Broncos v Cowboys NRL R2 best bets & multi picks – 10/3/2023

The Brisbane Broncos have their first Suncorp Stadium home game for the 2023 NRL season when they host the North Queensland Cowboys at 7pm AEST on Friday night.

The Broncos surprised many by beating the Panthers in Penrith by one point last weekend, while the Cowboys recorded a win over the Raiders in Townsville by the same margin. Both clubs come into this clash with no changes to their sides ahead of the Queensland derby and fighting for ‘big brother’ status, but who will come out on top?

The resurgence of the Cowboys last season saw them beat the Broncos handsomely in both of their matches, including the belting of the home side at Suncorp in round three. However, the Broncos will be adding Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, Corey Jenson, Thomas Flegler, Cory Paix and Martin Taupau to their starting 17 this time.

As good as the Cowboys are, the Broncos showed against the Panthers they have improved defensively over the off-season. The first match at Suncorp for the season will lift the Broncos to a new level, and we like them to beat the Cowboys by 1-12 points at $2.85 with Ladbrokes.

The Cowboys missed 29 tackles against the Raiders while also making 13 ineffective tackles. The Broncos’ forward pack of Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan and Jenson is arguably a bigger and stronger than the Raiders’, with more skill and athleticism.

Look for the Broncos to use Haas as a ‘battering ram’ close to the line as they target the apparent soft middle of the Cowboys. With some wet weather predicted for Brisbane this weekend, Haas offers good value as an anytime tryscorer ($7).

The combination of poor weather and heavy reliance on wingers scoring for both sides suggest this could be a low-scoring match. Ball security will be at a premium with each team expected to work through the middle of the field and play a less expansive style of football. Should that scenario play out, look for this one to go under 41.5 total match points ($1.90).

Key matchup: Ezra Mam v Tom Dearden

The battle of the five-eighths will be one of the highlights of the match. The running games of these two players is brilliant, with all the speed and footwork needed to break the game open at any point, and that could be key to deciding the outcome of the match.

Broncos v Cowboys NRL Rd 2 match prediction

Broncos v Cowboys NRL Rd 2 same game multi

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