After spending the best part of a week in camp on the Gold Coast, the Queensland side arrived in Brisbane today ready for tomorrow night’s Origin Opener.
A near capacity crowd is expected at Suncorp Stadium as Queensland aims to start well in their attempt at a sixth-straight series win.
Both the Maroons and Blues have had trouble-free build-ups although plenty of barbs from ex-players and fans have been exchanged through the media.
Queensland is expected to start with the side named last week and have confirmed Willie Tonga will play right centre while debutant Dane Nielsen will battle Blues opposite Mark Gasnier on the left.
Test winger Jharal Yow Yeh will make his Origin debut and interchange players Corey Parker and Jacob Lillyman will return to the State arena after lengthy spells.
Queensland police today prevented the New South Wales side from driving their team bus down Caxton Street – a tradition new coach Ricky Stuart wanted to bring back.
The Blues arrived in Brisbane yesterday and will field five debutants tomorrow night.
Origin I kicks-off at 8pm and will be shown live on Channel Nine.
Broncos rest stars
Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin has again taken some initiative in omitting Origin stars Darren Lockyer, Sam Thaiday and Ben Hannant for Friday night’s match against Manly at Suncorp Stadium.
All three have slight injury concerns and the Broncos will not risk them by asking the players to back up 48 hours after Origin I.
Other Queensland players Corey Parker and Jharal Yow Yeh have been named on an extended bench and a decision on their fitness will likely be made on Friday.
Griffin did not allow the trio to play for the club the night after representing Australia earlier this month, although Yow Yeh was a late inclusion for the eventual 22-29 loss to Melbourne.
Alex Glenn, who lead the Under 20’s to the 2008 Grand Final, has been named captain of the young Brisbane side with the match the first of a double-header Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.
Ben Te’o, fresh off two tries for Queensland Cup side Wynnum Manly, makes his return after missing five matches with a fractured arm and will play lock.
Dane Gagai returns to the side on the wing while Dunamis Lui has been named to start in the back row.
It was hoped Josh Hoffman (corked shin) could return after nearly two months out but it has been pushed back at least another week.
Shea Moylan and Kurt Baptiste have been named in the squad to make their possible NRL debuts however both were late omissions for the Melbourne game as well.
In the absence of the resting Lockyer and the injured Ben Hunt (finger), Griffin has named exciting prospect Corey Norman to partner Peter Wallace in the halves.
Mitchell Dodds will start in the front row with Dane Carlaw recalled to the bench while Josh McGuire (eye) and Shane Tronc (neck) were not considered.
The match is a Manly home game meaning the Broncos may wear their white away strip for the clash.
The double header kicks off at 7pm however Channel Nine will show the match delayed from 7:30pm.
Titans name stars
The Gold Coast Titans will play their traditional second-leg match against Canterbury Bulldogs in the double-header.
The concept was originally proposed by the Bulldogs and they have ‘hosted’ Gold Coast in this match for each of the three years to date.
The Titans have named Origin stars Greg Bird and Ashley Harrison to back up however both will be assessed following tomorrow night’s game.
Bodene Thompson has recovered from a virus that kept him out of the Round 10 loss to Manly before the club enjoyed a bye last week.
Thompson replaces Joseph Tomane in the centres in the only change to the squad from their last start.
After spending some time in the Queensland Cup, reserve Sam Tagataese made a grand return to the NRL against Manly.
He pulled off a series of big hits on Sea Eagles playmaker Kieran Foran and will be expected to pressurise the Bulldogs halves in similar fashion.
The game is scheduled to start at 8:45pm, shortly after the conclusion of the Broncos-Manly match, with Channel Nine continuing their delayed broadcast.
The Titans and Bulldogs under 20’s will play in Sydney on Saturday afternoon.
Cowboys remember Faust
The North Queensland Cowboys will use Saturday night’s home match with the Roosters to honour former player Sam Faust who tragically lost his battle with leukaemia yesterday.
Faust, 26, bravely fought the disease for two years with members of the rugby league community trying to raise money to send him overseas for treatment.
NSW and Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis was a leading contributor to the efforts while the Men of League group recently raised $22,000 at a race day.
Faust played 24 games for the club, including two finals, in 2007 and 2008 before the illness cut his career short.
He leaves behind a wife and three daughters.
The Cowboys, in fourth position, will hope to honour Faust’s life with their sixth consecutive home victory on Saturday night.
Queensland players Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott and Willie Tonga have all been named in an unchanged squad to face the Roosters.
Leeson Ah Mau has been added to the bench after spending two weeks in the Queensland Cup.
Winger Ashley Graham will notch his 150th NRL game in a career that started with Parramatta before joining the Cowboys in 2006.
The game is live on Fox Sports and kicks-off at 7:30pm.
Queensland vs. NSW, Origin I, Wednesday 8pm, (Channel Nine, live).
Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Dane Nielsen, Willie Tonga, Jharal Yow Yeh, Darren Lockyer (c), Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith, Petero Civoniceva, Nate Myles, Sam Thaiday, Ashley Harrison Interchange: Cooper Cronk, Corey Parker, Jacob Lillyman, Ben Hannant. 18th Man – Dave Taylor, Coach – Mal Meninga.
Brisbane Broncos vs. Manly, Friday 7pm, (Channel Nine, delayed 7:30pm)
Gerard Beale, Dane Gagai, Jack Reed, Dale Copley, Shea Moylan, Corey Norman, Peter Wallace, Mitchell Dodds, Andrew McCullough, Nick Kenny, Alex Glenn (c), Dunamis Lui, Ben Te’o. Interchange: Kurt Baptiste, Scott Anderson, Dane Carlaw, David Hala, Corey Parker, Jharal Yow Yeh (two to be omitted).
Gold Coast Titans vs. Bulldogs, Friday 8:45pm, (Channel Nine, delayed 9:20pm)
Preston Campbell, Steve Michaels, Esi Tonga, Bodene Thompson, David Mead, William Zillman, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Riley Brown, Michael Henderson, Greg Bird, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Matthew White, Ryan James, Sam Tagataese, Luke O’Dwyer.
North Queensland Cowboys vs. Roosters, Saturday 7:30pm, (Fox Sports, live)
Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Antonio Winterstein, 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, Tariq Sims, Ashton Sims, Leeson Ah Mau (one to be omitted).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment