NRL Round 7 preview: Warriors vs Broncos betting tips

Best bets for Warriors vs Broncos

NRL Round 7: Warriors vs Broncos preview

The Brisbane Broncos head across the ditch to take on the New Zealand Warriors in a Saturday night showdown at Go Media Stadium, with kickoff at 5:30pm AEST.

Both teams are looking to bounce back from disappointing losses in Round 6, but Brisbane enter the clash as warm NRL betting favourites with the stronger squad and a solid recent record in New Zealand.

With the Warriors missing key personnel and the Broncos boasting plenty of firepower, this one shapes as a high-scoring contest with blowout risk.

The Broncos looked off-colour last week in a shock home loss to the Roosters, but this is a prime bounce-back spot against a Warriors side missing their best middle forward and fullback.

Brisbane still boast one of the most dangerous backlines in the NRL and should dominate the middle third with Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, et al rolling forward.

With a 3-1 record in their last four trips to New Zealand and wet conditions easing, the visitors are well positioned to respond in a big way.

The Warriors have been brave in 2025 but will find it tough with some big names out.

Their defence leaked 42 points last week and now faces a Broncos attack that has averaged 30 points a game this season.

While the Wahs will feed off the Auckland crowd, their reshuffled spine and weakened pack may struggle to contain Brisbane’s speed and structure for 80 minutes.

This fixture has produced some blowouts in the past, and with the Warriors conceding 23.6 points per game and Brisbane keen to respond to last week’s upset, there’s every chance the margin could push into double digits.

Expect tries and plenty of them, with plenty of value available with the top online bookmakers.

NRL Warriors vs Broncos R7 team news

New Zealand Warriors

1. Taine Tuaupiki
2. Edward Kosi
3. Kurt Capewell
4. Ali Leiataua
5. Adam Pompey
6. Chanel Harris-Tavita
7. Luke Metcalf
8. Jackson Ford
9. Wayde Egan
10. Mitchell Barnett
11. Leka Halasima
12. Marata Niukore
13. Erin Clark
14. Bunty Afoa
15. Jacob Laban
16. Demitric Vaimauga
17. Te Maire Martin

The Warriors have some big outs with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (concussion), James Fisher-Harris (pectoral), and Rocco Berry (suspension) all missing. Taine Tuaupiki moves to fullback, Kurt Capewell shifts to the centres, and Jackson Ford joins the front row.

Brisbane Broncos

1. Reece Walsh
2. Selwyn Cobbo
3. Kotoni Staggs
4. Gehamat Shibasaki
5. Jesse Arthars
6. Ben Hunt
7. Adam Reynolds
8. Patrick Carrigan
9. Cory Paix
10. Payne Haas
11. Jaiyden Hunt
12. Jordan Riki
13. Kobe Hetherington
14. Billy Walters
15. Corey Jensen
16. Xavier Willison
17. Tyson Smoothy

Jordan Riki returns to the second row with Jack Gosiewski (broken arm) sidelined. Tyson Smoothy replaces Martin Taupau on the bench. Jesse Arthars passed concussion protocols and retains his spot out wide.

Warriors vs Broncos betting predictions

Brisbane have the firepower and physical advantage to put a dent in a depleted Warriors side. They’ve covered this margin in three of their four wins this season and have dominated recent matchups in New Zealand. After last week’s flat effort, expect a strong 80-minute showing with the Broncos winning by 13 or more points at $2.30 with BetOnline.

Gehamat Shibasaki has scored in four of his last five games when the Broncos have entered started as favourites, and he gets a favourable matchup against a patched-up Warriors right edge. With Reece Walsh and Adam Reynolds creating space, he’s great value at $2.65 with BetOnline to sneak over in what could be a high-possession game for Brisbane.

These teams are averaging a combined 49.6 points per game, and the over has hit in all five Warriors fixtures as underdogs this year. Despite some forecast rain, there’s enough attacking quality on both sides to turn this into a try-fest. Expect the scoreboard to tick over consistently and pass 47 total points at $1.90 odds with BetOnline.

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