Brisbane Broncos vs Cronulla Sharks Predictions: Broncos can add to Sharks woes

After losing their last two games, the Cronulla Sharks have a tough test on Saturday morning (10:35 kick-off) when they face the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

Having won seven games on the bounce to swim to the top of the NRL table, the Sharks have started to take on water with back-to-back defeats to the Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels.

The Broncos will be determined to bounce back after their 36-24 defeat to the Gold Coast Titans last time out and can put things right against the sinking Sharks this weekend.

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The Broncos will have to do without full-back Reece Walsh due to a concussion he sustained during the first match of the State of Origin series.

Tristan Saiker will look to fill the void, while the talented trio of Selwyn Cobbo, Pat Carrigan and Payne Haas all return to the starting line-up.

Kotoni Staggs also makes a welcomed return in the centres after a rib injury, but Xavier Willison will miss the game due to the birth of his first child.

As for the Sharks, Cameron McInnes starts on the back of his Origin debut for the Blues on Wednesday.

Cronulla will be missing Nicho Hynes due to a niggling calf issue, meaning Daniel Atkinson will partner Braydon Trindall in the half-backs.

Teig Wilton is out with a shoulder injury, meaning Siosifa Talakai gets a start in the forwards.

Brisbane Broncos vs Cronulla Sharks Odds

Brisbane are the 8/13 favourites to win, while Cronulla are available at 6/4 to claim the victory at Suncorp Stadium.

The Broncos are 21/20 to be leading at both the half-time and full-time whistle.

Brisbane Broncos -6 handicap @ 11/10

Conceding 106 points over their last three games, the Sharks have seen their defence drop off in a big way in the last few weeks.

Cronulla conceded an average of just 14 points per game in the opening 10 rounds of the campaign, but have been far more vulnerable without the ball of late.

Missing Hynes will be a blow for the visitors, while the Broncos will be boosted by some key players returning to their starting line-up.

Having won nine of their last 11 meetings with the Sharks, the Broncos look capable of winning this weekend and overcoming the -6 handicap.

Over 46.5 total points @ 10/11

With the Sharks struggling in defence of late, this could well be a high-scoring encounter at Suncorp Stadium.

The Broncos are hardly perfect without the ball either, as their defeat to the Titans last time out would indicate.

This should be a high-scoring shootout in Brisbane and over 46.5 total points in the game looks achievable.

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