Broncos v Roosters preview

Brisbane Broncos v Sydney Roosters
Suncorp Stadium - Friday 7:55pm

The top two teams face off for the first place in the 2015 Grand Final.

Having spent last week recovering from their gripping tussle with North Queensland in the opening week of the finals, Brisbane will face off against the Sydney Roosters with the winner to progress to the Grand Final. Broncos coach Wayne Bennett has retained the same squad that downed the Cowboys 16-12 a fortnight ago, with captain Justin Hodges to play his 250th NRL games against the side he spent three seasons with in the early 2000s. For a side renown for it's success, the Broncos will be featuring in only their third Grand Final qualifier since defeating Melbourne in the decider a decade ago. Having been soundly beaten in the opening round of the competition, a victory on Friday night would be the perfect way for Brisbane to reward their fans with a strong performance at Suncorp Stadium.

While the scoreline may have flattered the Roosters in the end last week, the Minor Premiers proved they are capable of flexing their credentials as the best side of the past three years with an emphatic second half display against Canterbury. With Mitchell Pearce set to return from a hamstring injury sustained the last time these sides clashed in Round 24, coach Trent Robinson will have the ability to field a near-perfect side. With both sides claiming one win apiece this season, the Roosters will be looking to draw upon their last appearance in a Preliminary Final at Suncorp Stadium when they downed the Gold Coast Titans 32-6 in 2010.

Last meeting: Round 24 2015 - Sydney Roosters 12 Brisbane Broncos 10

Who to watch: After a breakout season in 2014, Broncos halfback Ben Hunt has continued his development under the tutelage of supercoach Wayne Bennett. Thrust into the chief playmaking role last season, Hunt's combination with Anthony Milford has been central to the Broncos reaching their first Preliminary Final since the departure of Darren Lockyer four years ago. Having come up with the match-winning play against the Roosters earlier in 2015, the Brisbane halfback knows what it takes to get over the Minor Premiers and will be equally aware that the Broncos fortunes rest largely on his ability to get the job done on Friday night.

Declaring he wanted to play for a club capable of winning a premiership when re-joining the NRL, reformed bad boy Blake Ferguson finds himself just 80 minutes away from playing the biggest game of his career. With his well documented past behind him, the former Shark and Raider has been a shining light for the Roosters in 2015; capable of coming up with points through his natural ability, Ferguson will need to be at his best if the tri-colours are to make it through to the decider. Working alongside Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Ferguson will have plenty of opportunities to make his mark against the Broncos in what should be an enthralling contest.

The favourite: Following on from their impressive display against the Bulldogs last week, the Roosters are favoured to overcome the Broncos and book a place in the Premiership decider.

My tip: While the Broncos will be well supported by a pro-Brisbane crowd, the Roosters have a wealth of experienced players who have been in this position in recent seasons. Having gone down to South Sydney in the corresponding fixture last season, the Roosters will be out to make amends and become the first team into the 2015 Grand Final. Roosters by 2.

1. Darius Boyd 2. Corey Oates 3. Jack Reed 4. Justin Hodges 5. Jordan Kahu 6. Anthony Milford 7. Ben Hunt 8. Sam Thaiday 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Adam Blair 11. Alex Glenn 12. Matt Gillett 13. Corey Parker
Interchange: 14. Jarrod Wallace 15. Mitchell Dodds 16. Jo Ofanhengaue 17. Kodi Nikorima

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Blake Ferguson 5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall 6. James Maloney 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. Sam Moa 9. Jake Friend 10. Dylan Napa 11. Mitchell Aubusson 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Boyd Cordner
Interchange: 14. Jackson Hastings 15. Isaac Liu 16. Kane Evans 17. Siosiua Taukeiaho

Referees: Gerard Sutton, Gavin Badger; Sideline Officials: Brett Suttor, Jason Walsh; Video Referees: Ashley Klein, Luke Patten;

Check out all the action live in our Match Centre