Green expecting big response from Broncos
AUCKLAND: Warriors revelation Blake Green is taking little comfort from the Brisbane Broncos’ stuttering start to the NRL season.
Brisbane will run out in Auckland tonight after backtoback defeats that has it languishing 12th on the table.
But history has taught Green about what to expect from the Broncos when the chips are down.
‘‘Obviously they’re a very strong club and they’ve shown in the past, when they’re under adversity, they respond,’’ Green said.
‘‘They’ve got some really quality individuals in their team. It’s going to be a massive challenge for us.’’
The previously unfancied Warriors have themselves raced out to a 50 start.
The muchtravelled Green was among the new arrivals at the Auckland club in the offseason.
But the 31yearold played down the kudos given to the recruits, who include fellow experienced campaigners Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Peta Hiku,— for a change in attitude within the squad.
‘‘I don’t know if any of the new people coming in can take credit for that. I think the attitude was already there,’’ he said.
‘‘As I said before, you don’t lose your ability to play footy but you can lose your confidence quite quickly, and that’s what happened with a few losses at the back end of the year.’’
Green will continue his burgeoning halves combination with Shaun Johnson, while Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has retained the underpressure pairing of Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima.
However, Nikorima is battling to get over a corked thigh and centre Jack Bird is the option to slot in at fiveeighth.
After spending three of the first four weekends on the road, the Warriors are into the second match of a run in which they are at home for five of six rounds.
They began that sequence with the doubleheader at Mt Smart Stadium last weekend, when a bumper crowd turned up.
By the time the Warriors ran out against North Queensland in the second match, the ground was filled to the 25,600 capacity.
A repeat of the boisterous support the home fans produced would not go amiss with Green.
‘‘Yeah, it was rocking — it was that good,’’ he said.
‘‘The drums were pumping and people were getting right into it. Everyone’s really happy the club is winning some footy games.’’ — NZN