NRL 2021: Danny Levi to make club debut for Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has backed his newest recruit to handle his Broncos baptism after rushing the hooker into his 17-man squad for the clash with Parramatta in Darwin.
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From Norths Devils to Darwin, Danny Levi is back in the big league.
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has backed Levi to handle his Broncos baptism after rushing him into his 17-man squad for Friday night’s clash against Parramatta at Darwin’s TIO Stadium.
Just two days ago, Levi was playing Intrust Super Cup for Brisbane’s feeder club Norths Devils, who have enjoyed a table-topping 4-0 start on the back of the 25-year-old’s creative class around the rucks.
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Now, Levi is a Bronco, with the former Newcastle and Manly hooker whisked into Walters’ top 30 full-time squad to make his club debut as Brisbane’s No.14 super-sub in the Northern Territory.
Brisbane have been on the lookout for dummy-half options to support first-choice hooker Jake Turpin following the departure of Andrew McCullough to the Dragons last month.
Levi has been outstanding for the Devils, amassing three tries, three try-assists, three line breaks and 12 tackle busts in four games, and Walters believes he can offer some spark around the rucks to complement Turpin’s toil.
“Danny is dangerous around the rucks, he has a bit of X-factor,” Walters said.
“We have signed Danny to give us some much-needed depth in the hooking position behind Jake Turpin, who has been very good for us to start the season.
“We are fortunate to be able to secure a player of Danny’s quality and experience. He has been playing well at Norths alongside a number of Broncos-listed players who have spoken highly of him.
“This is an example of our affiliate-club relationship working really well and allowing the best talent to flow through to the highest level of the game.
“We look forward to Danny joining the squad for the remainder of the season and playing his part in helping us continue to improve.”
Levi has played 103 NRL games for Newcastle and Manly, including 20 for the Sea Eagles last season, as well as four Test matches for New Zealand in 2017.
The Broncos have struggled to find a game-breaking bench utility in the opening six weeks of the season and Walters is hoping Levi will trouble Parramatta’s big boppers around the rucks.
In other selection news, hulking centre Herbie Farnworth returns to the starting side, at the expense of Richard Kennar, after a two-week layoff with a shoulder injury.
Former Queensland Origin winger Corey Oates has retained his place on the left flank after his superb display in last week’s 20-12 loss to Penrith, with David Mead to partner Farnworth in the centres.
Broncos bench forward Ethan Bullemor said Brisbane are wary of Parramatta’s monster pack in the wake of the Eels’ 35-10 flogging of Canberra last week.
“While last week was a step in the right direction for us, we still have a lot of work to do,” he said. “Parra are a really strong and physical pack and they have some good players in that team. We have to step up and go a step further on what we did last week.”
HOLBROOK: ‘WE GOT WHAT WE DESERVED’
By Travis Meyn
Titans coach Justin Holbrook says Gold Coast needs an attitude adjustment before Friday’s daunting showdown against South Sydney.
The Titans were left embarrassed and had their top-eight credentials questioned after being flogged 36-0 by the Manly Sea Eagles in Mudgee last weekend.
The huge loss followed a big win against Newcastle the week before.
The Titans possibly got ahead of themselves in their quest to make the finals for the first time since 2016. They have also suffered a huge blow on the back of the Manly loss.
Origin star Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has been suspended for two games after pleading guilty to a shoulder charge.
Holbrook will hand Tigers recruit Sam McIntyre his Titans debut off the bench and welcome back winger Anthony Don from a hip injury against the Rabbitohs at Cbus Super Stadium.
Holbrook lamented the Gold Coast’s attitude in the loss to Manly and said it had to change against the second-placed Rabbitohs.
“It was definitely disappointing,” he said.
“We went there with the wrong attitude, myself included. We were trying to get down to Mudgee quickly, get a win and get home. It doesn’t work that way.
“You have to play well and work hard and we didn’t want to do either of those things.
“We got what we deserved.
“No one was thinking it would come easy against Manly. They have a lot of good players and ‘Turbo’ (Tom Trbojevic) was coming back.
“It wouldn’t have mattered who we played. It had nothing with taking the opposition lightly. It was the way we tried to play. We just weren’t ready to work hard like we had done every other week.
“That comes when you’re travelling pretty well and have a couple of good wins. You can start to think everything will be OK, then that happens.”
McIntyre, 23, played 12 games for the Tigers in his debut NRL season last year before the Titans signed him. Holbrook had high hopes for McIntyre, but he suffered a foot injury during the pre-season and missed a significant chunk of training.
McIntyre has been strong at lock for Tweed Heads in the Intrust Super Cup this year, prompting an NRL promotion ahead of Knights recruit Herman Ese’ese, who is yet to be sighted in Gold Coast colours.
Holbrook said he was looking forward to seeing McIntyre make his Gold Coast debut.
“He has been going really well at Tweed for the last couple of weeks, he’s been their best player,” he said. “He has been playing lock. He can play a couple of roles. He is a good mix.
“He came in at 100 miles an hour for us during the pre-season but picked up a foot injury that put him out through January-February.
“He has been itching for an opportunity. It’s good to reward blokes that are playing well in the Queensland Cup.”
BRONCO SNUBS RIVALS TO SIGN MONSTER DEAL
Kevin Walters has continued his retention drive with the Broncos coach staving off fierce poaching bids from the Bulldogs and Titans to secure boom back-rower Brendan Piakura.
News Corp can reveal Piakura agreed to terms on a three-year, $1.2 million extension with the Broncos just hours before Thursday night’s clash against the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium.
