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Andrew Johns is backing the Broncos to get the chocolates in a Friday night blockbuster despite Michael Maguire’s team being decimated.
Brisbane has lost Reece Walsh, Payne Haas, Gehamat Shibasaki, and Patrick Carrigan to State of Origin, while gun winger Jesse Arthars and prop Corey Jensen have also been ruled out.
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Canterbury is missing Stephen Crichton and Max King to Origin, while Jacob Kiraz has been named 18th man for the Blues and so won’t be available for his club.
It’s a cruel twist for the Dogs who also lost Matt Burton to 18th man duties in games one and two of the Origin series.
It evens out this time, though, as Brisbane loses star fullback Walsh due to him being Queensland’s 18th man.
Payne Haas is one of the Broncos players missing. Getty
Nonetheless, Johns reckons the Broncos can upset Canterbury in Sydney.
“I’m going to go the Broncos on the back of (halfback) Adam Reynolds,” Johns told Wide World of Sports.
“Wet weather footy, his kicking game is far superior, especially his attacking kicks.
“Accor (Stadium) gets slippery, so it will be really slippery. I’d say they won’t mow it because of Origin on Wednesday, so you’ve got to get your tries from kicks.”
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Brad Fittler is going the other way, and is backing Bulldogs five-eighth Burton to be the difference.
“I’m going with Burton,” Fittler said.
“They got beat by Penrith (so) they will be a bit hungrier… they will plough that left-hand side.
“It will be an interesting game.”
The Bulldogs sit second on the NRL ladder with 11 wins from 14 games, but with the help of three byes – for which they bizarrely get six competition points.
The Broncos sit fifth on eight wins, strangely the same number as Cronulla who sit 10th due to only having one bye so far.
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and Round 18 tips by all Nine’s expert tipsters!
NRL tips leaderboard. Nine
Brad Fittler: Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
Andrew Johns: Broncos, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
Darren Lockyer: Broncos, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
Paul Gallen: Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
Peter Psaltis: Broncos, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
Mat Thompson: Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
Danika Mason: Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
David Middleton: Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
The Mole: Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
Ben Glover: Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm, Roosters, Sea Eagles
