Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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BRONCOS stars have told Wayne Bennett they’re mentally ready for a six week surge to a grand final and don’t need any time off as they build momentum for a finals campaign.
Bennett flagged plans to rest stars over the final two rounds with their top four finish secured with the master coach wary of major injuries striking like it has at other clubs like Sydney Roosters and North Queensland.
Halfback Ben Hunt, five-eighth Anthony Milford and hooker Andrew McCullough are the only players to play every game this season and given their importance to a premiership assault could be likely contenders for a week in the grandstand.
Hunt admitted his body could use one week off ahead of the NRL finals but mentally he wanted to play as Brisbane build towards something special.
“The body wouldn’t mind a week off but in the head you never want a week off,” Hunt said.
“You want to be out there with your mates and playing footy every week. You just have to do the best you can during the week, recover and get the body right.
“We’re in a position where we are going to finish top four and that is the luxury we’ve got at the moment.
“If someone has a niggling injury or something they want to get fixed for the finals we are able to do that which is really good for us.”
The only fresh injury concern to come out of Brisbane’s 12-10 loss to the Sydney Roosters was the knees into the back copped by fullback Darius Boyd and his sore jaw after a high hit from Dylan Napa.
Boyd said he would need to ice his back all week to be ready to play South Sydney on Thursday night, but thankfully had avoided major issues from the hit.
“If it was higher up it would be a problem. I knew straight away that I was breathing pretty well but it was just painful and I think it was just a bad cork,” Boyd said.
Broncos forward Sam Thaiday said the players were prepared to push on without taking time off knowing how close they were to the ultimate goal.
“In my head I know if we want to go all the way we have five weeks of footy then I can kick up the feet and relax,” he said.
“No one knows what’s going on in Wayne’s head except him. It is a fantastic idea. We have some tough games with Souths and the Storm, if we can have players fresh and rested to go it will help our cause.
“The end goal is to be in a grand final and hopefully holding that trophy up. That is our little cake, our little bit of glory at the end of it all so we have to get through the next few weeks.”
The Broncos have opted to stay in Sydney between games, making the short turnaround a bonding camp at Coogee so the players can unite and prepare for the next two weeks before finals.
When they met South Sydney in round one they were thumped 36-6 but this Broncos team is far different and more confident in their ability to match it with the best.
Hunt said he was ready for the business end of the season knowing his team was playing much better football than any previous finals campaign.
“We’ve come a long way since the start of the season,” Hunt said.
“Obviously we’re in a better position than we were last year. We’re playing a more controlled game now, we were a bit all over the shop last year and we weren’t playing a tough brand of football like we are now.
“We just need to grind games out, hang in there and take opportunities when we get them.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...efore-nrl-finals/story-fnp0lyn6-1227495399406
Bennett flagged plans to rest stars over the final two rounds with their top four finish secured with the master coach wary of major injuries striking like it has at other clubs like Sydney Roosters and North Queensland.
Halfback Ben Hunt, five-eighth Anthony Milford and hooker Andrew McCullough are the only players to play every game this season and given their importance to a premiership assault could be likely contenders for a week in the grandstand.
Hunt admitted his body could use one week off ahead of the NRL finals but mentally he wanted to play as Brisbane build towards something special.
“The body wouldn’t mind a week off but in the head you never want a week off,” Hunt said.
“You want to be out there with your mates and playing footy every week. You just have to do the best you can during the week, recover and get the body right.
“We’re in a position where we are going to finish top four and that is the luxury we’ve got at the moment.
“If someone has a niggling injury or something they want to get fixed for the finals we are able to do that which is really good for us.”
The only fresh injury concern to come out of Brisbane’s 12-10 loss to the Sydney Roosters was the knees into the back copped by fullback Darius Boyd and his sore jaw after a high hit from Dylan Napa.
Boyd said he would need to ice his back all week to be ready to play South Sydney on Thursday night, but thankfully had avoided major issues from the hit.
“If it was higher up it would be a problem. I knew straight away that I was breathing pretty well but it was just painful and I think it was just a bad cork,” Boyd said.
Broncos forward Sam Thaiday said the players were prepared to push on without taking time off knowing how close they were to the ultimate goal.
“In my head I know if we want to go all the way we have five weeks of footy then I can kick up the feet and relax,” he said.
“No one knows what’s going on in Wayne’s head except him. It is a fantastic idea. We have some tough games with Souths and the Storm, if we can have players fresh and rested to go it will help our cause.
“The end goal is to be in a grand final and hopefully holding that trophy up. That is our little cake, our little bit of glory at the end of it all so we have to get through the next few weeks.”
The Broncos have opted to stay in Sydney between games, making the short turnaround a bonding camp at Coogee so the players can unite and prepare for the next two weeks before finals.
When they met South Sydney in round one they were thumped 36-6 but this Broncos team is far different and more confident in their ability to match it with the best.
Hunt said he was ready for the business end of the season knowing his team was playing much better football than any previous finals campaign.
“We’ve come a long way since the start of the season,” Hunt said.
“Obviously we’re in a better position than we were last year. We’re playing a more controlled game now, we were a bit all over the shop last year and we weren’t playing a tough brand of football like we are now.
“We just need to grind games out, hang in there and take opportunities when we get them.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...efore-nrl-finals/story-fnp0lyn6-1227495399406
