Benny and Kevvie to do battle in round 4
WAYNE Bennett and his former protege Kevin Walters are on a collision course with expansion foes the Broncos and Dolphins to wage the inaugural ‘Battle of Brisbane’ in the first month of the 2023 premiership.
The Broncos will also feature in another slice of NRL history when they host the Sydney Roosters in a clash at the iconic Gabba in round 22.
Bennett’s Dolphins and Walters’ Broncos will square off in round 4 in a River City Rumble that is certain to attract 50,000 fans to Suncorp Stadium for the historic derby clash. The Suncorp spectacular
will feature a number of spicy narratives, none better than the coaching clash between Bennett, who was sacked by Brisbane in 2018, and Walters, his five-eighth in five of the Broncos’ six premiership wins.
Walters was Bennett’s assistant when the Broncos made the 2015 grand final. Now they will go head-to-head in a Battle of Brisbane blockbuster.
The Dolphins face a baptism of fire in the opening month with clashes against the Roosters (round 1), Canberra, Newcastle and the Broncos before meeting Anthony Griffin’s Dragons in round 5.
Meanwhile, the “Foxx” will head back to town for Melbourne’s first home game of the 2023 NRL season when they face the resurgent Bulldogs in round 2.
The Storm will host Canterbury and their former premiership winner Josh Addo-Carr on March 11.
It follows another showdown with a western Sydney team when the Storm travel to Parramatta to open the new season where they’ll look to extend their incredible round 1 record.
The Storm haven’t lost a round 1 fixture since way back in 2001 – against the Bulldogs – and they’ll be keen to start the new season with a bang after an early finals exit.
The Eels won’t have to wait long for their shot at grand final redemption, with Parramatta set to take on Penrith in a blockbuster western Sydney derby on Thursday night in round 4 at CommBank Stadium. The teams will face each other again to open round 26 at BlueBet Stadium.