Bennett defiant on prop

WAYNE Bennett insists Matt Lodge will behave at the Broncos and has blasted the prop’s critics, accusing them of running “agendas” on the eve of his controversial NRL return.

Lodge completed the captain’s run at Red Hill yesterday and will take his place in Brisbane’s starting front row for tonight’s season opener against the Dragons at Kogarah.

Lodge’s registration by the NRL has been the biggest talking point of the pre-season but the 116kg prop is now under pressure to deliver on the field in his official Broncos debut.

The American victims of Lodge’s infamous New York rampage in October 2015 have slammed the NRL for allowing him to return but Bennett yesterday hit back at claims the Broncos have signed a poor role model.

“You (the media) have your agenda,” Bennett said.

“You know that. I know that. I don’t know where this (criticism of Lodge) all started or why it started.

“It doesn’t matter whether I think the criticism has been justified or not but the fact is it has happened, change it.

‘‘But Matt has been good about it, he has handled it well and we have handled it well as a club. That’s all we can do.

“I saw Matt three years ago and I told him his behaviour wasn’t acceptable and if he wanted to come here, he had to make some changes.

“He has been wonderful since. The last few years, I have no criticism of his behaviour at all. We have worked with him for 18 months here and he has been part of the club. He is a football player. At the end of the day, that’s what he is here for – to play football.

“We have standards at the Broncos and high standards.

‘‘He will live up to those standards. I have no question marks over him at all.”

Bennett said Lodge enters the Dragons clash in a sound mental state and scoffed at suggestions the forward’s presence at the Broncos had tarnished the club’s reputation.

The former Tigers and Storm bookend first linked with the Broncos last year, spending the 2017 season playing for feeder club Redcliffe in the Intrust Super Cup. you can’t