Qld Teams - Broncos walk Finals tightrope

Corey Norman is tipped to get a full game at five-eighth as the precariously placed Broncos travel to Newcastle Friday night.

With news Darren Lockyer may be sidelined longer than expected with a rib cartilage injury, coach Ivan Henjak may have no choice but to play the emerging playmaker alongside halfback Peter Wallace permanently.

Norman was named at pivot last week but spent the first 50 minutes warming the bench before Parramatta ran out comfortable 30-14 victors.

The result left Brisbane clinging to eighth spot but South Sydney, who have a superior point differential, sit just one win behind the Broncos.

Likely rookie of the year Matt Gillett was far from disappointing as starting five-eighth against the Eels but failed to create any real attacking opportunities.

His own creative attributes as a wide running forward or centre where also blunted with Brisbane unable to regularly build any pressure or points.

Gillett is likely to return to the back-row for the Knights game while Ben Te’o has again been named at prop in the absence of Nick Kenny.

While Newcastle are at very long odds to qualify for the finals, the Knights team believe winning their remaining three games will provide them with an outside chance.

The Broncos need to win at least two of their last three to secure a top eight berth while a win this week, at least mathematically, could see them rocket into fourth position.

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

Cowboys lose two more

The season is definitely over for one North Queensland forward while another is battling to play a farewell match in Round 26.

Rookie back-rower Dane Hogan accepted a five game suspension for an ugly dangerous throw during the Cowboys 37-18 loss to the Titans last weekend.

He will be sidelined until Round Two next season while lock forward Luke O’Donnell may have played his last match in the NRL.

O’Donnell injured his knee and is only considered a 50-50 chance at best to play in the Cowboys last match of the year against the Roosters in three weeks.

The veteran lock links with English club Huddersfield next year and is desperate to farewell the Townsville crowd he’s played in front of since 2004.

Meanwhile impressive back-rower Scott Bolton will fly to Sydney tomorrow to fight a biting charge at the NRL judiciary.

Bolton was implicated by Titans centre Clinton Toopi during the match last week but Toopi did not make a formal complaint.

However the match review committee opted to send Bolton straight to the judiciary where he will plead his case.

North Queensland, with only pride to play for, host fellow 2010 disappointments Canterbury Bulldogs on Saturday night.

Ben Harris will start at lock for O’Donnell while forward Nick Slyney has been named on the bench for what would be his first NRL match of the season.

Bolton has been included pending his judiciary hearing while Isaak Ah Mau, 18th man last week, has been named in place of Hogan on the bench.

The match will be available through Fox Sports Viewers Choice with kick-off at 7:30pm Saturday.

Bird flies back in

After aborting his comeback last week, the Titans will hope Greg Bird has fully recovered from his hamstring injury to face the Roosters on Monday night.

Coach John Cartwright again named Bird on a five man bench but with the longer turnaround before Monday’s game, the former international should be fit to return.

Bird has missed the Titans four consecutive victories but has been admirably replaced by retiring veteran Mat Rogers.

After playing most of the season at five-eighth, Bird’s immediate future looks likely to be a return to the back-row.

After announcing his retirement yesterday, Rogers is expected to play out his career alongside Scott Prince in the halves.

Rogers has been in exceptional form in the last month and centres Clinton Toopi and Steve Michaels are playing too well to justify being dropped.

Young interchange forward Ben Ridge is expected to drop out of the squad to accommodate Bird.

Prop Michael Henderson missed the big win over the Cowboys with a virus but has been named to replace Aaron Cannings on the bench this weekend.

The second-placed Titans face a Roosters side aiming to avoid their third consecutive loss and a possible slide down to eighth position.

The match will be played at the Sydney Football Stadium and kicks-off live on Fox Sports at 7pm Monday.

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

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

Gold Coast Titans vs. Roosters, Monday 7pm, (Fox Sports, live).
Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Steve Michaels, Clinton Toopi, William Zillman, 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, Ben Ridge (one to be omitted).