Second up on Friday Night Football is the Queensland Derby, as the Cowboys head to Suncorp Stadium looking to turn things around against the Broncos. The Cowboys have started the season horribly, and if they can’t get up for this clash, it could be time to already write off their season. The Broncos will also be looking for improvement, after a poor effort in Canberra last week in a loss to the Raiders. A huge clash for both teams, and we bring you our thoughts and tips below!
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Brisbane Broncos vs North Queensland Cowboys
Location: Suncorp Stadium – Brisbane
Date: Friday, 21st March
Time: 8:00pm AEDT
Odds: Broncos ($1.17) vs Cowboys ($5.20)
Line: Broncos -16.5
Points: 51.5
Odds and lines provided with thanks to Neds. Note that odds and lines can fluctuate throughout the week and are correct at the time of writing.
Match Preview
The Cowboys are lucky the Eels are a part of the 2025 NRL competition, otherwise they would be the worst team over the first fortnight without a doubt. Conceding 42 and 36 points in rounds one and two is not something last year’s semi-finalists would have envisaged, and there hasn’t been a lot to get excited about for Cowboys’ fans, with three of their four tries coming well into garbage time.
The Broncos have been Jekyll and Hyde to start the season, scoring 50 against the Roosters in round 1, only to be spanked in round 2 by the Raiders. Consistency will be what Head Coach Michael Maguire is preaching this week at training, and with a plus matchup here against the Cowboys, expect a bounce back from the Broncos.
The Broncos have completely dominated this clash over the past three years, winning both games last season by a combined 80-30 scoreline. In round 4 last season, the Broncos closed 1.5-point home underdogs, with several key names including Payne Haas and Reece Walsh missing. It didn’t matter, as the Broncos destroyed the Cowboys 38-12. They met again in round 23, this time with the Cowboys entrenched in the top 8, and the Broncos on the outside looking in. The Cowboys closed 8.5-point home favourites, and again it didn’t matter. The Broncos looked shot after 35 minutes, down 18-6, but a try right before half time to Deine Mariner had the Broncos in the contest. Five unanswered tries in the second half led to a blowout loss to the Cowboys, in a poor display by the favoured team.
For this game, the Broncos were 12.5-point home favourites on the lookahead line, before re-opening as 14.5-point favourites. Broncos money has continued coming in, to where they now sit as 16.5-point favourites. I have the Broncos as 18-point home favourites and see slight value in them here.
The total was 51.5 on the lookahead, with no real money coming in either way. The total still sits at 51.5, which is smack bang on my total. I’d lean over, given the high number of points scored this season, but I’ll steer clear for now.
Broncos -16.5
$1.94 (1.5 Units)
Same Game Multi
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To follow our multi, just click on the BoomBet BetShare button below and our same game multi selections will be added straight into your bet slip on BoomBet. You can then enter how much you wish to wager, and with a single click, your bet has been placed!
Leg 1: Broncos (13+) – As above, the Broncos should be far too good.
Leg 2: S Drinkwater (1+ try) – Drinkwater looks to be the only person in attack with any go for the Cowboys so far this season. I expect with the inclusion of Clifford, the familiarity between Drinkwater, Clifford, and Dearden should assist the Cowboys attack. If anyone stands to benefit from this, it’s Drinkwater. With three straight seasons of double digit tries, Drinkwater knows how to get across the white line.
Leg 3: G Shibasaki (1+ try) – The Broncos left side attack is humming with Ben Hunt taking up residence there, and last week Jesse Arthars was the beneficiary with three tries, Expect Shibasaki to get in on the action this week.
SGM Odds: $9.00 at BoomBet
