BEWARE SURGING BRONCOS
QUEENSLAND and Souths skipper Greg Inglis fears the Broncos will be finals giant-killers, believing Wayne Bennett’s troops have the confidence to emulate Brisbane’s epic 2006 premiership charge.
Maroons ace Inglis is the captain of a Rabbitohs side rated hot favourites to clinch a second NRL premiership in four years as they prepare for Friday night’s finals opener against the Storm.
But Inglis is wary of a Broncos fairytale after watching Brisbane surge into the playoffs buoyed by three consecutive
wins, including a 38-18 thumping of the Rabbitohs in round 23.
Bookmakers have installed the Roosters ($3.25), Melbourne ($4.50) and South Sydney ($4.75) as the premiership frontrunners, but when asked to nominate a title dark horse, Inglis was unequivocal.
“The Broncos for sure,” Inglis said.
“This is such an open competition – anything can happen.
“It can just be a bounce of the ball, look at the Cowboys last year (in their surge to the grand final from eighth spot) … finals football is a different competition.”
Inglis is acutely aware of Brisbane’s ability to mount a premiership assault.
The Queensland Origin champion was a member of the Melbourne side that was beaten in the 2006 grand final by the Broncos, who produced a stunning late-season charge to break the Storm’s hearts.
The Broncos enter Sunday’s sudden-death showdown against the Dragons having scored 108 points in three matches, with Inglis lauding halves Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford and hulking winger Corey Oates.
“They have shown what they are capable of in the last few weeks,” Inglis said.
“They have knocked us off and the Roosters – they have been building.
“The Broncos have been playing really well the last few months and watching them against Manly (in Sunday’s 4816 win) … Nikorima and Milford were outstanding.
“Corey Oates has been terrific, too. I don’t know if they lifted for Sam Thaiday’s last regularseason home game, but they seemed to fire.”
Broncos skipper Darius Boyd, with Thaiday the sole survivors of the club’s 2006 premiership triumph, warned Brisbane are building momentum at the perfect time.
“It’s momentum and he said.
“The belief is back in the team. It’s been an up and down season and that’s been the knock on us all year, but we’re going into the finals in good form.”
Andrew McCullough returns on Sunday, saying he will not have any lingering mental scars after being knocked out by Dylan Napa two weeks ago.
“I came back from a knee this year and I did not have any mental scarring from that so I don’t think a head knock will give me too much drama,” he said. “I was knocked out a couple of years ago but two in 10 years is not too bad.” confidence,”