Brisbane Broncos team news: David Fifita snubbed, Darius Boyd named at fullback
Broncos veteran Darius Boyd has been handed the club’s poisoned chalice in bid to help spark Brisbane’s season, while David Fifita’s return has been abandoned. FULL TEAM NEWS
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Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has backed Darius Boyd to fire at fullback as the veteran prepares to return to his beloved No.1 jumper for Brisbane’s clash against the Sharks this Friday night.
Seibold has been forced to reconstruct his backline again with halfback Brodie Croft ruled out with a shoulder injury, clearing the way for Anthony Milford and Tom Dearden to start at the scrumbase against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium.
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Croft will be joined on the sidelines by star back-rower David Fifita, who was hoping to return against the Sharks but will give his damaged knee another seven days to heal for a showdown with South Sydney on Friday week.
While the loss of Croft and Fifita is a blow, Seibold is heartened by the selection of key hooker Jake Turpin, who makes his comeback from a fractured leg to add some energy to Brisbane’s rucks.
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Boyd hasn’t played fullback in more than a year - ironically against Cronulla in round 16 last July - but Seibold is confident the former skipper will handle backfield duties after positional moves to five-eighth and centre.
“Darius has played the majority of his career in that position and done a good job defensively for us,” Seibold said.
“He is a pro and he will handle the change of position easily.
“He made a career for himself at fullback so he will be fine.
“The good news is we will get Jake Turpin back so he brings a lot of energy for us. He is a positive inclusion for us.”
It will be a momentous occasion for Boyd, who plays his 329th first-grade game this Friday night, which will see him eclipse Cronulla legend Andrew Ettingshausen, who chalked up 328 games in a stellar career.
Meanwhile, Seibold is uncertain how long Croft will be sidelined. The Broncos halfback recruit injured his shoulder against Souths in round two and suffered a flare-up in last week’s 46-8 loss to the Storm at Suncorp Stadium.
“I don’t know how long he will be out for,” he said.
“It’s a time thing, the players had day off (on Tuesday) and Brodie will get some more treatment on Wednesday and we will have a better idea then.
“Brodie was really restricted at training on Monday, he’s had a number of ‘stingers’ to the AC joint he hurt earlier in the year, he has stirred it up again.
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“It doesn’t need any surgical intervention but it just needs time. He won’t play this week.”
In other selection news, Matt Lodge (knee) has been sidelined for another week, with Payne Haas and Tom Flegler to start in the engine room.
Rookie forward Ethan Bullemor has been added to an interchange bench that also contains Ben Te’o, Rhys Kennedy and Issac Luke.