Kangaroos brace for tough match-up

JACOB GRAMS AND ELISABETH CHAMPION THE element of surprise is no longer with Kangaroos and they’ll have to overcome the loss of one of their key players to repeat their heroics against a brewing Innisfail side tomorrow.

With Jared Allen away on Peninsula rep coaching duties, Peo Abednego is set to join Round 2 hero Harry Ambrum in the halves, but their lack of experience should be well offset with Bradley Stephen returning at fullback and veteran skipper Kieran Hayes back in the side.

Kangaroos coach Michael White said he expected retribution to be on the Leprechauns’ ledger at Vico Oval.

“This will go right down to the wire. I’m expecting it will be a tough battle, not only physically, but mentally too until the end of it,” he said.

“It’s just about the team that’s going to hold its nerve in terms of mistake rate and discipline, and the team that holds them in check will have the opportunity to come away with the points.”

White backed Ambrum to be the leader in Allen’s absence and said he would urge his halves to keep it simple.

“I’d expect him to steer the ship around a bit more and let Peo play basic and where he can keep it simple for himself and wait for opportunities ... and back himself when he does something,” he said.

Innisfail Leprechauns coach Leon Hallie said he hoped their last-start win against Mareeba was a sign of improvement looming on the field.

The 2017 grand finalists have battled injuries, lack of continuity and a general lift from the rest of the competition in a rocky start to the season, and Hallie hoped a contest against one of the benchmarks of 2018 would bring out the best in his side.

“It’s going to be a tough game, playing Kangaroos at their home ground. They’ve been winning a fair few games now,” he said.

“But we are confident we can take them.

“Our last game against Mareeba was the best we played by far so it’s just a matter of working off that and if we can do that, then we should be fine.

“It’s just a matter of doing it when we can do it so whether it’s this week or not, I don’t know, we just have to see how we go.

“The boys are up for it so that’s half the battle done.”