[[LIVE@STREAMs!]] New Zealand Warriors vs Brisbane Broncos LIVE Coverage ON NRL preliminary final TV Channel 23 September 2023
NRL Preliminary Final 2023 Live – Click Here
Brisbane Broncos vs New Zealand Warriors: NRL preliminary final preview and prediction
The Brisbane Broncos will be out to continue their winning ways when they clash with the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL’s second preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium.
>>>Brisbane Broncos vs NZ Warriors NRL LIVE<<<
>>>NZ Warriors vs Brisbane Broncos NRL LIVE<<<
A clash with the all-conquering Penrith Panthers awaits the winner, but that can’t be front of mind.
There is no guarantee for either of these sides coming into a game that is tough to call.
Brisbane have been fantastic all year, finishing second on the table before continuing their impressive form with a thumping 26-0 victory over the Melbourne Storm to book direct passage to the preliminary finals and a week off.
Meanwhile, the Warriors, who played the opening week of the finals without Shaun Johnson, used their double chance after a loss to the Panthers to smash the Newcastle Knights last weekend.
The enormous win will hand them plenty of confidence as they make the difficult trip back across the Tasman for a clash with the Broncos at the cauldron.
If they handle the nerves and pressure, then there is little reason to assume they can’t pick up a win here and progress to their first grand final in more than a decade.
Brisbane have been a picture of consistency all year though with one of the game’s most ferocious forward packs and a kicking game led by the always-in-control Adam Reynolds.
NRL Rd 9 – Broncos v Rabbitohs
Team news
Brisbane Broncos
1. Reece Walsh 2. Jesse Arthars 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan
Interchange: 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Brendan Piakura 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Keenan Palasia
Reserves: 18. Corey Oates 19. Martin Taupau
The Broncos come into their preliminary final unchanged. That means the only news really worth talking about is the fact Adam Reynolds remains fit, and that there is no recall for the hard-running, super-experienced Corey Oates.
Jesse Arthars, who has done a tremendous job for much of the season, remains in Brisbane’s backline.
Tyson Smoothy also remains on the bench as the utility.
New Zealand Warriors
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris
Interchange: 14. Dylan Walker 15. Jazz Tevaga 16. Bayley Sironen 17. Josh Curran
Reserves: 18. Freddy Lussick 20. Taine Tuaupiki
Like the Broncos, the Warriors are also unchanged.
Like last week, there have been some questions over Shaun Johnson, although only in his level of training this week rather than whether he will play after he successfully got through the Knights game in rebounding from his calf injury.
The remainder of the side are all fit.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 06: Shaun Johnson of the Warriors passes the ball during the round 10 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium on May 06, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Keys to the game
Metres in the back five
This game is going to be close if both teams play to their potential and don’t let the nerves of a big occasion overcome them.
That means it’ll be the small things that decide the contest, and one of those will undoubtedly be metres from the back three.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad has been one of the best in the competition this season when it comes to running the ball out of trouble, while Dallin Watene-Zelezniak also never shies away from the challenge.
It’s an area the Broncos haven’t relied on this season though. Herbie Farnworth is the only back at the club in the top 20 throughout the competition when it comes to run metres. Selwyn Cobbo is next in 25th.
They have other weapons the Broncos, but it’ll be no good if their forwards – who have been crucial all season – are struggling to get back behind the ball.
It’s where Corey Oates could make a difference, although the argument for picking Arthars on form is an obvious one.
That said, there is a reason Penrith’s back three – Brian To’o, Sunia Turuva and Dylan Edwards – are all in the top ten when it comes to running metres this season.
The kicking games
Directly related to the first point is the kicking games of both Shaun Johnson and Adam Reynolds.
Both players have had phenomenal years in winding the clocks back, and it could be argued that alongside Nathan Cleary, they have been the competition’s form halfbacks for most of the 2023 season.
Reynolds’ kicking game is one of the reasons Brisbane have been so strong, regularly turning the ball over in the right spots and allowing the club to attack through aggressive defence.
The Warriors have been similar through Johnson’s kicking game.
Given the closeness expected in this contest, the winner of the kicking game duel could well carry their team to victory here through territory, possession and general fatigue from those two contests.
Will there be rust for the Broncos?
Most of the Broncos’ top side have played just a single game in the last month, after being rested during Round 27 and having the semi-final weekend off after their win over the Storm.
That will certainly mean they come into this game fresh and ready to make a charge at the finish line, but breaking rhythm at this point in the season so excessively can also come back to bite.
The Warriors ran up 40 points last week and were in fine form as they picked the Knights apart, but what was more impressive was their defence. The Knights dominated the middle portion of the game, throwing the kitchen sink at the home side, but they couldn’t find a way through.
If the Broncos are rusty early, which is a fair chance, then falling behind could prove disastrous given how strong this Warriors’ defensive line has been.
Prediction
There just seem to be too many ‘ifs’ over the Warriors to confidently tip them, but it wouldn’t come as a great surprise if they managed to pick up a win here.
If they get out to an early lead, then they will be tough to peg back, so good has their defence been this year.
The Broncos are one of two teams likely to find a way through though. Adam Reynolds needs to be close to spot on, and they need plenty of metres out of their backs to start sets, but provided they play to their potential, they should find a way over the line here in a game that will be a lot closer than the majority are tipping.
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