NEWS Big Ben ready to strike for the Broncos: Corey Parker

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Giant Brisbane prop Ben Te Kura has been backed to perform on his NRL debut in a baptism of fire against fierce rivals Melbourne at AAMI Park.

At 205cm, the 19-year-old will become the tallest player ever to feature in the NRL. He is five centimetres taller than Storm behemoth Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who has not been named for Thursday night's showdown.

Te Kura has got his opportunity due to a head knock at training for Xavier Willison, who drops off the bench.

"Aside from his monstrous frame, Ben has an appetite for the collision and some good footwork," former Brisbane captain Corey Parker told AAP on Tuesday.

"He has the ability to provide some decent offloads. That will all come for him, but at the moment he has a great opportunity to debut against a very strong club.

"I debuted against a real strong (Warriors) side and it can be good for you when you are playing in the middle.

"Not that his job would change against a lesser side, but it is a great test for him against the Storm."

Te Kura has been honing his craft in the Queensland Cup for Souths-Logan where he has shone. He also impressed in the pre-season trials for the Broncos.

"It is a bit of a reward for him for what he has been doing in the Queensland Cup that Kevvie (coach Kevin Walters) feels he can play first grade and has no qualms putting him in against Melbourne," Parker said.

"Big Ben will go alright. He'll have to. Defensively, he will know who he is playing once (Storm hooker) Harry Grant comes out at him."

Whatever transpires on Thursday night, Te Kura will never forget his debut.

Parker came off the bench against the Warriors on his debut in 2001, facing a fearsome pack that featured greats including Ali Lauiti'iti and Kevin Campion.

"They were big and physical. I remember Lauiti'iti well. He ran straight at me off a dropout," Parker said.

The Broncos have not beaten the Storm at AAMI Park since 2016, losing their last seven games at the venue.

They did get the better of Melbourne in last year's finals series, winning 26-0 at Suncorp Stadium - an anomaly in their overall record.

"When Cameron Smith was playing for (Melbourne) in particular their style worried Brisbane and it is something that Craig Bellamy has continued," Parker said.

"Last year it was a bit different (in the finals) because the style Brisbane play with now is different, particularly when (currently injured) Reece Walsh and Payne Haas are in the side.

"Now Brisbane like to shift the ball and back their ability.

"Previously Cameron Smith would shift the ball to an edge with one wide pass. You had to ask the middle forwards to fill up on a short side and if they were late getting there the Storm would attack.

"If you put too many forwards on the short side, Smithy would come back to the middle.

"It was all just a game of numbers from his point of view."

Canberra Times
 
Corey Parker...... Gordon tallis-lite.
Jumps aboard when we are doing well like he has something to do with it, but is the 1st to bag us when we aren't going well and pretends like he knows better, as a former legend. Both have tarnished their legacies in my eyes. Loved him as a player but will be a good day when his points record is overtaken and carrigan officially takes his spot as our best ever lock.
 
I hate corey Parker more than I hated Gordon tallis during the seibold days. Best thing the club ever did was **** him right off away from the playing group. A toxic whiney bitch that nobody wants near their NRL players. A gig in the backstabbing media is a perfect suit
 
Looking forward to seeing how he goes, his first stint is always 20 minutes and that’s his best work before he fatigues and lately his hands have been letting him down but Souths have been terrible in attack. His aggression has stepped up this year but that might be frustration due to Souths’ form. His game is super simple and as long as he makes 100m and 20 tackles that’s what he’s been doing in Cup for three years.
 
The challenge for him is going to be multiple efforts and the Storm will go at him make sure he tackles and has to get on the ground then come straight back to him again to make another effort. If Kevvie gets his interchange wrong even by a tackle it’ll cost Ben.
 
The challenge for him is going to be multiple efforts and the Storm will go at him make sure he tackles and has to get on the ground then come straight back to him again to make another effort. If Kevvie gets his interchange wrong even by a tackle it’ll cost Ben.
Great point. IMO this is something that Xavier has done really well since his debut and hoping Big Ben can replicate.
Plus I want to se him skittle some Melbourne defenders....
 
Looking forward to seeing how he goes, his first stint is always 20 minutes and that’s his best work before he fatigues and lately his hands have been letting him down but Souths have been terrible in attack. His aggression has stepped up this year but that might be frustration due to Souths’ form. His game is super simple and as long as he makes 100m and 20 tackles that’s what he’s been doing in Cup for three years.
Yeah basically agree with this. I haven't seen him play but have heard good reports about him.
I don't think kevvie planned on debuting him this early but injuries to haas and willison have forced his hand a bit otherwise ideally he would have debuted during the origin period when we are usually down on troops.
Also a bogey side like melbourne isn't ideal to debut against but you don't always have a choice in these things.
I am no coach but I would imagine his instructions are to keep it simple, work hard, play your role in defence and if possible harass the storm halves.
I don't know what his hands are like but with his height it might be worth reynolds putting up the odd mid field bomb and sending him through to see if he can grab it ahead of the storm full back. At the very least it might give papenhuyzen something to think about with that big bopper coming at him.
Good luck to the kid tonight.
 

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