The Warriors look to maintain their top-two position on the NRL ladder as they face home favourites Brisbane on Sunday afternoon at Magic Round.
New Zealand Warriors vs Brisbane Broncos
New Zealand have exploded out of the blocks in 2026, winning seven of their first nine games and sitting second on the ladder behind Penrith.
The Warriors enter Magic Round off the back of a bye, having won four consecutive matches beforehand.
Brisbane have been more inconsistent, losing their last two against the Roosters and Sea Eagles after previously winning four of five.
Leg 1 - Under 50.5 Points Total
The Warriors are built around a forward pack capable of grinding teams down defensively.
James Fisher-Harris, Mitchell Barnett and Jackson Ford have helped turn New Zealand into one of the competition’s toughest defensive outfits, with only three Warriors games exceeding 50 total points this season.
Brisbane have shown similar trends, with just three of their 10 matches crossing this total in 2026.
This shapes as a physical contest rather than a shootout.
Leg 2 - Reece Walsh to Score
Walsh thrives in big moments, and Magic Round against his former club certainly qualifies.
The Broncos fullback has scored five tries in his last six appearances and boasts an outstanding record at Suncorp Stadium with seven tries in his last seven games there.
With the Warriors missing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Walsh should find opportunities around the edges and through broken play.
Leg 3 - Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to Score
With several Warriors stars sidelined, expect Watene-Zelezniak to become even more heavily involved.
The winger has scored eight tries in his last five matches and hasn’t gone tryless since Round 4.
New Zealand will continue to rely heavily on his finishing ability, and he rarely disappoints.
Same Game Multi
Under 50.5 Total Points / Walsh to Score / Watene-Zelezniak to Score = $4.10
Value Bet - Broncos 1-12 @ $3.50
The Warriors still have some questions to answer despite their ladder position.
Their last four wins have come against sides outside the top eight, while the last time they faced a genuine finals contender they were comfortably beaten.
Brisbane remain one of the competition’s most unpredictable teams, but with Adam Reynolds back steering the side around and a strong Suncorp crowd behind them, they are more than capable of causing an upset.
