Friday night footy heats up at Suncorp Stadium as the struggling Broncos face a red-hot Roosters outfit chasing a top-four finish. With Brisbane desperate to snap a losing streak and the Roosters building consistency, this clash looms as a critical test for both sides’ seasons.
Read Full Previews
- Eels vs Rabbitohs → Read full preview: eels-vs-rabbitohs-round-17-preview-2026
- Titans vs Bulldogs → Read full preview: titans-vs-bulldogs-round-17-preview-2026
- Broncos vs Roosters → Read full preview: broncos-vs-roosters-round-17-preview-2026
- Dolphins vs Warriors → Read full preview: dolphins-vs-warriors-round-17-preview-2026
- Cowboys vs Panthers → Read full preview: cowboys-vs-panthers-round-17-preview-2026
- Sea Eagles vs Storm → Read full preview: sea-eagles-vs-storm-round-17-preview-2026
- Raiders vs Dragons → Read full preview: raiders-vs-dragons-round-17-preview-2026
- Knights vs Wests Tigers → Read full preview: knights-vs-wests-tigers-round-17-preview-2026
Matchday Details
Friday, 26 June 2026 – 8:00pm AEST – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
📺 Nine Network / Nine Now / Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Grant Atkins | Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Brisbane Broncos: 1. Reece Walsh, 2. Josiah Karapani, 3. Kotoni Staggs, 4. Grant Anderson, 5. Jesse Arthars, 6. Thomas Duffy, 7. Ben Hunt, 8. Preston Riki, 9. Cory Paix, 10. Payne Haas (c), 11. Brendan Piakura, 12. Jordan Riki, 13. Xavier Willison, 14. Blake Mozer, 15. Ben Talty, 16. Aublix Tawha, 17. Jack Gosiewski, 18. Hayze Perham, 19. Josh Rogers, 20. Jaiyden Hunt, 21. Kane Bradley, 22. Va’a Semu
Sydney Roosters: 1. James Tedesco (c), 2. Billy Smith, 3. Hugo Savala, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Nat Butcher, 12. Siua Wong, 13. Victor Radley, 14. Connor Watson, 15. Spencer Leniu, 16. Egan Butcher, 17. Salesi Foketi, 18. Rex Bassingthwaighte, 19. Tommy Talau, 20. Benaiah Ioelu, 21. Toby Rodwell, 22. Taylor Losalu
Match Preview
After six consecutive defeats, the Brisbane Broncos return home desperately needing to win to stay in touch with the top eight.
Standing in their way is a Sydney Roosters side on the road once again, attempting to remain in the top four.
There’s mixed news on the team front for Michael Maguire and the Broncos, with Origin trio Reece Walsh, Kotoni Staggs, and Payne Haas all returning to the side, but Adam Reynolds (calf) and Ezra Mam (shoulder) are both out injured. Ben Hunt and Tom Duffy will start in the halves, while Blake Mozer will make his first-grade appearance since breaking his jaw in Round 6. Haas will captain the club for the first time with Reynolds and Patrick Carrigan both unavailable.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson has fewer headaches than Maguire, making just one change to the side that defeated Cronulla on Sunday night. Hugo Savala returns from concussion protocols at left centre, with Billy Smith sliding to the wing and Tommy Talau dropping to the bench.
When these two teams last met in Round 9, few could have predicted that the Broncos’ 38–24 loss would kick-start a six-game losing run that has left the defending premiers on the brink of missing the finals entirely. The Broncos haven’t just lost games in that time, they’ve lost badly: losing to Manly, the Warriors, and South Sydney by an average margin of 33 points, along with losses to the otherwise winless Dragons and struggling Titans. In that time, they’ve averaged 13 errors, 10 infringements, and 30 missed tackles per game. Such ill-discipline will cause them to lose more games than they win.
The Roosters know what good discipline can do for a team’s chances of winning. When they won six straight early in the season, it was off the back of minimising errors and penalties. Their losses have been heavily influenced by low completions and high penalty counts. In their past six matches, they’ve conceded 18 tries, eight of which came in the Origin- and injury-impacted loss to the Dolphins. They have missed the fewest tackles in the competition (27.3 per game), showing that when they complete well and keep infringements low, they are hard to crack.
Back in Round 9, there were expectations that Staggs, who was in strong form and chasing an Origin jersey, would dominate opposing centre Savala. Instead, Savala — playing out of position — flipped the script, scoring a try, setting up another, making 14 tackles (one miss), and limiting Staggs to just 54 running metres. In the end, a frustrated Staggs lashed out at Savala with an elbow and ended the game in the sin bin. With that night, and a disappointing effort in Origin for Staggs last week, Savala will need to be at the top of his game to shut him down again.
There are a pair of milestones for the Roosters on Friday night, with captain James Tedesco registering his 200th game for the club, while halfback Sam Walker plays game number 100.
The Roosters have dominated this matchup in recent years, winning nine of 12 since 2020, including all five at Suncorp Stadium. The Roosters have lost both games at Suncorp this year (against the Cowboys and Dolphins), while the Broncos have won just two from eight there in 2026.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Roosters by 8
Full Round 17 tips → /nrl-round-17-predictions-2026/
Bold call: James Tedesco celebrates his double century with a try double.
Want to try your hand at writing match previews?
We’re always looking for new rugby league contributors to share their thoughts on upcoming NRL games.
No experience needed — just strong opinions and a love of the game
👉 Get started here
Related
- Full Round 17 coverage → /nrl/2026-season/round-17
- NRL Round 17 Team Lists → /nrl-round-17-team-lists-2026/
- NRL Injury List → /nrl/injuries/
