The All-Queensland Battle
It’s the rugby league game NRL fans didn’t know they wanted before the season started, but it’s going to be an exciting game on Friday.
The unbeaten Dolphins and Broncos headline NRL Round 4, where only one team will remain at the top of the table.
NRL lines have the Broncos as heavy favorites and they have the experience edge against the Dolphins, who are in their first season.
Broncos Unbeaten
We loved the preseason odds for the Broncos to win the NRL Premiership and they haven’t let us down so far.
After posting three straight wins to open the year, they have quickly become the team to beat. The wins came over the Panthers, Cowboys, and Dragons – two of which are expected to be in the top four.
Beating the back-to-back champion Panthers was a great way to kick off their year, so confidence is high with the Queenslanders.
Adam Reynolds is excited for the game.
“We are looking forward to it. I don’t know if that was the reason why we had a slow start tonight but we will take what we can out of this game, looking at where we need to improve in our training and obviously show up next week for a big clash,” Reynolds said.
Sport betting odds are respecting their chances at -11½. Despite playing an unbeaten team, most bettors expect the Broncos to win outright. They were down 18-10 at the half against the Dragons last week before piling on 30 unanswered points in the second half.
They are explosive and they have the clear star power edge over the Dolphins. Players like Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo have been setting NRL news agencies alight with their exciting play, so the Dolphins could be in for a long night.
The Brisbane Broncos lead the NRL Power Rankings ahead of Round 3! 📊 pic.twitter.com/7pQKyZJtWO
— NRL (@NRL) March 16, 2023
Dolphins Exceeding Expectations
The season win/loss total with the sportsbook was 4½ for the Dolphins. That’s from a total of 26 weeks, so expectations for the NRL’s newest club were astronomically low.
However, someone forgot to tell the Dolphins about it. They are a perfect 3-0 after posting wins over the Roosters, Raiders and Knights.
The form reads well through the win over the Roosters, who have since beaten the South Sydney Rabbitohs. They dug deep to beat the Raiders two weeks ago, who have since beaten the Cronulla Sharks.
It bodes well for another big game, but there are concerns. Facing a team like the Broncos, who can score big numbers, won’t be easy. It’s a home game for the Dolphins, but they play at the same ground as the Broncos, so there is no advantage.
Take nothing away from what they have achieved so far, but sooner or later, they will start to come back to the pack. That could start against the Broncos, who will be looking to teach their younger brother a thing or two about winning in the NRL.
Online gaming markets have the Dolphins at juicy odds, but it would take a brave bettor.
Dolphins vs Broncos Head-to-Head
This is the first meeting between the Broncos vs Dolphins.
Dolphins vs Broncos Game Information
- Game: Brisbane Broncos (3-0) vs Dolphins (3-0)
- Day/Time: Friday, March 24, 5:00 a.m. ET
- Location: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, QLD
- Broncos vs Dolphins Live Stream: RugbyPass
Broncos vs Dolphins Betting Lines
Dolphins vs Broncos Prediction
Our NRL picks have the Broncos scoring a double-digit win. The sold-out crowd will be rocking, but that should play into the hands of the Broncos.
They are used to the noise, and although the Dolphins have played well so far, the Broncos have been a cut above.
The Brisbane Broncos are listed at -550 in our Vegas Rugby lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Broncos, you have a chance to win $18. The Dolphins are +325, offering a chance to win $325 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Brisbane a 84.62% chance to win, with the Dolphins at 23.53%
