Storm versus Broncos
One of the biggest rivalries over the past decade continues when the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos collide at AAMI Park tomorrow night.
Instrumental to this rivalry is the fact that both clubs (along with the Cowboys) have provided the bulk of Queensland’s Origin players during the state’s dominant reign over New South Wales since 2006.
And it could get even bigger with Billy Slater set to play his first NRL game in over a year after shoulder surgery saw him sidelined from the game for most of the past 21 months.
In that period he only played in the Storm’s Round 1 win over the Dragons last year.
Still, without their veteran fullback, Craig Bellamy’s men managed to reach the grand final, as well as start the new season 2-0, with both of their wins coming on the road against the Bulldogs and Warriors.
The Broncos, on the other hand, are 1-1 after going down to the Cowboys in another golden point thriller at Suncorp Stadium last week, that coming eight nights after their season-opening 26-18 win over the Sharks on the road.
Last year, the Storm inflicted a huge defeat on the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium before Wayne Bennett’s men returned the favour with a 26-16 win in Melbourne just before the finals.
Generally, the Storm has dominated most of the rivalry, winning 22 of the last 28 meetings against the Broncos; as a matter of fact, the Storm are the team with the most wins against the Brisbane powerhouse with 26.
However, the Broncos have won in each of their last two visits to the Victorian capital, including last year’s aforementioned 26-16 win as well as a strong, defence-orientated 14-12 win in Round 15, 2015.
It should be a good match to watch and I have the Storm winning.
Prediction: Storm by eight points.