ivanhungryjak
State of Origin Rep
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- Sep 8, 2009
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BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett has launched a savage attack on the Titans’ administration as a war of words broke out over James Roberts ahead of tomorrow night’s derby clash on the Gold Coast.The Broncos enjoyed a triple treat on Thursday with injured trio Jordan Kahu (shoulder), Jack Reed (eye) and Corey Oates (shoulder) all cleared to start against the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium.
But the joy at their return was overshadowed by Bennett’s backhander at the Titans over the treatment of Roberts, who sensationally quit the club over summer following the contract-forgery farce.
James Roberts at Broncos training on Thursday ahead of the clash with his former club.Titans coach Neil Henry fired a barb at Roberts on Wednesday, questioning if he was really in peak form, but Bennett returned serve today to set up a spicy Queensland grudge match.
Bennett suggested Henry was riddled with jealousy for Brisbane snaring Roberts and he then unloaded on Gold Coast hierarchy for the forged signature that led to the resignation of football manager Scott Clark.
“At the end of the day, it was the Titans’ administration, it wasn’t James’ fault what happened,” Bennett fired.
“It hurts a bit, you bring a guy through and you do a lot of things with them and you know how hard you work with them to get them where they are. You have difficult moments with them so I can probably understand Neil’s position a little bit.
“(But) no-one should look at James.
“If you had the situation he had, we would all walk away from our contract.
“He didn’t walk away but you take the opportunity because it was pretty deceitful what happened and he was affected by that.
“I can understand Neil’s position with that, envy and jealousy comes into it because you are envious James isn’t there anymore and you are jealous of what he can bring and you want it in your team.”
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Roberts trained strongly this morning and is primed to unleash his best against his former club after his breakthrough performance for the Broncos against the Cowboys last week.
“I’m pleased to see James was excited at training,” Bennett said. “We play a team game here, we don’t play an individual game. If James does his job, we’ll be happy with him.”
Oates and Reed looked fully fit on Brisbane’s left flank, while Kahu wore a Brent Tate-style neck brace to prove his fitness on the right wing for the Titans clash.
Bennett later revealed Kahu was so happy with his session he would not required the neck brace tomorrow night.
“He won’t be wearing it in the game. He finished the training session without it so he won’t be needing it in the game,” Bennett said.
Bennett has slammed the Titans handling of the James Roberts saga.“We don’t play players here injured it’s as simple as that. Everybody that goes out there is fit to play and has been tested, done everything they are supposed to do. Injured players don’t play with confidence and have the belief they should have. If you are in playoffs and grand finals, sometimes you take a different approach but not with 24 weeks to go in the season. All the guys are fit and are ready to go.”
Bennett is wary of a Titans side that has surged into the top four after three wins in the opening month headlined by last week’s gutsy 24-20 defeat of the Raiders in Canberra.
James Roberts in action for the Gold Coast Titans in 2015.“You don’t win three games out of four and not do some things well,” he said. “They have the highest ball control in the competition, they are ranked No. 1 so they are controlling the ball pretty well and giving themselves a chance to win games.
“They are playing with a fair bit of spirit. We expect a pretty similar game to the Cowboys last week.”
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