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Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos NRL Finals Tips - Raiders ride into the Preliminary Final

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: Thu 11 Sep 2025 19:47

Jeremy Darke 11 Sep 2025

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Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos expert predictions for Sunday’s NRL Finals game
Kick off is at 4:05 PM (AEST) at GIO Stadium
Ethan Strange expected to be a game-changer for Canberra.
Brisbane boasts attacking power but faces defensive issues; prediction: Raiders win.

Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos NRL Finals Tips

Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos, 2025 NRL Finals- Expert Prediction

GIO Stadium on a Sunday afternoon will be an unconquerable fortress for the Brisbane Broncos with the Canberra Raiders backing up their Minor Premiership with a win in the first week of the finals.

Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos, 2025 NRL Finals- Expert Prediction
Head to Head
Canberra Raiders Form Analysis
Canberra Raiders Team News
Canberra Raiders Team List
Brisbane Broncos Form Analysis
Brisbane Broncos Team News
Brisbane Broncos Team List
Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos 2025 NRL Finals FAQ’s

Raiders vs Broncos Finals Cheat Sheet

The Raiders come in as 2.5-point favourites for this match and you can basically say that the handicap is due to this game being played at GIO Stadium on a Sunday. I would arguably say that Canberra is the toughest place to play on a Sunday of any in the NRL and the Raiders record backs that up, going 4-0 this season and only losing 4 Sunday matches at home in their last 5 seasons.

It is a fast track and the sun will be shining and the Raiders have put up an average of 40 points in their 4 matches on Sunday this season. Brisbane have the ability to put up the points too, averaging 38 points in their last 4 matches this season so this one has the potential to be full of tries.

Ricky Stuart will be out to shutdown Brisbane livewire Reece Walsh and if successful the Raiders will win fairly comfortably. For Canberra Ethan Strange is the runner and the creator and I’m backing him to be the difference in this match, stepping up to the occasion.

Canberra have won 5 of their last 6 matches against the Broncos at GIO Stadium.
Canberra have won 15 of 19 matches played on Sunday at GIO Stadium since 2021.
Canberra averaged 32.2 points as the home team in the 2025 season.
Ethan Strange has 4 tries in his last 3 matches.

Head to Head

The Raiders and Brisbane faced each other back in Round 2 this year with Canberra getting up 32-22 at GIO Stadium. The Raiders found holes in the Broncos defence, breaking their line 7 times in the match and forcing 44 missed tackles.

Canberra have won 5 of their last 6 games against Brisbane at GIO Stadium.

7 of the 8 matches since 2019 have gone over the game total.

Canberra Raiders Form Analysis

Ricky Stuart and the Raiders opted to rest their stars in the final round of the season and got done by 38 points in a 62-24 loss to the Dolphins.

Canberra Raiders Team News

The Canberra Raiders have their strongest 17 on the park after resting the majority of their guys last week. After winning 12 of their previous 13 games will the Raiders pay for the loss in momentum?

Canberra have rarely put a foot wrong all season and their record against teams in the Finals is 7 wins and only 1 loss, which came at the hands of Canterbury, which was also their only loss at GIO Stadium this season.

The emergence of Ethan Strange has taken the Raiders attack to a new level with their five-eighth scoring 13 tries while also tallying 12 try assists and 8 linebreak assists, becoming the perfect partner to Jamal Fogarty in the halves who controls the play and often wins the territory battle.

The Raiders are deserving winners of the minor premiership and will be a tough beat in the finals.

Canberra Raiders Team List

1. Kaeo Weekes

2. Savelio Tamale

3. Matt Timoko

4. Sebastian Kris

5. Jed Stuart

6. Ethan Strange

7. Jamal Fogarty

8. Josh Papalii

9. Tom Starling

10. Joe Tapine

11. Hudson Young

12. Zac Hosking

13. Corey Horsburgh

Interchange

14. Owen Pattie

15. Simi Sasagi

16. Morgan Smithies

17. Ata Mariota

Reserves

18. Matty Nicholson

19. Danny Levi

20. Ethan Sanders

21. Noah Martin

22. Trey Mooney

Brisbane Broncos Form Analysis

The Broncos needed a lift after a shaky start to the 2025 season and they certainly got it, winning 10 of their final 12 games of the season to lock in a top four finish. In the final month of the season the Broncos went 4-0 with their attack being the highlight averaging 38 points per game.

With their playmakers out injured the creativity has rested on the shoulders of the Broncos No. 1 Reece Walsh and all in all he has taken a step up, although, there are still some small cracks in his game that could be patched up. Nonetheless, Walsh has crossed the line 5 times and set up another 6 in the last 4 matches.

The concern for Brisbane heading into the 2025 Finals is their defence which has let them down in patches, including giving up 28 points to the Dolphins and 30 to the Cowboys in the last month.

Brisbane Broncos Team News

Rumours of Adam Reynolds returning for week 1 of the finals have been squashed with Ben Hunt and Billy Walters in the halves.

Gehamat Shibasaki returns to the centres with Deine Mariner moving to the wing and Jesse Arthars being dropped out of the side.

Reece Walsh is under watch with a calf complaint but has been named and is expected to play.

Brisbane Broncos Team List

1. Reece Walsh

2. Josiah Karapani

3. Kotoni Staggs

4. Gehamat Shibasaki

5. Deine Mariner

6. Billy Walters

7. Ben Hunt

8. Corey Jensen

9. Cory Paix

10. Payne Haas

11. Brendan Piakura

12. Jordan Riki

13. Patrick Carrigan

Interchange

14. Tyson Smoothy

15. Kobe Hetherington

16. Ben Talty

17. Jaiyden Hunt

Reserves

18. Jesse Arthars

19. Fletcher Baker

20. Delouise Hoeter

21. Jack Gosiewski

22. Jock Madden

Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos 2025 NRL Finals FAQ’s

How to watch Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos 2025 NRL Finals?

You can watch the Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos 2025 NRL Finals game via Fox Sports or Kayo Sports. If you are watching from outside of Australia the WatchNRL app is the perfect solution.

How to buy tickets to Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos 2025 NRL Finals?

To buy tickets to the Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos 2025 NRL Finals game check the NRL website or the official Canberra Raiders site.

Verdict

Canberra Raiders v Brisbane Broncos

Ethan Strange will be the difference, scoring a try as the Raiders score over 22.5 points and get the victory against the Broncos.

Canberra Raiders

Money Line

$1.68 - 3 Units

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