 4. Deine Mariner, 5. Jesse Arthars, 6. Billy Walters, 7. Ben Hunt, 8. Corey Jensen, 9. Cory Paix, 10. Payne Haas, 11. Brendan Piakura, 12. Jordan Riki, 13. Patrick Carrigan, 14. Tyson Smoothy, 15. Kobe Hetherington, 16. Ben Talty, 17. Jaiyden Hunt, 18. Delouise Hoeter, 19. Fletcher Baker, 20. Jock Madden, 21. Va’a Semu, 22. Gehamat Shibasaki
Storm
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2. William Warbrick, 3. Grant Anderson, 4. Nick Meaney, 5. Xavier Coates, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 9. Bronson Garlick, 10. Josh King, 11. Ativalu Lisati, 12. Eliesa Katoa, 13. Trent Loiero, 14. Tyran Wishart, 15. Alec MacDonald, 16. Tui Kamikamica, 17. Joe Chan, 18. Marion Seve, 19. Jack Howarth, 20. Jonah Pezet, 21. Kane Bradley, 22. Lazarus Vaalepu
Match Preview
The final round of the regular season kicks off on Thursday night, with a mouth-watering top four clash between the Broncos and the Storm at Suncorp Stadium. The Broncos are fresh off a 38-30 win over the Cowboys last week, while the Storm opted to rest several players and suffered a 40-10 loss to the Roosters. The recent head-to-head record is heavily in favour of the Storm – they’ve won 17 of the past 18 clashes between the two sides, including a 22-2 win in round 23 this year.
For the Broncos, Jesse Arthars returns on the wing, with Deine Mariner moving to centre, and Gehamat Shibasaki dropped to the reserves. Brendan Piakura and Jaiyden Hunt have switched places, with Piakura named to start in the second row, and Hunt returning to the bench.
With a spot in the top four on the line, the Broncos return to Suncorp Stadium to face the opposition they’ve had the most trouble with in recent times – the Storm. If they can manufacture a win, they’ll secure fourth spot for the finals series, due to their far superior points differential over the Sharks and Warriors, who are currently on equal competition points. A loss would see them potentially finish as low as sixth, depending on what happens with the Sharks and Warriors.
Their form over the past month has been scintillating, however all of their wins have come against teams who are currently outside the top eight. Reece Walsh continued his rich vein of form, as he recorded six line break assists against the Cowboys. The problem for Walsh will be the Storm’s defence, which shut him down successfully when they last played in round 23. Although that was a horror night for the Broncos on the injury front, it’s a stark reminder of how punishing the Storm can be. They’ll need season-defining performances from more than just Walsh if they’re to get the win.
For the Storm, Jahrome Hughes returns at halfback after a recovering from a shoulder injury. The contingent of Xavier Coates, Eliesa Katoa, Nick Meaney, and Josh King all return after being rested last week. Stefano Utoikamanu has been rested and Shawn Blore is out after suffering a fractured larynx. Ativalu Lisati replaces Blore in the second row, while Tui Kamikamica rejoins the bench after missing last week with concussion.
After an embarrassing second half display last week (in which they leaked 40 unanswered points), expect a big response from the Storm this week. Craig Bellamy was frustrated with his side’s effort and it’s a rarity for them to turn out two poor performances in a row, especially at the back end of the year. With the minor premiership secured by the Raiders last week, the Storm’s focus shifts to locking in second and a home final in Melbourne next week. They’ve got a two-point buffer over the Bulldogs in third, as well as a far superior points differential, so it’s unlikely they will finish lower than second.
Hughes is a huge inclusion. Despite him missing the better part of six weeks, they need him back in the side with Harry Grant still serving a two-week suspension. The spine should regain much of its stability – the likes of Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen will be on for big games with Hughes steering the ship. Expect Hughes’ combination with Katoa to be a focal point for the Storm’s attack as well. They’ve also got history on their side – not only have they won 17 of the past 18 against the Broncos, they’ve won 15 of their past 16 Thursday night games.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Storm by 6.
See our full Round 27 Predictions (live Wednesday 12pm) here: 2025 NRL Tipping: Round 27 Writer Predictions
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