Bennett braced for nightmare rep season

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WAYNE Bennett is braced for the poisoned chalice of Brisbane's flying start to the NRL premiership with a "nightmare'' representative season that could feature up to nine Broncos.

As Bennett's Broncos tonight head to Kogarah Oval to face St George Illawarra and stretch their winning streak to six games, he was facing the fact his team would soon by decimated by a rep schedule that could threaten Brisbane's quest for a top-four finish.

Maroons Justin Hodges, Corey Parker, Sam Thaiday and Matt Gillett are certain to play major roles through the Origin season and possibly be selected for Australia next weekend, while Ben Hunt is a Test incumbent, Josh McGuire an Origin contender and Dale Copley a possible bolter.

Justin Hodges during a Broncos training.. Pic Darren England. Source: News Corp Australia

Front-rower Adam Blair, who is close to a comeback from corked thigh injury, starred in New Zealand's Four Nations triumph last year while Kiwis second-rower Alex Glenn is back to his best as he plays for his future at the Broncos.

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Bennett said Parker, Thaiday and Glenn had consistently been Brisbane's best over the opening six rounds and the Broncos needed to keep those performance levels high tonight against St George Illawarra and next week against Parramatta before the mid-year disruption.

"It will be a nightmare,'' Bennett said. "We have two weeks of clear air, this week and next week, then after that the season goes into meltdown for about two months.

"It's just a completely different season.

"(After the bye) you won't see the same team probably for the next two months you've seen at all the clubs who will be heavily affected by (rep season).''

The Brocnos will be withuot Corey Parker during the Origin period. Pic Darren England. Source: News Corp Australia

Once again the rep season appears to be the biggest obstacle Brisbane must conquer to turn a bright start into a top-four finish. In 2012 they were 7-1 before fading faster than curtains during daylight saving.

If Bennett can navigate the rep period in reasonable shape the club could live up to the latest betting markets which have Brisbane equal favourites for the minor premiership with the last two champions Souths and the Roosters.

Bennett said he had offered NRL administrators a solution on how to fix the rep season, but despite constant claims the game was trying to improve player welfare they continued to ignore a major strain on the elite stars of the game.

"It will always raise its head again,'' Bennett said. "I know what the solution is and I've talked to the administration about the solution, it's just a case of what they will do about it.

"It's really in their court but I know everybody is going on about player welfare and nothing changes.''

Darius Boyd is a marginal chance of playing Origin. Photographer: Liam Kidston. Source: News Corp Australia

The Broncos do have greater depth in the squad this year to cope with the inevitable rep drain. Bennett has given more game time to his fringe forwards such as Jarrod Wallace and Mitch Dodds.

Bennett also expects Darius Boyd to be back playing in less than six weeks, making the Test winger a marginal chance of playing the first Origin clash on May 27 but more likely to return for Brisbane's May 25 clash with Newcastle, their only NRL game this year without Queensland stars.

"Look I don't know about Origin I, I don't know how far away that is and I haven't looked at it, but (Boyd) has been remarkable.

"He is such a dedicated athlete. He is on track to come back before the six months is done, that will be a miracle in itself.

"He is doing everything now it's just a bit more time.''

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Rookie Roo not fazed by being dropped

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TEENAGE star Sione Mata'utia says he is not fazed by the prospect of having to play NSW Cup if Newcastle coach Rick Stone opts to go with specialist hooker Tyler Randell on the bench at the expense of him against Parramatta on Sunday.

Less than six months after becoming Australia's youngest ever Kangaroo, Mata'utia has featured in every game for the Knights this season, starting at fullback and on the wing in two matches and coming off the bench on the other four occasions with Stone using skipper Kurt Gidley as a makeshift hooker just to accommodate the 18 year old in his squad.

Tyler Randell takes on the Panthers defence. Source: Getty Images

But while there has been nothing wrong with his form, there are suggestions Mata'utia will be squeezed out this week with Gidley to play exclusively at fullback and Randell to deputise for hooker Adam Clydsdale.

Adding further weight to the speculation, the NRL and NSW Cup squads trained together on Thursday with Mata'utia part of the NSW Cup contingent.

But while Stone is yet to tell him officially where he will be playing, Mata'utia claimed going back to NSW Cup would not worry him.

"Going down a grade doesn't mean anything to me," he said.

"I've still got to wear that Knights jumper with pride and play hard for it.

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"I love going back and training today with the reggies was good. I get a bit of confidence where I can talk a bit and guide the boys around."

The incumbent Kangaroos winger, who is no chance of holding onto his place in the Australian side but could get a Country Origin call up, was philosophical when asked about the selection of the Test side coming up.

Mata'utia said:

"I haven't really been thinking about it. Watching the NRL teams now, all the players that were missing last year are back playing footy every weekend.

"The reason why I played was injuries so the players are back.

"It's all good. I'm still here playing for my club and if I do get a Country jersey it would be good and hopefully I can get a crack at that but if not, I'll play every weekend here."

Sione Mata'utia says he's not fazed by playing in the NSW Cup. Source: Getty Images

Stone's plan for Mata'utia could hinge on the fitness of five-eighth Jarrod Mullen, who along with backrower Tariq Sims, is being hampered by a shoulder injury.

Both Mullen and Sims trained yesterday but weren't involved in any contact and will need to prove themselves during the captain's run on Saturday morning.

