The Battle of Brisbane will have an extra layer of intrigue this week, as the Broncos and Dolphins clash with salary cap pressures adding extra spice to the cross-town rivalry. Broncos vs Dolphins kickoff 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 12 at Suncorp Stadium.
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Broncos boosted by Walsh return, face tough contract decisions
The Broncos have received a major boost with the return of star fullback Reece Walsh from a facial fracture. He joins Jordan Riki (ankle) in making a timely comeback for the home side.
Their returns are a major boost for the team, especially since captain Adam Reynolds (hamstring) and Payne Haas are still sidelined.
The wealth of talent in the Brisbane side and a looming salary cap crunch could mean tough decisions lie ahead.
The Dolphins have several million dollars in cap space, giving them the financial firepower to target top Broncos players who may not fit under the tightening Brisbane budget. This could reignite contract wars between the two clubs, with names like Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs potentially in the Dolphins’ sights.
Two former Broncos, Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler, have already joined the Dolphins for this year. However, a late injury setback has forced Flegler to withdraw from the match against his former side.
Staggs doubles down on “our house” claim
Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs has already fired the first shot, doubling down on his emotional “this is our house” declaration after scoring the match-winning try against the Dolphins last season.
“It wasn’t really planned,” Staggs said. “Once I scored that try it just came to me. It was the first game we ever played against the Dolphins and I just wanted to let them know who owned Suncorp.”
Broncos vs Dolphins, the battle for Suncorp
The Dolphins share Suncorp Stadium as a home ground with the Broncos, but Staggs made it clear he sees the venue as belonging to the Brisbane club. This is sure to add further spice to Friday night’s encounter.
On the field, the Broncos (2-3) will be looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to the Storm. Meanwhile, the Dolphins (3-1) are flying high at the top of the ladder after three wins out of four.
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The Broncos have won both their matches at Suncorp this season. The Dolphins have won one and lost one away from home. This Battle of Brisbane will be the first test of who can assert their dominance over The Cauldron in 2024.
Published 11-April-2024
