Qld Teams - Broncos pin hopes on youth

The Brisbane Broncos proud Finals record rests on the shoulders of rookie halves Ben Hunt and Corey Norman.

Aiming for their 19th consecutive Finals campaign, the Broncos will be without halfback Peter Wallace (shoulder) and, most likely, captain Darren Lockyer (ribs) for Friday’s must win clash with Canberra.

Not only do the Broncos have to defeat the in-form Raiders, they need to do so by a minimum 15 point margin.

Even then, Brisbane must rely on the Dragons to beat South Sydney in the last match of the season on Sunday night to jag eighth spot.

Lockyer’s absence has been fatal for the Broncos season with the young squad aimless in slumping to three heavy defeats without their star leader.

While Lockyer will be desperate to play at Suncorp Stadium against Canberra, the painful injury may make it impossible.

The Raiders believe Lockyer will be a late inclusion but the Broncos will not risk further damage to their playmaker.

To make matters worse, Wallace played just 41 minutes in Brisbane’s horror 36-4 thumping loss to the Warriors in New Zealand last week.

Coach Ivan Henjak has thrust 20-year-old Hunt into the halfback position for Friday’s match.

Hunt was a regular halfback throughout his two years in the under 20’s competition but has played virtually all of his 19 NRL games this season from the bench as a backup hooker.

Five-eighth Norman, 19, has been retained despite having defensive deficiencies regularly exposed during the three matches he has substituted for Lockyer.

In the only other change Nick Kenny joins a four man prop rotation on the bench to combat Canberra’s massive forward pack.

If the Broncos fail to defeat Canberra, or win the game but fall short of the required 15 point margin, it will be Israel Folau’s final rugby league match before departing for his four year AFL contract.

The match will be broadcast live into Queensland on Channel Nine from 7:30pm Friday.

Rogers farewell

Gold Coast will use Friday night’s showdown with Wests Tigers to officially say goodbye to retiring veteran Mat Rogers.

Rogers announced earlier this month 2010 would be his final season and the Titans will pay tribute to one of their inaugural signings at Skilled Park this weekend.

The match however carries much more significance for the Gold Coast with victory securing either second or third place on the ladder and a home final Saturday week.

However a loss could see them slip as low as sixth after last week’s upset 30-16 loss to Cronulla.

Rogers missed the last half hour of the match with a hip injury but is adamant he will play this weekend.

Meanwhile prop Luke Bailey fractured his thump against the Sharks but has also been named in the side to face the Tigers.

Anthony Laffranchi (shoulder) returns after missing last week while fullback Preston Campbell (hamstring) will likely be given at least another week off.

Back-row utility Sam Tagataese made a successful return from a shoulder injury last week but was not named by coach John Cartwright for the Tigers game.

The match kicks-off just after 7:30pm Friday but will be broadcast delayed on Channel Nine following the Broncos game.

Cowboys send-off Williams, O’Donnell

In a forgettable 2010 season, North Queensland will hope to farewell two favourite sons with a win against the sixth-placed Sydney Roosters on Saturday night.

Centre Ty Williams, who played his 150th match for the Cowboys last week, will retire after the match.

Luke O’Donnell, sidelined with a knee injury, departs North Queensland after seven seasons to play in the English Super League.

While desperate to play, it is unlikely O’Donnell will be fit to take on the Roosters.

It is also expected to be the final Cowboys appearance for Willie Mason and Carl Webb.

Mason is favoured to join the English Super League while Webb has been linked with Parramatta and Newcastle for next season.

Coach Neil Henry has made just one change to the inept team thrashed 48-4 by Canberra last weekend.

Anthony Watts returns to the bench while Clint Amos will start at hooker with Aaron Payne partnering Grant Rovelli in the halves.

In positive news, the Cowboys today announced the signing of former Storm and Queensland lock Dallas Johnson for the next three years.

Johnson joins the likes of fellow former Queensland and Australian rep Brent Tate, former Cowboy and current Panther Gavin Cooper plus Broncos Antonio Winterstein and Ashton Sims at the club next season.

The Cowboys have won just five matches this season and would have claimed the wooden spoon had it not been for Melbourne’s salary cap rorting.

Their opponents, the Roosters, have a mathematical chance of stealing fourth spot with victory over the Cowboys – pending other results.

North Queensland’s final match of the year will be available on Fox Sports Viewers Choice from 7:30pm Saturday.

Brisbane Broncos vs. Raiders, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, live).
Josh Hoffman, Antonio Winterstein, Alex Glenn, Israel Folau, Jharal Yow Yeh, Corey Norman, Ben Hunt, Shane Tronc, Andrew McCullough, Ben Te’o, Matt Gillett, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker (c). Interchange: Nick Kenny, Josh McGuire, Mitchell Dodds, Scott Anderson.

Gold Coast Titans vs. Tigers, Friday 7:35pm, (Channel Nine, delayed 9:30pm).
William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Steve Michaels, Clinton Toopi, Jordan Atkins, Mat Rogers, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Matthew White, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Michael Henderson, Brad Meyers, Greg Bird, Bodene Thompson.

North Queensland Cowboys vs. Roosters, Saturday 7:30pm, (Fox Sports, live).
Matthew Bowen, Michael Bani, Ty Williams, Ashley Graham, John Williams, Grant Rovelli, Aaron Payne, Matt Scott, Clint Amos, Willie Mason, Scott Bolton, Leeson Ah Mau, Ben Harris. Interchange: Anthony Watts, Nick Slyney, Carl Webb, Isaak Ah Mau.