The Brisbane Broncos will welcome back strike centre Justin Hodges for Saturday’s Qualifying Final against the Warriors at Suncorp Stadium.
However his return from a two week hamstring injury has been dimmed slightly with news Sam Thaiday will miss two matches for a dangerous tackle and fullback Josh Hoffman’s season is over with a knee injury.
Thaiday could have challenged the grading at the judiciary however had he failed the ban would have increased to three matches – possibly ruling him out for the Grand Final.
The Broncos finished third after their 18-10 win against Manly on the weekend and now host the sixth-placed Warriors.
Brisbane could possibly secure a free passage to the Grand Final Qualifier with a win however history is against them.
Six times in the past eight seasons the sixth-placed side has upset the third-finished hosts.
Brisbane did it themselves to the Gold Coast Titans just two years ago and just last month escaped with a 21-20 win over the Warriors at Suncorp Stadium.
Coach Anthony Griffin has been forced into some changes this weekend with Hodges slotting straight back into his right centre position.
His past two injury-ravaged years should have Hodges primed for a big Finals series, especially after fears his latest hamstring injury against the Knights in Round 24 could have ended his 2011 season.
Hodges replacement for the past fortnight, Ben Te’o, moves to his favoured back row position in place of the suspended Thaiday.
With Hoffman out for the Finals series Gerard Beale will move back to fullback – a position he excelled in at the start of the season.
Beale was in such good form at the back for the Broncos that he found himself in the New Zealand squad for the Test Match in May.
The vacant wing spot will be filled by Dale Copley, who has already played 14 NRL games this season in the Broncos back line.
Ben Hannant, as he ended up doing last week, will start in the front row with Scott Anderson playing from the bench.
David Hala has been named in the squad after he was replaced by Mitchell Dodds last week – however Dodds was not used at all during the match.
A loss for the Broncos is unlikely to end their season with both the Cowboys and Knights needing to defeat Manly and Melbourne respectively to eliminate Brisbane.
Saturday’s match will be available live on Channel Nine from 6:30pm.
Johnson returns
Former Maroons lock Dallas Johnson has recovered from concussion and will take his place for North Queensland’s sudden-death Qualifying Final against Manly in Sydney on Saturday night.
Johnson took a nasty head knock two weeks ago and as a precaution did not play in the 6-18 loss to the Warriors in New Zealand last week.
However he is in no doubt to miss the Cowboys first match at the Sydney Football Stadium in over a year.
North Queensland lost four of their last five matches to slip down into seventh position on the ladder and now face the second-placed Sea Eagles.
A loss will end the Cowboys season however victory will ensure they not only stay alive in the competition, but get to play next week’s match in Queensland.
North Queensland defeated Manly 22-20 at home in Round Eight this year before losing 4-24 without their Origin representatives back in Round 14.
Coach Neil Henry has moved Johnson straight back into the starting side with Scott Bolton dropping to a five man bench.
Leeson Ah Mau has been omitted to accommodate Johnson with Cory Paterson named 18th man.
The Cowboys head into camp today as they prepare for their first finals appearance in 2007, where ironically they lost to Manly and were eliminated.
Saturday’s match will immediately follow the Broncos game live on Channel Nine with kick-off scheduled for 8:30pm.
Titans in train-on
Four Gold Coast Titans, including retiring veteran Preston Campbell, have been named in the combined Prime Ministers XIII and Australian train-on squad.
Campbell, William Zillman and Origin duo Ashley Harrison and Greg Bird are part of the 34 man squad with a chance to represent their country in the coming weeks.
The Prime Ministers XIII, coached by Mal Meninga, plays the Kumuls in Papua New Guinea on September 25 before the Australian Kangaroos squad is named on October 3.
Campbell is more likely to push for a spot against PNG while Zillman, clearly the Titans best player in a horror season, could cap a fine individual year with representative honours.
Bird will be strongly considered for a place in the Australian side while Harrison will need to prove he has overcome an elbow injury that ruled him out of the Titans’ last seven games.
The squad assembles in Sydney next week and will be expanded as teams are eliminated throughout the Finals series.
Brisbane Broncos vs. Warriors, Saturday 6:30pm, (Channel Nine, live)
Gerard Beale, Dale Copley, Jack Reed, Justin Hodges, Jharal Yow Yeh, Darren Lockyer (c), Peter Wallace, Josh McGuire, Andrew McCullough, Ben Hannant, Alex Glenn, Ben Te’o, Corey Parker. Interchange: Matt Gillett, Ben Hunt, Scott Anderson, David Hala.
North Queensland Cowboys vs. Manly, Saturday 8:30pm, (Channel Nine, live)
Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Brent Tate, Willie Tonga, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Ray Thompson, Johnathan Thurston (c), Matt Scott (c), Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: James Segeyaro, Scott Bolton, Jason Taumalolo, Ashton Sims, Cory Paterson (one to be omitted).
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