This season’s first battle for Brisbane arrives at a time when the Dolphins are flying high at the top of the Telstra Premiership ladder.
The competition newbies have been travelling well since losing their opening match, with three wins – the most recent of which was a 26-16 home victory over the Wests Tigers – and a bye helping them to lead all sides heading into Round 6.
Their fast start comes as the Broncos struggle against a heavy injury toll, with last week’s two-point defeat to the Storm being their third loss in five games to start 2024.
Brisbane are boosted by the return of gun fullback Reece Walsh from a facial fracture but will be without skipper Adam Reynolds and winger Deine Mariner due to injury.
Both meetings between these sides last season went the way of Brisbane, but they were close games with margins of six and eight points.
The Broncos have won both of their games at Suncorp Stadium this season, while the Dolphins have won one and lost one.
Fullback Reece Walsh is named to return from a facial fracture and has trained this week, so Tristan Sailor reverts to the interchange, with Jock Madden again the preferred replacement for injured skipper Adam Reynolds at halfback. Veteran Corey Oates starts on the wing in place of Deine Mariner (back), while on the bench Xavier Willison is back from time out with concussion and takes the spot Ben Te Kura had last week.
Tom Flegler is named to play despite suffering a shoulder injury last week, but Wayne Bennett is without Herbie Farnworth (arm) and Felise Kaufusi (hamstring). That means Tesi Niu comes in at centre for his second game of the year and Jarrod Wallace joins the bench, with Kenny Bromwich slotting into the back row. Anthony Milford is other new addition to the squad and will play his first game of the year, replacing the suspended Kurt Donoghoe on the interchange,
