NRL Match Preview: Raiders v Broncos

In what is bound to be an emotional game day on Friday evening as Josh Papalii runs out to the Viking clap one final time, the Raiders will be raring to go for what is their first matchup against the Broncos since last year’s finals series.

Having caused an upset at Shark Park last weekend, Canberra will be determined to tick off two wins in a row, keeping any hope of a finals birth alive.

Papalii shifts to the starting lineup this week, with Ata Mariota moving into lock to cover the absence of Morgan Smithies who has been ruled out with concussion.

In a timely boost for the Raiders Simi Sasagi returns to the team, pushing Savelio Tamale back to the six-man bench.

For Brisbane, they will be hoping to turn the tide having lost four of their last five games, however, face a difficult task having lost star fullback Reece Walsh for the season.

Hayze Perham will start in Walsh’s absence, as Ben Hunt moves into the halves alongside Ezra Mam.

Talking Points:

• Josh Papalii will play his 158th and final game at GIO Stadium, having donned the lime green for the last 16 years.
• Canberra have averaged 35 points across their last four games at home.
• Ricky Stuart has prevailed against Michael Maguire in eight of their last nine meetings.

Last Time They Met:

The Brisbane Broncos defeated the Raiders 29-28 in week one of the 2025 finals series at GIO Stadium, Canberra.

Key Matchup: Josh Papalii v Payne Haas

Papa’s House is set for a gladiator like showdown this Friday evening, as Raiders legend Josh Papalii will come face-to-face with the NRL’s premier front rower and fellow Samoan international, Payne Haas.

As Josh Papalii leads the Raiders out on Friday night for what will be his 341st appearance, he will be tasked with winning the contest through the middle as he has so many times before.

Across his 16 seasons, Papalii’s courageousness has been infectious amongst all those he has played alongside with, continuously putting his body in the firing line on both sides of the ball.

On Friday night Papa will come head-to-head with Payne Haas one final time, having played one another across both the NRL and State of Origin.

While Payne Haas’s career is far from over, he is currently on a fair well tour of his own as his time at the Brisbane Broncos comes to a close before his move to Souths in 2027.

At only 26, Haas has gone to the heights most players can only dream of, which is reflected in his representative career having played for the NSW Blues, Kangaroos, and Samoa.

Having been the benchmark for front-row forwards in recent years, Haas’s game continues to evolve, taking the expectations of front rowers to unprecedented heights.

On Friday evening fans will be sure to tune in for one of the great battles between two of the game’s greatest front rowers, as Josh Papalii and Payne Haas challenge each other one final time.