Qld Teams - Broncos without Hannant, Hodges

The Brisbane Broncos head to Canberra this weekend still minus star players Ben Hannant and Justin Hodges due to injury.

After both missed last Friday’s season opening 14-16 loss to the Cowboys, it was hoped they would be available for the Broncos traditionally tough road trip to the nation’s capital.

Hannant (calf) and Hodges (hamstring) will instead rest up in anticipation of facing their Gold Coast cousins in Round 3.

Coach Anthony Griffin named an unchanged team to face Canberra this week despite a rusty performance at home last week.

Brisbane was scrappy in Round 1 with dropped balls and missed tackles punctuating a disappointing result for the home fans.

While Sam Thaiday manages a groin injury, returning veteran Dane Carlaw, first grade regular Nick Kenny and young prop Mitchell Dodds are all expected to play their first games of the season when the Queensland Cup kicks-off on the weekend.

The Raiders have won their last four matches against the Broncos in Canberra with the most infamous being a 56-0 flogging in 2009, Brisbane’s worst ever loss.

Along with losing both encounters last year, the Broncos have not won in Canberra since 2005 and are expected to face former Premiership winning halfback Matt Orford in his Raiders’ debut.

However Canberra will be without captain Alan Tongue while fullback Josh Dugan remains in doubt after missing last week with a calf injury.

The Raiders opened their season with a 40-12 thumping of Cronulla and will embrace a rare Friday night home game.

Channel Nine will broadcast the game live into Queensland from 7:30pm.

Campbell’s 250th

NRL veteran Preston Campbell plays his 250th match this weekend when he lines up for the Titans match in Melbourne on Saturday.

The 14 year professional, Premiership winner (Penrith 2003), Dally M medallist and a driving force behind the Indigenous All Stars concept appeared to relish his versatile bench role in the Titans 16-25 loss to the Dragons last weekend.

Campbell, the Titans inaugural signing, has announced 2011 will likely be his last season and stepped back from the fullback jersey he had claimed for so long.

His decision has allowed William Zillman a chance to nail down the position while Campbell covers numerous positions from the interchange bench.

With regular hooker Nathan Friend still recovering from a shoulder injury, Campbell will again share dummy-half duties with Riley Brown this weekend.

Coach John Cartwright has named an unchanged 18 man squad for the away trip with Mark Minichiello still battling a groin injury.

It will be the first time the Titans have played at AAMI Stadium, where Storm was successful in defeating Manly last week.

In their only meeting last year, Gold Coast came out 20-16 winners at Skilled Park.

The match starts a Fox Sports Super Saturday live triple-header, with kick-off at 4:30pm Queensland time.

NQ name Sims Brothers

Ashton and Tariq Sims will fulfil a lifelong dream when they line up alongside each other in the Cowboys home match with Newcastle on Saturday night.

Both joined the Townsville club from the Broncos in the off-season and after being 18th man last week, Tariq is set to make his NRL debut this weekend.

Ashton was impressive in starting against Brisbane last week, a match that saw Johnathan Thurston and Matt Bowen rekindle their electric combination in defeating the Broncos.

Bowen was charged with a minor contrary conduct offence following the Broncos match but his clean record allowed him to miss suspension following an early guilty plea.

However impressive back-rower Scott Bolton suffered a calf injury in the match and will miss at least the next two games.

Gavin Cooper comes into the starting side for Bolton with Tariq Sims taking the vacant bench position.

Former Dragons forward Ricky Thorby could make his North Queensland debut after being named 18th man for the match with Newcastle.

A big Saturday night crowd is expected in Townsville after a new-look Cowboys set about erasing the memories of a disastrous 2010 season.

Their opponents Newcastle are on top of the NRL ladder for the first time in many years but suffered a heavy injury toll from their 42-8 win over Penrith.

Queensland Origin back-rower Neville Costigan won’t play the Cowboys after breaking his arm, hooker Isaac de Gois is sidelined with a broken thumb while captain Kurt Gidley (back) is a 50/50 chance at best.

The match completes Super Saturday and begins in Townsville at 8:30pm.

Brisbane Broncos vs. Raiders, Friday 7:35pm QLD, (Channel Nine, live)
Josh Hoffman, Jharal Yow Yeh, Gerard Beale, Jack Reed, Dane Gagai, Darren Lockyer (c), Peter Wallace, Sam Thaiday, Andrew McCullough, Scott Anderson, Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Corey Parker. Interchange: Ben Hunt, Ben Te’o, Josh McGuire, Shane Tronc.

Gold Coast Titans vs. Storm, Saturday 4:30pm QLD, (Fox Sports, live)
William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Steve Michaels, Clinton Toopi, David Mead, Luke Capewell, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Riley Brown, Matthew White, Greg Bird, Bodene Thompson, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Michael Henderson, Sam Tagataese, Ryan James, Preston Campbell, Mark Minichiello (one to be omitted).

North Queensland Cowboys vs. Knights, Saturday 8:30pm QLD, (Fox Sports, live)
Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Will Tupou, Willie Tonga, Michael Bani, Ray Thompson, Johnathan Thurston (c), Matt Scott (c), Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: Ben Jones, Leeson Ah Mau, Tariq Sims, Ashton Sims, Ricky Thorby (one to be omitted).