Broncos Round 14 team news: Reece Walsh returns from injury, Pat Carrigan switch confirmed
Michael Maguire has rushed fullback Reece Walsh back into the squad and pulled the trigger on a selection switch in a bid to correct the form crisis gripping the club.
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Broncos coach Michael Maguire has dropped Kobe Hetherington and returned Pat Carrigan to lock as superstar fullback Reece Walsh was cleared for Saturday night’s clash against the Titans.
Sidelined for the past six weeks with a knee injury, Walsh ran at Broncos training on Tuesday and has been named in the No.1 jumper for Brisbane’s must-win derby showdown with the Titans at Suncorp Stadium.
Walsh will face a final fitness test at Brisbane’s captain’s run on Friday, but his pending return is a huge boost for a Broncos side desperate to stabilise after six losses from their past seven starts.
Maguire has overhauled his pack in the wake of their 34-6 Manly mauling, going back to the future by demoting Hetherington to the bench, handing Carrigan his beloved No.13 jumper and naming Brendan Piakura in his starting back row.
Carrigan started the premiership at prop but the engine-room experiment is over after 12 games, with the Queensland Origin ironman to return to the loose-forward position where he won the Paul Morgan Medal last season.
Brisbane’s attack is desperate for some spark and Maguire is hoping the injection of Walsh can help the Broncos backline sizzle in skipper Adam Reynolds’ 300th NRL game.
While there was a push for Selwyn Cobbo to play fullback, the Broncos lost four of five matches without Walsh and centre Kotoni Staggs warned the Titans ‘Reece Lightning’ is ready to strike in the M1 derby.
“If he is out there this week it will be a big bonus for us,” Staggs said.
“I’ve seen he was in a couple of drills (at Broncos training on Tuesday).
“I’m not sure where he’s at, but he seemed pretty good out there.
“If he comes in he can help us out with getting our numbers right in defence as well.”
Maguire has named Brisbane’s best-balanced top 17 this season, with rugged centre Gehamat Shibasaki the only member of the backline not to feature in the Broncos’ 2023 grand-final team.
In the forwards, Corey Jensen has been promoted to start alongside Payne Haas in the front row, freeing up Carrigan to shift to his favourite position as Brisbane’s midfield linkman at lock.
After a patchy first half of the season, Piakura gets his chance to provide some explosive line-running on the left edge, while Hetherington returns to a bench comprising Billy Walters, Xavier Willison and Ben Te Kura.
The Red Hill shake-up comes as Brisbane officially launched their bid to extend the career of Reynolds after tabling a one-year deal for the veteran playmaker.
Reynolds, off-contract at the end of the season, chalks up a triple century of games against derby rivals the Gold Coast and the 34-year-old is edging closer to remaining at the Broncos in 2026.
The premiership halfback was linked with the Wests Tigers a fortnight ago but Brisbane’s 12-month offer is evidence Reynolds is set to finish his career at Red Hill in 2026.
“I still love the game,” Reynolds said ahead of his 300th game.
“I still enjoy turning up to training and working hard with my teammates and going over video with my coaches.
“The same passion I had as a 21-year-old I’ve still got today as a 34-year-old.
“Nothing has changed. I still have the burning desire to go out and compete and win.
“I love the competition with my teammates and coaches, the club has been fantastic.”
Reynolds is set to remain at Brisbane on around $500,000 next season but the 14-season stalwart said his primary focus is snapping the Broncos’ form crisis.
“I’m not even thinking about that (his next deal) right now,” he said.
“We’ve been in a hole the last couple of weeks and my focus is on getting us out of it.
“As a collective we are working extremely hard to achieve that.”
STORM V COWBOYS
Friday, Jun 6, 6:00pm
Storm
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Grant Anderson 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero Interchange: 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Bronson Garlick 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Reserves: 18. Ativalu Lisati 19. Sualauvi Faalogo 20. Alec MacDonald 21. Joe Chan 22. Kane Bradley
Cowboys
1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Robert Derby 3. Zac Laybutt 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Jaxon Purdue 7. Tom Dearden 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Sam McIntyre 11. John Bateman 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter
Interchange: 14. Harrison Edwards 15. Kai O’Donnell 16. Griffin Neame 17. Coen Hess
Reserves: 18. Jake Clifford 19. Karl Lawton 20. Thomas Mikaele 21. Braidon Burns 22. Kaiden Lahrs
DOLPHINS V DRAGONS
Friday, Jun 6, 8:00pm
Dolphins
1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Francis Molo 9. Kurt Donoghoe 10. Felise Kaufusi 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Oryn Keeley 13. Ray Stone
Interchange: 14. Harrison Graham 15. Connelly Lemuelu 16. Mark Nicholls 17. Josh Kerr
Reserves: 18. Sean O’Sullivan 19. Aublix Tawha 20. Max Feagai 21. Jeremy Marshall-King 22. Max Plath
Dragons
1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Nathan Lawson 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Jack de Belin 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Toby Couchman 13. Hamish Stewart
Interchange: 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 16. Blake Lawrie 17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
Reserves: 18. Emre Guler 19. Lachlan Ilias 20. Hame Sele 21. Tyrell Sloan 22. Michael Molo
BRONCOS V TITANS
Saturday, Jun 7, 7:35pm
Broncos
1. Reece Walsh 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan
Interchange: 14. Billy Walters 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Xavier Willison 17. Ben Te Kura
Reserves: 18. Tyson Smoothy 19. Deiner Mariner 20. Josiah Karapani 21. Jaiyden Hunt 22. Blake Mozer
Titans
1. Jayden Campbell 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Allan Fitzgibbon 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tom Weaver 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sean Mullany 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Chris Randall 12. Beau Fermor 13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
Interchange: 14. Klese Haas 15. Jaimin Jolliffe 16. Jacob Alick-Wiencke 17. Arama Hau
Reserves: 18. AJ Brimson 19. Josh Patston 20. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 21. Tukimihia Simpkins 22. Ryan Foran
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