The Broncos, who recently secured Jordan Riki to a three-year upgrade, will formally announce the deal in the next 24 hours.
It is a significant retention coup for the Broncos, who at one stage were resigned to losing Piakura as Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett ramped-up his pursuit of the Queensland under-18s sensation.
The off-contract Piakura had toured Canterbury’s facilities on two occasions and was leaning towards signing a two-year deal with the Bulldogs starting next season.
But the Broncos pulled out the big guns, with Walters and club legend Darren Lockyer playing a key role in convincing Piakura to stay as Brisbane prepare to blood the hard-running back-rower in the NRL.
The Broncos were left reeling after teenage fullback whizkid Reece Walsh last month signed a lucrative deal with the Warriors, prompting Brisbane to reluctantly release him to the Kiwi club on compassionate grounds last week.
There were fears Piakura could be the latest budding NRL star to defect from Brisbane’s Elite Player Development program, but the exciting forward has agreed to stay loyal to the Broncos.
The rangy Piakura can play on the left or right edge as a back-rower and is being groomed for his NRL baptism with a stint at feeder-club Norths Devils in the Intrust Super Cup this season.
Former Brisbane skipper Corey Parker has worked with Piakura in junior Queensland representative teams and says it is only a matter of time before he graduates to the NRL.
“I’ve watched Brendan for some time and he is outstanding,” 347-game Broncos legend Parker said last month.
“In my mind Piakura is physically ready for the NRL now and he would be the perfect replacement for Alex Glenn in the back row next season. I can see why the Bulldogs were going hard for him ... there’s no doubt for me that he is NRL quality.”
The hulking Brisbane rookie is not only mobile for a 100kg-plus forward but runs superb lines and has the same defensive aggression that propelled former Bronco Jaydn Su’A into the Queensland Origin team last season.
“Brendan has all the skills,” Parker said. “Piakura is a different style of back-rower to David Fifita (ex-Bronco who defected to the Titans this season) ... he is a damaging ball-runner but I also like the fact he has mongrel in defence.
“He is a quietly-spoken sort of kid but he has a great attitude, it’s no surprise clubs were lining up to sign him.”
BRONCOS SET TO SWOOP ON PENRITH ORIGIN HERO
- Travis Meyn and Peter Badel
Queensland Origin hero Kurt Capewell could make a shock move to the Brisbane Broncos next year as the Panthers utility faces being squeezed out of Penrith.
On the eve of Thursday night’s Broncos-Panthers showdown at Suncorp Stadium, The Courier-Mail can reveal Capewell has been in discussions with Brisbane for months about a move to Red Hill in 2022.
Capewell’s rise to the State of Origin arena last year and Penrith’s blossoming roster of emerging talent has created salary cap pressure at the Panthers.
Capewell could pocket upwards of $450,000-a-season on his next contract and his agent, former Queensland fullback Clinton Schifcofske, revealed the Broncos were a serious contender.
“Kurt has a bit of interest from a few clubs and we are working through things now,” Schifcofske said. “We have assured Penrith we will go back to them before we do anything.
“A return to Queensland definitely appeals to him. He will weigh up all options and see what’s on the table.
“The Broncos showed some interest in the pre-season. We met with them but unfortunately the deal wasn’t the right deal at the time. Kurt backed himself to start the season well and that’s exactly what he has done off the back of Origin.
“I’m hopeful the Broncos will come back to us. He would be perfect for the Broncos, he is exactly what they need, an edge back-rower who is versatile and a leader.
“The Broncos have a lot of young forwards so to have an experienced leader who has played Origin and is a Queensland kid, it would be a good fit for the club. He has been playing great footy in the starting back-row for the Panthers five weeks in a row.
“Penrith want to keep him but Kurt isn’t going to get what he is worth. They have to spend a fair bit of their cap to keep (Jarome) Luai, (Stephen) Crichton, Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin, so there mightn’t be much left over for Kurt.”
Capewell, 27, hails from Charleville in central Queensland and came through Brisbane’s under-20s system. He caught the eye of Cronulla while starring for Ipswich in the Intrust Super Cup when the Jets won the 2015 premiership and national title.
Capewell played 64 NRL games for the Sharks from 2016-19 before joining Penrith in 2020 and he will make his 79th NRL appearance at Suncorp Stadium.
Capewell overcame a painful groin injury to star for Queensland on debut last year, producing a remarkable Game One performance to help the Maroons set up a memorable Origin series victory. Penrith premiership lock Scott Sattler said Capewell could make an ideal No.13.
“I love him, I have always liked him as a player,” he said.
“I watched a lot of him in the Intrust Super Cup when the Ipswich Jets won the national title and he went through a stage where you weren’t quite sure what position he should play.
“He is still only young in rugby league terms so moving forward I think he is a really good No.13 like Isaah Yeo (Panthers captain). I’m a big fan of his.
“Watching him play Origin last year was great because he deserved it and watching him play through pain was even better.
“He is a tremendous player and even better guy from a really good family.”
Former Broncos captain Sam Thaiday said Capewell’s natural instincts made him a threat in the structured NRL.
“The thing I love about him is he came through the Intrust Super Cup system under the Walker brothers (Shane and Ben),” he said.
“He already had a lot of those skills, but the Walker boys gave him an opportunity to be himself on the footy field. You can see that in his game.
“Some of his kicks and the things he does are very unorthodox and left-field, but they seem to work out for him because he continues to do them every week.
“He is a great player and very unpredictable. I love watching him play footy.”
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