Broncos brace for Cowboys’ attack
IF TRAVELLING to Dairy Farmers Stadium to take on the Cowboys is not hard enough, the Broncos will also be flat out stopping explosive hooker James Segeyaro in this Saturday night’s elimination final.
Segeyaro returned against the Sharks on Sunday after 12 weeks out with ankle syndesmosis.
And he was back to his menacing best, hitting up the ball on nine occasions for 77m in his team’s 36-22 win.
In a further warning to the Broncos, the 21-year-old, who will join the Panthers next year, said he was feeling good.
The Cowboys will also benefit from the return of prop and co-captain Matthew Scott to the side after he enjoyed a rest last Sunday.
With Scott back in the starting pack, Ashton Sims will drop back to the interchange bench.
Cowboys coach Neil Henry named a 19-man squad to take on the Broncos, with hooker Anthony Mitchell the other addition to the team that downed the Sharks.
Joel Riethmuller is there as a back-up for second-rower Gavin Cooper, who picked up a shoulder injury against Cronulla, but Henry said he should be okay to take on the Broncos.
Henry admitted that while his side deserved to be the favourite, he is expecting to face a Broncos outfit desperate to stay in the finals race and give retiring prop Petero Civoniceva another week at the top level.
“They’re a fast team, a big and physical team. They haven’t had momentum because they’ve lost a few games but they haven’t been playing poor football,” he said.
The Broncos named an un- changed line-up to face North Queensland – the first time they have had this luxury since the pre-Origin period.
In other news, the Rabbitohs will also field the same line-up that beat the Knights 18-6 when they take on Melbourne in this Saturday’s qualifying final at AAMI Park.
The Bulldogs and Sea Eagles did not pick up any injuries last round in their respective wins against the Roosters and Titans ahead of their qualifying final grudge match on Friday night at ANZ Stadium.
The Bulldogs’ Dene Halatau has been named, joining an extended bench after suffering a knee injury in round 19 against Parramatta.
Martin Tapau will rejoin the team on the bench after travelling to Newcastle with the club’s NSW Cup outfit on the weekend.
In the Raiders v Sharks elimination final at Canberra Stadium on Sunday, the Raiders will welcome back Josh Dugan and Sam Williams into their 20man squad from ankle and shoulder injuries respectively.
Joel Thompson returns to the starting team in the second row for Joe Picker.
Reece Robinson moves to the wing to accommodate Dugan and Shaun Berrigan shifts to the bench for Williams. Jarrad Kennedy joins the extended interchange.
For the Sharks, Ben Pomeroy has been named and will contest his dangerous contact charge at the judiciary tonight.
The Sharks will also be boosted by the return of Wade Graham and Mark Taufua on the bench, while Sam Tagataese is another new face in the squad.