Brisbane lose key forwards for derby
Bennett says McGuire hair-pull not sign of wider behaviour problems
WAYNE Bennett has denied the Broncos have a hair-pulling problem as Brisbane’s top four bid copped a double blow with star forwards Josh McGuire and Tevita Pangai Jr to miss Thursday’s Queensland derby against the Cowboys.
McGuire has accepted a one-match contrary conduct suspension for pulling the hair of Bulldogs forward Adam Elliott in last Thursday’s shock loss at ANZ Stadium.
Coach Bennett last night revealed Pangai Jr is set to join him on the sidelines as he battles a groin complaint. Bennett has also opted to shift captain Darius Boyd back to fullback after axing Jordan Kahu and granting teenage sensation Gehamat Shibasaki his NRL debut.
The explosive Pangai Jr was restricted to 49 minutes in the Canterbury loss after carrying groin and hamstring complaints into the match and is expected to be sidelined for at least a week.
“I don’t think he (Pangai Jr) will play,” Bennett said yesterday. “It’s not the hammy, it’s the groin now.”
The loss of Pangai Jr is a massive blow to Brisbane’s late push to sneak into the top four before the finals.
Losing to cellar dwellers Canterbury was a missed opportunity to push further up the ladder and the Broncos must now win their remaining four matches to have any chance of making the top four.
Pangai Jr and McGuire are two of Brisbane’s most important forwards and their absence could prove telling against the improving Cowboys at 1300SMILES Stadium.
Bennett faces moving 18year-old David Fifita into the back row to replace Pangai Jr while Joe Ofahengaue is favoured to start at lock.
Test and Origin star McGuire became the second Broncos player to be charged for pulling a rival’s hair after five-eighth Anthony Milford yanked on the curls of Penrith’s Corey Harawira-Naera a fortnight ago.
Bennett denied there was a behavioural problem within the Broncos squad prompting the series of hair-pulling incidents.
“They’re no big deal,” he said. “It’s guys frustrated, that’s all. No one is hurting anybody.
“It’s not the image the game wants and that’s all fine with me. I’m happy with what’s happened there (suspension).”
The Townsville-born Shibasaki has been on the cusp of the NRL for two years.
The 19-year-old is a Queensland under-20s rep.
NO ONE IS HURTING ANYBODY. IT’S NOT THE IMAGE THE GAME WANTS AND THAT’S ALL FINE WITH ME. WAYNE BENNETT