Smokin Joe’s birthday bash
BRONCOS lock Joe Ofahengaue has opened up about his post-Origin Red Hill return that helped launch the club to a late surge.
Ofahengaue, who will celebrate his 24th birthday by running on to Bankwest Stadium on Sunday – will make a welcome return to the Broncos this weekend after sitting out the past fortnight with a calf injury.
The Broncos must beat Parramatta in enemy territory or else start their Mad Monday preparations.
Ofahengaue made it through training at Red Hill on Wednesday without any concerns and should line up in the No.13 jersey for his birthday date with the Eels.
Brisbane’s poor start to the season, and their 2-6 win-loss record after Round 8, sparked fears they could miss finals for the first time since 2013.
But an end-of-season revival helped the Broncos claim eighth spot to keep their slim premiership hopes alive.
The Broncos have tasted defeat in just three from nine games post-Origin, including last weekend’s 30-14 loss to the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.
Despite the defeat, the Brisbane forwards have stood tall.
Fox Sports Lab statistics show Ofahengaue has averaged 103 running metres and a tackle break per game since making his Origin debut in June.
After being inducted on to Suncorp Stadium’s Walk of Fame this week, Ofahengaue said he took it upon himself to keep up the workload when he made his return to Red Hill.
“I just didn’t want to come back to the club and get ahead of myself,” Ofahengaue said.
“It’s been a crazy year and a crazy season for us.
“I just didn’t want to come back to the club thinking I’ll leave it up to everyone else.
“We’ve got players around us like Payne Haas and Matt Lodge who you can just give the ball to and they can do anything.
“I just wanted to come back to the club knowing the team had confidence in me to do my job every week to the best of my ability.”
Ofahengaue will go head to head with Parramatta bruiser Nathan Brown, who will return from suspension for Sunday’s clash.
Former Broncos premiership-winning lock Corey Parker said Ofahengaue’s finals experience would be a huge asset for the team.
“He’s got to be a mainstay of the Brisbane pack and the Queensland pack,” he said.
“He’s got a big engine, a bit like Payne Haas. People forget that he’s played in a grand final.”