NRL 2020: Brisbane Broncos ready to prove critics wrong in Round 3 Eels clash

The memory of Brisbane’s worst ever lost is still fresh in the mind of some Broncos, but coach Anthony Seibold has one message for his players: We have nothing to fear.

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We have nothing to fear.

That is the message from Broncos coach Anthony Seibold and his posse of young guns as Queensland’s flagship sporting club prepares to relaunch the NRL season against Parramatta this Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium.

It has been 67 days since the National Rugby League were left to confront the most gut-wrenching scenario, forced to suspend the competition amid fears the coronavirus pandemic could claim countless lives across Australia.

But as the Queensland government began winning the war on COVID-19, ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys had a battle-plan of his own – to revive rugby league under the NRL’s Project Apollo program.

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We have nothing to fear. That’s Anthony Seibolds message to his young Broncos side. Picture: NRL Photos.

The date for a May 28 kick-off was set. Now, lift-off is here – and the Broncos will be at the epicentre of rugby league’s gala relaunch.

Crowds may not be able to attend matches yet, but millions of rugby league fans will be glued to TV sets when the Broncos and Eels run onto Suncorp Stadium for an NRL blockbuster this Thursday night.

The Broncos enter the clash unbeaten after back-to-back wins in March, prompting bookmakers to install Brisbane among the favourites to win this year’s NRL premiership at $11.

There is a view the Broncos’ squad – the youngest in the NRL with an average age of 22 – is too youthful to clinch the club’s first title in 14 years. There is a fear Brisbane’s rookies may crack under pressure against big guns the Roosters, Melbourne, Canberra and Parramatta.

Seibold says bring it on.

Bring it on. Broncos coach Anthony Seibold says his young side is ready to prove critics wrong. Picture: AAP.

“We’re really excited to be back playing footy, the Eels game will be huge,” Seibold said.

“We’ll have some challenges along the way, as any team does, but I’ve got great belief in this group.

“We do have the youngest average-age group in the competition, that’s the reality and that’s not going to change overnight.

“I’ve been in some really good teams in the past. Call it a gut feel or a coach’s feel, but I’ve got a lot of belief in this group.

“I have great belief in their talents and their abilities. My job as head coach is to provide a framework for them to get better in and to learn.

“It’s very much a united group, a hardworking team of guys, and that’s the main reason why I think we can do something in this comp.”

The narrative behind the Eels showdown is compelling.

The Broncos will not have forgotten the pain of their horror show in the finals last September, when the Eels inflicted a season-ending 58-0 drubbing that represented the worst loss in Brisbane’s proud history.

Eleven Broncos players are survivors of the Bankwest Stadium. They are Anthony Milford, Jamayne Isaako, Corey Oates, Kotoni Staggs, Alex Glenn, Darius Boyd, Jake Turpin, Joe Ofahengaue, David Fifita, Payne Haas, Matt Lodge, Tom Flegler and Pat Carrigan.

Of that group, seven players – Isaako, Staggs, Turpin, Fifita, Haas, Flegler and Carrigan – are aged 23 or under, highlighting the inexperience of Brisbane’s 2020 roster.

Darius Boyd tries to lift teammates during the 58-0 loss to Parramatta. Picture: AAP.

Seibold has no interest buying into the hype surrounding talk of an Eels grudge match, instead viewing the Parramatta clash as the first step in an 18-week, no-rest journey to the playoffs.

“There’s no redemption for me, it’s a new team, a new year, but we certainly let ourselves down both times we played them at Bankwest (last season),” Seibold said.

“We’ve never shouted from the rooftops about we’re going to do this or we’re going to do that. That’s not my style.

“My style is to be consistent as a coach and I want consistency from this group.”

The 22-year-old Carrigan, who plays his 22nd NRL game this Thursday night, says Brisbane’s emerging stars are respectful of NRL rivals – but not intimidated.

“Experience is definitely a big thing and other teams have plenty of premiership experience but as a young group we have confidence in each other and we know what we are capable of,” he said.

“If we back other and put it all on the line, I don’t see why we can’t compete with anyone.”

The Broncos won their first two games of 2020 and will want to keep that streak going. Picture: Getty Images.

BRONCOS SET FOR RESHUFFLE AFTER LOSING MCCULLOUGH

—Peter Badel, Travis Meyn

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold will turn to his Broncos hulks and deploy a three-forward bench to counter Parramatta’s monster pack for Thursday’s NRL season relaunch at Suncorp Stadium.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Seibold will resist the temptation to play two hookers in his 17-man squad to face the Eels in the wake of veteran rake Andrew McCullough’s swift departure to the Knights.

McCullough wore the No.15 jumper in Brisbane’s most recent NRL game against Souths in Round 2, but his defection to Newcastle has left a vacant spot on the Broncos’ interchange bench.

Jake Turpin is set to be the Broncos only hooker named in the 17 after the departure of Andrew McCullough. Picture: AAP.

The Broncos used two big boppers off the bench in their 22-18 defeat of the Rabbitohs, but Seibold will opt for forward firepower rather than hooking guile to fill the McCullough void.

The Eels inflicted the worst loss in Brisbane’s history last year with a 58-0 finals flogging and Seibold is mindful of Parramatta’s midfield muscle, headlined by hulking props Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard.

