Benny in pack of strife

WAYNE Bennett will thrust Andrew McCullough into his starting side for Friday’s blockbuster derby against the Cowboys in a bid to stifle North Queensland’s all-star pack.

The Broncos will start underdogs in the Suncorp Stadium showdown after being burned 34-12 by the Dragons in last Thursday’s NRL season opener.

The defeat to St George-Illawarra raised serious questions about Brisbane halves Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima, while Bennett turned the blowtorch on his misfiring forwards.

But one positive from the Kogarah debacle was McCullough emerging unscathed in his return from a knee reconstruction. McCullough, 28, is considered to be the heartand-soul of the Broncos and his season-ending knee injury in July last year was a dagger to Brisbane’s NRL campaign.

McCullough’s defensive influence against the Dragons was so prominent he topped Brisbane’s tackle count (33) despite playing only 46 minutes from the bench after Sam Thaiday started at hooker.

The Broncos have been carefully managing McCullough’s return, however, the feisty No.9 told Bennett he was ready to start at dummy-half in the 2015 grand final rematch.

“He will start,” Bennett told News Corp.

“We will play it by ear (whether he plays 80 minutes) but he is certainly starting.

“He wanted to start after the game. He was happy.

“It was his first game and he was happy with the way it all went. He got some confidence out of it. That’s what we were trying to achieve with him.”

The Cowboys’ all-star starting pack, led by Test stars Matt Scott, Jason Taumalolo and Jordan McLean, were excellent in last Friday’s defeat of Cronulla, while interchange forwards Scott Bolton and Coen Hess were also among North Queensland’s best.

Brisbane’s engine room faces a stern test but the sight of a relaxed McCullough in the Broncos’ sheds on Thursday night was one ray of hope.

Most NRL players returning from a knee reconstruction apply heavy strapping around their rebuilt knee.

Not McCullough. There was no ice pack after putting his left knee through its first serious test since last July, when he snapped his ACL against Parramatta in a collision with former teammate Adam Blair.

“The knee pulled up really well. There were no mental scars, so I’m right now,” McCullough said after the game.