Broncos team news: Martin Taupau set for axe in front-row shake-up, Corey Jensen to earn start
A couple of Broncos remain touch-and-go ahead of round two, where Kevin Walters is set to throw out a change in personnel to the front-row that was outperformed in their opening round loss.
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Brisbane enforcer Martin Taupau is facing the axe as Broncos coach Kevin Walters considers a front-row shake-up for Thursday night’s clash against South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium.
The Taupau development comes as champion skipper Adam Reynolds (knee) received the green light from medicos for a showdown with his former Souths teammates.
This masthead understands former Kiwi Test star Taupau is in the firing line after Brisbane’s midfield were mauled by the Roosters in their season-opening 20-10 loss in Las Vegas.
Walters will formally name his squad for round 2 on Tuesday afternoon and it’s understood fellow prop Corey Jensen could be catapulted into the starting front row alongside superstar prop Payne Haas.
That could see Taupau relegated to the interchange bench as Walters looks to the no-nonsense workrate of Jensen _ Brisbane’s strongest man _ to repel the Rabbitohs in the middle third.
Jensen was originally named to start in Las Vegas but ended up on the bench, with Walters pitchforking the hulking 113kg Taupau into the engine room to muscle up against the Roosters.
But the 34-year-old struggled to dominate the midfield as the Roosters held ‘Kapow’ to just five runs and 41 metres in their commanding victory at Allegiant Stadium.
There is also a push for Walters to elevate front-row young gun Xavier Willison into the top 17, but the 11-game rookie is expected to again be named in Brisbane’s extended 22-man squad.
The Broncos returned to Australia from their American odyssey with some questions to answer, chiefly how their pack recovers from the loss of grand-final campaigners Tom Flegler, Capewell and Keenan Palasia.
Brisbane badly missed Flegler’s size and aggression, Capewell’s experience and leadership on the edges and the versatility of Palasia, who could have shifted to the back row when Brendan Piakura was concussed in the fourth minute against the Roosters.
Without his engine-room cohort Flegler, Haas registered one of the lowest outputs of his career, with his 113m well shy of the brilliant 187m per game he averaged last season.
The Broncos cannot afford a second consecutive defeat to start the season and Brisbane stars are adamant last year’s grand finalists still have the forward firepower to be title contenders.
“You are always going to miss guys like ‘Fleg’ and ‘Capes’, but we still have a good team here,” strike centre Kotoni Staggs said.
“They are great players and they were a big part of our team last year, but it’s a new team, they are gone now, and we can’t rely on them any longer.
“We have to work with what we’ve got and move forward.”
Jensen has been one of Brisbane’s best trainers in pre-season and the former Cowboys grand-final prop is adamant he is ready to fill the Flegler void.
“My goal is to start this year alongside Payne,” the 30-year-old Jensen said.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym (in pre-season) and it’s paid dividends.
“Even though I’m getting older, I feel I am getting better and stronger.”
In other selection news, the Broncos remain hopeful Piakura (concussion) will be cleared to face the Rabbitohs, while skipper Reynolds is expected to take on his former club.
Reynolds took a knock to his knee against the Roosters but scans have cleared the champion halfback of suspected ligament damage.
“Brendan is going through the protocols. He has trained really well, all going well he should be right for the game,” Broncos assistant coach Matt Ballin said.
“’Reyno’ is good. He has done contact and he ran (on Monday).
“I like the way he ran at training and took the line on, he has confidence in his body.
“Emotionally and physically, everyone feels good (after returning home from Vegas) and most players after a loss want to come in and train.
“The guys are keen to make amends for that loss.”
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