Brisbane Broncos say hitting Jason Taumololo early is the only way to stop him

THE Broncos have formulated a plan to take down Cowboys beast Jason Taumalolo who wants to become more than just a battering ram.

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 17: Jason Taumalolo of the Cowboys makes a break which leads to him scorimng a try during the round three NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Sydney Roosters at 1300SMILES Stadium on March 17, 2016 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

THE Broncos have formulated a plan to take down Cowboys beast Jason Taumalolo who wants to become more than just a battering ram ahead of his showdown with Broncos skipper Corey Parker.

Taumalolo was crowned the Dally M lock of the year in 2015 but is refusing to let the honour stall his development.

At just 22, the 113kg wrecking ball has endless potential and showcased his newfound ball-playing talent in North Queensland’s 40-0 rout of the Roosters.

Taumalolo ran for a huge 180m in just 41 minutes against the Roosters and is in top form heading into the Good Friday grand final rematch at Suncorp Stadium.

Queensland lock Parker was named the best No. 13 in the NRL in 2013 and Taumalolo said his duel with the Broncos captain was one he was waiting for.

“It’ll be a good battle,” Taumalolo said. “I enjoy playing against Corey Parker. He always brings out the competitor in me. There’s nothing better than playing against the best. That’ll test out how I am at the start of the year.”

Taumalolo’s emergence last year was a key part of the Cowboys’ premiership success.

His metre-eating took the heat off Test props Matt Scott and James Tamou but he wants to be known as more than just a strong runner, something Parker has become a master of.

“I don’t want to be a halfback but it’s always good to have a bit of variety in your game and a bit of ball-playing,” he said.

“When it comes down it, what I want to do is tuck the ball under the wing and get the boys going forward.

“Every week I need to lay a platform for guys like Johno (Johnathan Thurston), Cootey (Lachlan Coote) and Morgs (Michael Morgan).

“I’ll rarely pass as much as I did (against the Roosters) but if Johno sees something on I’ve got to give it to him and let him do his thing.”

Taumalolo steamrolled Parramatta hooker Nathan Peats in Round 2, dislocating his elbow in the process

Broncos defensive ace Matt Gillett said Brisbane had devised a plan to limit his impact.

“I watched him the other night against the Roosters and he was dragging players along with him and making breaks,” Gillett said.

“He is very hard stop and it’s a huge job for us to stop him.

“You just have to go low and take him down straight away. He’s too strong to target up high, you have to take him down early and see how we go.”

The Broncos are wary of Taumalolo’s capacity for damage.

The Broncos are aware of how dangerous Taumalolo is.

He produced a barnstorming run late in regular time of last year’s grand final, which put the Cowboys in a position for Morgan to make his epic play.

“He’s a quality footballer,” Parker said.

“The young footballers in the game these days have everything. They have speed, size, strength, footwork.

“We are starting to see more and more of these guys coming through. They aren’t just one-off players, they are everywhere at the moment and Jase is one of those guys.”

Originally published as Brisbane Broncos say hitting Jason Taumololo early is the only way to stop him