Qld Teams - Triple threat Broncos return

Peter Wallace, Matt Gillett and Antonio Winterstein are back to bolster the Broncos ahead of Friday night’s showdown with the Gold Coast Titans.

The Suncorp Stadium clash between the two south-east Queensland rivals will kick-off an explosive Heritage Round ahead of State of Origin selection early next week.

Halfback Wallace and first-year utility Gillett missed three weeks with identical knee injuries suffered against Cronulla in Round Six.

Winger Winterstein has missed two weeks with a hamstring injury and will return on the left flank.

Prop Nick Kenny, originally named last week before withdrawing the day before the big 36-14 upset win over the Storm, hopes to return Friday from a calf injury.

The big returns coincide with hardworking lock Corey Parker’s 200th NRL match.

After debuting as a prop in 2001, the versatile Parker has become a valuable goal-kicking lock forward.

The young Broncos were glowing after comprehensively defeating a star-studded Melbourne side in their first outing at new home AAMI Park.

Unfortunately with the four regular first graders returning for the Titans game, Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak could find no room for rookies Dale Copley and Michael Spence to back up from last week’s heroics.

Corey Norman, who shone in the halves on Sunday, has been named 18th man for this weekend.

Regular halfback Wallace resumes his duties against the Titans while Ben Hunt, as he did against Storm, will play hooker.

Prop Scott Anderson suffered an elbow ligament injury against Melbourne and will miss the next three weeks.

Lagi Setu pushes up into the front row while utility back and occasional dummy-half Gerard Beale is the first member of a five man bench.

Fullback Josh Hoffman spent most of the second half against Melbourne on his way to hospital with fears he had broken ribs.

However scans cleared the young custodian of serious injury and he declared himself a “certain starter” on the Broncos website.

Titans expect tussle

The Gold Coast Titans will prepare for a tough match, with two of the last four meetings between the clubs at Suncorp Stadium finishing in golden point wins to Brisbane.

The Titans will also have memories of the last meeting between the clubs in which Brisbane ran out 40-32 winners at Skilled Park in week one of the 2009 finals.

Coach John Cartwright again named an unchanged 17 as his side chase their fourth consecutive victory.

Last week the Titans won a high-scoring thriller 38-36 against the Knights in Newcastle to share the competition lead with St George-Illawarra.

Preston Campbell suffered a minor knee injury but is expected to be fit for the Broncos on Friday night.

The match is expected to attract a large crowd ahead of Round 11 byes for both clubs.

Thurston re-signs

Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston announced in Sydney this morning he had committed to the club until the end of the 2013 season.

In a major boost for the team, and the NRL, Thurston turned his back on lucrative rugby union offers to stay with rugby league.

Currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, Thurston is hopeful of being named in the Queensland side next Tuesday for Origin I on May 26th.

Last night the Cowboys produced a good performance without their leader to upset the Roosters 32-14 in Sydney.

It was the clubs third win in their past 17 matches in New South Wales and their third win of the season.

The victory also marked the long awaited return of fullback Matt Bowen from a nine month knee injury lay-off.

Bowen’s return helped offset the loss of Luke O’Donnell, who hyper-extended his knee in City-Country and will miss another two weeks at least.

Coach Neil Henry named the same 17 to take on the Warriors in New Zealand on Saturday.

Leeson Ah Mau will again start at lock while young forward Dane Hogan is set to play his second NRL game from the bench.

Halfback Michael Morgan was good on debut against the Roosters and has been retained.

The Cowboys also have the bye in Round 11 and leave for Auckland on Thursday.

The match will be broadcast live on Fox Sports from 5:30pm Saturday.

Friday night’s blockbuster between Brisbane and Gold Coast is live on Channel Nine from 7:30pm in Queensland.

Brisbane Broncos vs. Titans, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, live)
Josh Hoffman, Antonio Winterstein, Alex Glenn, Israel Folau, Jharal Yow Yeh, Darren Lockyer (c), Peter Wallace, Shane Tronc, Ben Hunt, Lagi Setu, Ben Te’o, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker. Interchange: Gerard Beale, Matt Gillett, Mitchell Dodds, Nick Kenny, Corey Norman (one to be omitted).

Gold Coast Titans vs. Broncos, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, live)
Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Clinton Toopi, Joseph Tomane, David Mead, Greg Bird, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Brad Meyers, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Matthew White, Michael Henderson, Sam Tagataese, William Zillman.

North Queensland Cowboys vs. Warriors, Saturday 5:30pm, (Fox Sports, live).
Matthew Bowen, John Williams, Ashley Graham, Willie Tonga, Michael Bani, Grant Rovelli, Michael Morgan, Matt Scott, Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Scott Bolton, Willie Mason, Leeson Ah Mau. Interchange: Anthony Watts, Dane Hogan, Manase Manuokafoa, Antonio Kaufusi.