
Brought to you by TAB. Nine
Andrew Johns is tipping the Broncos to come out on top in a standout clash this Friday night, even with Michael Maguire’s squad facing significant losses.
The Broncos will be without Reece Walsh, Payne Haas, Gehamat Shibasaki, and Patrick Carrigan due to State of Origin commitments. Additionally, leading winger Jesse Arthars and forward Corey Jensen are also out.
Meanwhile, Canterbury is missing Stephen Crichton and Max King for the Origin series, and Jacob Kiraz has been listed as 18th man for the Blues, meaning he won’t be available for his club on game day.
This unfortunate turn of events for the Bulldogs comes after losing Matt Burton to 18th man duties in the first two Origin matches.
However, it evens up slightly as Brisbane also faces the absence of star fullback Walsh, who is listed as Queensland’s 18th man.

Missing from the Broncos line-up: Payne Haas. Getty
Despite this, Johns believes the Broncos have what it takes to outplay Canterbury in Sydney.
“I’m backing the Broncos, particularly due to (halfback) Adam Reynolds,” Johns shared with Wide World of Sports.
“In wet conditions, his kicking accuracy shines, especially with his attacking kicks.
“Accor Stadium tends to be slippery, and with Origin on Wednesday, they’re unlikely to mow it beforehand. You’ll have to rely on scoring from kicks.”
Watch the 2025 NRL Premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
On the flip side, Brad Fittler is banking on Bulldogs five-eighth Burton to make a significant impact.
“I’m siding with Burton,” Fittler commented.
“After their loss to Penrith, they’ll be more eager to perform… I expect them to pursue strong play down the left side.”
“It should be an intriguing match.”
The Bulldogs currently occupy the second position on the NRL ladder, having secured 11 victories from 14 matches, benefitting from three byes which bizarrely awarded them six competition points.
The Broncos are positioned fifth, with eight wins, identical to Cronulla, who sit 10th due to having only one bye thus far.
Scroll down for the latest leaderboard and Round 18 predictions from Nine’s expert panel!

Current 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
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.