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

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

 

[Mustafur]

Fucking great debut for a Prop. 123 metres and a try. Tell me what he could have done better for his first game.

Probably his best game ever even including lower grade when you consider the step up in quality against a very strong team, he really stood up for his debut.

 

[bazza]

Probably his best game ever even including lower grade when you consider the step up in quality against a very strong team, he really stood up for his debut.

It's a very good sign that he can raise his level like that. In a fully fit team with support from Haas/Carrigan he won't need to do much more than what he did tonight. If he can consistently provide the level he showed tonight, we will have a one hell of a forward pack rotation. I can't wait to see Willison and Te Kura terrorising teams together.

 

[Mustafur]

It's a very good sign that he can raise his level like that. In a fully fit team with support from Haas/Carrigan he won't need to do much more than what he did tonight. If he can consistently provide the level he showed tonight, we will have a one hell of a forward pack rotation. I can't wait to see Willison and Te Kura terrorising teams together.

It's hard to not get excited for the future of this team.

 

[007]

Very impressive start to his NRL career. He had some aggression happening, fair speed for the size of him and even post first contact the legs were still driving. Reminded me of Petro.

 

[mitch222]

Lets not rush him to quickly and say he needs to be in the team every week. The kids 18 and still maturing. He wont be ready at least until the end of the year maybe next year to play full time NRL. He did exceptionally well last night on debut but he really should be back in Q cup next week with Wilison returning. It is an enticing prospect that we finally have a forward pack with some decent size in it.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

I was hoping that willison would slowly be drip fed into the team so he peaks late year, and in the back of my mind I thought "imagine te kura could do the same"....

The time is now....

Our circumstances demand it. But ffs I hope they can still peak or re-peak at the end of the year bcos if willison and te kura are coming off the bench after opposition teams have just had had to handle haas and carrigan, with jensen also bringing his top level reliability. Ffs, that'd be unstoppable

 

[Sproj]

Lets not rush him to quickly and say he needs to be in the team every week. The kids 18 and still maturing. He wont be ready at least until the end of the year maybe next year to play full time NRL. He did exceptionally well last night on debut but he really should be back in Q cup next week with Wilison returning. It is an enticing prospect that we finally have a forward pack with some decent size in it.

When Haas is back, send him back to Q Cup, he absolutely should be in the team next week. You can’t drop him after that AND let him hear the fans cheer when he gets announced at his first home game.

Sending him back to Q Cup next week is the worst option.

 

[Manofoneway]

The thing I liked the most was his aggression. We don't have an aggressive bully prop anymore and he seems to have it in spades, was great to see.

 

[Manofoneway]

When Haas is back, send him back to Q Cup, he absolutely should be in the team next week. You can’t drop him after that AND let him hear the fans cheer when he gets announced at his first home game.

Sending him back to Q Cup next week is the worst option.

That's exactly how these kids are developed. It's a science, give them a taste of NRL and send them back to the lower grades to bully the lesser competition. Mariner, piakura willison got the same exposure and have come through to NRL ready and firing. Tekura should be no different t

 

[bazza]

Lets not rush him to quickly and say he needs to be in the team every week. The kids 18 and still maturing. He wont be ready at least until the end of the year maybe next year to play full time NRL. He did exceptionally well last night on debut but he really should be back in Q cup next week with Wilison returning. It is an enticing prospect that we finally have a forward pack with some decent size in it.

Good thing he is actually 19 so we won't need to wait till the end of the year for him to be ready haha.

I don't think he should be playing long minutes every week at this stage, but I think the next three games as a minimum are the perfect games for him to get some more NRL experience. The level of opposition coming up are probably not top 4 level, but it will still be a step up from QLD Cup for him.

Once Haas returns, we can still have him on the bench every now and then, but just give him fewer minutes. Even 15 mins out on the field with the likes of Carrigan and Haas will be invaluable for his development.

 

[LittleDavey]

The thing I liked the most was his aggression. We don't have an aggressive bully prop anymore and he seems to have it in spades, was great to see.

X-man is the aggressive prop you seek. If Te Kura brings it as well, damn...could be the best forward pack in our history, which is impressive when you consider some of the teams through the early 00's with the likes of Thorn, Webcke, Civo, Tunza...

The next issue will be who do we lose and who do we keep. If these lads want to stay together they are going to need to start taking less $$.

 

[Manofoneway]

X-man is the aggressive prop you seek. If Te Kura brings it as well, damn...could be the best forward pack in our history, which is impressive when you consider some of the teams through the early 00's with the likes of Thorn, Webcke, Civo, Tunza...

The next issue will be who do we lose and who do we keep. If these lads want to stay together they are going to need to start taking less $$.

I can just tell Willison and TeKura will get offered some ridiculous deal by seasons end. Thats the problem with all this talent, we will struggle to keep them.

 

[Dash]

From a sample size of 1 game and a handful of trials, the kid looks like he's got the goods.

He's too young for consistent NRL time, but I'd be using him to give Willison a spell throughout the year and for injury/Origin cover as required. If he gets 10 games under his belt this season that would be a good return.

 

[theshed]

Fucking great debut for a Prop. 123 metres and a try. Tell me what he could have done better for his first game.

Taken the short kick off instead of Sailor

 

[Sproj]

X-man is the aggressive prop you seek. If Te Kura brings it as well, damn...could be the best forward pack in our history, which is impressive when you consider some of the teams through the early 00's with the likes of Thorn, Webcke, Civo, Tunza...

The next issue will be who do we lose and who do we keep. If these lads want to stay together they are going to need to start taking less $$.

Makes you wonder whether Hetherington might be the odd one out and that would suck, love the bloke.

 

[bazza]

Taken the short kick off instead of Sailor

He might also be the only one tall enough to catch the short dropouts haha.

 

[theshed]

He might also be the only one tall enough to catch the short dropouts haha.

I’m not sure about that, he might be too big to fit in the seats in row 3