Brisbane’s chief prop Matt Lodge (knee) will make a final call on his fitness after training tomorrow, but even if he aborts his planned comeback, Seibold will stack his bench with three true forwards.

Most NRL clubs traditionally name a hooker or playmaker in the key No.14 slot, but Seibold’s utility for the Eels clash will be Herbie Farnworth, who can play fullback, wing or centre.

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Matt Lodge is still not a guaranteed selection for the NRL return as he recovers from a knee injury. Picture: AAP.

Should Lodge be ruled out, tearaway Tom Flegler is likely to partner Payne Haas in the front row, with Queensland prop Joe Ofahengaue tipped to return from suspension on a bench comprising bookends Rhys Kennedy and Ethan Bullemor.

If Lodge is cleared, Flegler will likely be relegated to interchange alongside Ofahengaue, with Seibold to squeeze out either Kennedy or Bullemor.

Seibold said he was happy with Farnworth’s contribution in their opening two wins against the Cowboys and Souths and revealed he was keen to road test Turpin as an 80-minute hooker.

“I always like to carry a utility back on the bench which we did in the first two games,” Seibold said.

“Herbie Farnworth played almost 80 minutes over the first two games with injuries to Kotoni Staggs and Brodie Croft. That’s why I like to carry a utility back.

“For Turps’ development, playing 50 to 60 minutes was the right thing to do. He’s ready to play some longer minutes.

“We carried Macca on the bench the first couple of games but going forward he was going to be a week-to-week proposition.”

Thomas Flegler will likely start at front row if Lodge is ruled out. Picture: Getty Images.

In the back row, the loss of David Fifita (knee) will be offset by the return of skipper Alex Glenn from a hamstring injury, while rookie Jamil Hopoate is expected to retain the No.12 jumper on Brisbane’s right edge.

Broncos legend Darren Lockyer backed Brisbane’s bigger bench to handle a pumped-up Parramatta pack.

“The intention is for Jake Turpin to play more minutes and then we go with three forwards on the bench,” he said.

“Parra have a big pack, so it will be a good test for Brisbane’s forwards first-up.”

BRONCOS’ LIKELY TEAM TO PLAY EELS

1 Jamayne Isaako, 2 Corey Oates, 3 Kotoni Staggs, 4 Darius Boyd, 5 Jesse Arthars, 6 Anthony Milford, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Matt Lodge/Tom Flegler, 9 Jake Turpin, 10 Payne Haas, 11 Alex Glenn (c), 12 Jamil Hopoate, 13 Pat Carrigan. Bench: 14 Herbie Farnworth, 15 Joe Ofahengaue, 16 Rhys Kennedy, 17 Ethan Bullemor.

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is keen for some competition to keep reserve grade players match fit for an NRL call up. Picture: AAP.

BRONCOS PLAN TO KEEP YOUNG GUNS FIT FOR NRL CALL-UP

—Chris Honnery

The Broncos are looking at ways to keep their reserve players match-ready in lieu of the cancelled statewide Intrust Super Cup competition.

Brisbane’s “bubble” squad of 32 players includes a number of ISC regulars, such as Cory Paix (Magpies), Tyson Gamble (Dolphins) and Herbie Farnworth (Devils).

However, with the statewide competition scrapped, those players who are not in the regular 17 will have limited game time in the foreseeable future.

A number of southeast ISC clubs are looking at creating a mini community competition to keep their top-tier players in shape, however community sport of any kind is not expected for another month or two.

The Broncos are looking at ways to keep reserve grade players match-ready with the ISC cancelled for 2020. Picture: Getty Images.

In the meantime, a number of NRL coaches have discussed hosting “scratch matches” between their reserve grade sides, including the Melbourne Storm, to keep their entire squad match-fit.

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold this week revealed plans of his selection rotation policy to keep his players fresh, but said the club wanted to keep the reserves match-ready.

“It’s really unique,” Seibold said.

“Ideally we’d love to have the Queensland Cup competition up and running again so the players can play football on the weekend.

“The reality is that the Queensland Cup has been cancelled.

“Once the NRL gets back up and running, the next thing that clubs and coaches and general managers of football will look at is how do we get some footy for our team (reserves).

“Do we combine with the Cowboys and Gold Coast and go play a western Sydney team on two or three occasions?

“It’s certainly been a suggestion in the head coach’s meetings.

“Do we play Nines footy against the Gold Coast or Cowboys here in Queensland?

“I’m not sure how that’s going to work.”

Players like Tom Dearden are just one injury away from starting but need stay fit in the meantime. Picture: AAP.

Seibold said he was confident his reserve players would not lose any development by training with the full squad at Red Hill each week.

“The reps for them here at training, we believe, won’t hinder their development because they’re coming up against NRL players every day,” he said.

“For us to be consistent and successful, we will need to look at our full squad, not just expect the 17 players to play each and every week.”

Brisbane’s reserve players – known as the “Renegades” – were put through their paces at training yesterday as Seibold finalises his top 17 for next Thursday’s season relaunch against Parramatta.

David Fifita (recovering from knee surgery) and Jordan Kahu were absent from training yesterday.

Originally published as NRL 2020: Brisbane Broncos ready to prove critics wrong in Round 3 Eels clash