Rugby

Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm prediction and odds: NRL 2023 qualifying final

It’s Groundhog Day for the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm, with the two teams taking each other on in consecutive weeks, after playing in the final round of the regular season last week. This is an entirely different match, however, so read on for our Broncos vs Storm predictions.

Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm – match predictions

Melbourne came out on top in this fixture last week, but with Brisbane back to full strength this Friday, can they do it again? Here are our top predictions ahead of the Broncos vs Storm this weekend:

Brisbane Broncos to win 1-12 @ 3.10 (2/1)

That’s right, we say the Broncos are going to flip the script on last week, and defeat the Melbourne Storm here at Suncorp. Yes, this flies in the face of their overall head to head and outrageously poor record against the Storm in Brisbane, but here’s why we say the Broncos are a great bet to win on Friday.

Last weekend, it was a tight game. Melbourne won by 10 points, but Brisbane were right in it up until the end, and that was without several of their key players. Now, with the likes of Adam Reynolds, Patrick Carrigan and Petone Staggs back in the team, we say they’ll have the firepower to get past Melbourne. Sure, the Storm have also bolstered their line up, but the impact of Reynolds, who has been the Broncos’ secret sauce in 2023, can’t be underestimated.

Melbourne Storm +6.5 handicap @ 1.70 (8/11)

This is a great conservative bet for those who are a little spooked by last week’s result, and the Broncos vs Storm head to head. While we believe that Brisbane will get up here, there’s no denying it will be a hard fought match, and the Storm will be right there with them. Expect a close margin, with Melbourne making the handicap at +6.5 for a modest return.

Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm preview

Heading into this match, here’s a look at how both teams’ seasons have gone so far in the NRL 2023:

Brisbane Broncos

It’s been a stellar year for the Broncos, with the Brisbane-based team just getting pipped at the finish line by the Penrith Panthers for the top spot on the NRL ladder. With 18 wins and just six losses, the Broncos have been one of the competition’s dominant teams in 2023, and only had a seven-game winning streak broken last week by none other than the Melbourne Storm.

Melbourne Storm

The Melbourne Storm were a bit of a slow boil in 2023, suffering some early and mid season losses that were out of character. However, they’ve come right at the business end of the season, winning four on the trot beginning with a 48-2 rout of the Canberra Raiders and ending with a tight win over the Broncos last week. Finals footy is where they thrive, so expect them to be locked in over the coming weeks.

Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm head to head

This is one of the more remarkable head to heads in the NRL, with Melbourne undefeated in their past 14 games against Brisbane, including their last 13 at Suncorp Stadium. Overall, the Storm are up 40-13 in the head to head, having won last week 32-22.

Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm match details

Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm prediction and odds

  • Date and time: Friday 8 September, 10:40 AM GMT
  • Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia
  • How to watch: Sky Sports


Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!