If Mullen is forced out, Mata'utia would get a reprieve.

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Johns: Bennett’s the master of manipulation

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Wayne Bennett is known as one of the finest man managers in rugby league history. He's famous for knowing his players inside out and understanding how to get the best out of them.

But man management is not just about a shoulder to lean on or a comforting arm around you in a time of need.

Case in point, Sam Thaiday.

Bennett's return to Brisbane has coincided with Thaiday being put under the blowtorch.

From round one, Thaiday has had his attitude and desire questioned from "sources within the Broncos."

Sam Thaiday and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves face off during. Source: Getty Images

Thaiday has been benched and the media alerted that Thaiday's future at the Broncos was in doubt and that his form would be closely monitored.

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We all know who these "sources within the Broncos" are. Well played Wayne.

Last Friday night Thaiday exploded onto the park and put together one of his finest performances against the Sydney Roosters.

Thaiday's aggression was the cornerstone of the Broncos' victory.

Bennett has no plans of getting rid of Thaiday, otherwise the "sources within the Broncos" would have said the Broncos were under severe salary cap pressure and the retention of Thaiday was appearing unlikely.

The questioning of the Queensland legend's work ethic and desire was a personal attack, designed around reigniting his fire.

It did exactly that.

Sam Thaiday and Wayne Bennett during training — Photo Steve Pohlner Source: News Corp Australia

But turning up the heat on Thaiday was about more than just getting Sam back to his old self, it was about putting the whole playing roster on notice. Actually, it put the whole Brisbane club on notice.

The Brisbane Broncos had lost their way and putting one of the club's most experienced and decorated players on notice was a signal that much higher standards were again expected from everyone in this organisation.

Suddenly the Broncos have won their last five in a row and sit top of the table. Yep, the Brisbane Broncos are getting their swagger back.

When the Broncos were the dominating force right through the 90s, they were an arrogant bunch.

There was an arrogance right through the organisation — they were the best and they knew it.

You'd play against the Broncos and a young rookie who'd only played a handful of first grade games felt the right to sledge opposition players who were 200 game veterans.

Even the trainers would give you a bit of lip if they had a chance.

Andrew Gee and Paul Harragon & Brisbane Bronco trade blows — both were sent to sin bin. Source: News Corp Australia

I remember Knights v Broncos in Newcastle 1995, and suddenly a brawl breaks out early in the match. Our skipper Paul Harragon squares off against Brisbane's enforcer, Andrew Gee.

They were trading blows when suddenly Broncos trainer Kelvin Giles runs into the thick of the action, grabs Chief from behind, holds him while Andrew Gee lands 4-5 straight right hands to the Chief's chin.

That was the Broncos. They played by their own rules because they believed they deserved to.

I miss that Broncos!

So do the people of Brisbane, but they're coming back.

On Friday they take on a team who are suddenly rediscovering the better version of themselves, the Dragons.

After the Dragons lost their first two competition games, plenty of drama unfolded. The Old "Oust Doust" banners were dragged from under the house, as fans with a whiff of a disastrous season in the air demanded answers to the question: "Where is this club headed?"

There was an early season crisis looming and they needed a win, fast.

An Oust Doust banner at Oki Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah. Source: News Corp Australia

They got one, a tough, gritty, come-from-behind victory over the Raiders 22-20.

It wasn't the type of win that gave you the feeling they were going to go on to win four in a row, but that's exactly what's happened.

The Dragons have got better every week.

The coach Paul McGregor deserves huge credit. He kept his cool, tinkered with a few things and has rightfully been rewarded.

Their defensive effort is at the core of their success.

Nothing gauges attitude like defensive energy and the Dragons have plenty. They are the NRL's best defensive team. In attack they've loosened their rigid structure which in the past put them in a creative straight jacket.

They allow themselves to jump into a bit of ad lib football while not losing discipline.

Benji Marshall's form is grabbing headlines, and while everyone continues to focus on Benji's flicks and tricks, it's his willingness to play to a plan and use the fundamentals of direct ball playing, which is at the centre of his revival.

Keeping Benji's focus away from flash highlight reel moments is critical to the ongoing success of the team.

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Rugby league nations still growing

James Tedesco is one of a number of NRL stars to represent Italy at international level. Source: AAP

RUGBY league secured a significant victory on the world stage on Thursday, with the game officially recognised as a legitimate sport in Italy.

While Italy competed in the most recent World Cup, with Aidan Guerra in their team, the sport has not been recognised as a stand-alone sport in that country since the 1960s, when the all-powerful Italian Rugby Union banned any player sound to have participated in the 13-a-side code.

Until Thursday, league was merely a breakaway version of union in Italy — a rebel code not officially recognised by the powers that be.

Finally, sensibly, that has all changed.

The international game will get another major boost in a fortnight — but this time, a little closer to home — when southeast Queensland hosts a "representative round" at Suncorp Stadium and Cbus Super Stadium on May 1-2.

On the Friday night, Brisbane will host the Test match between Australia and New Zealand, as well as the women's international between the Jillaroos and the Kiwi Ferns.

Then, on the Saturday, the Gold Coast will host a Test double-header, with games between Tonga and Samoa, and PNG and Fiji, as well as the Junior Kangaroos and Junior Kiwis.

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The Pacific Tests between Tonga and Samoa are a great sign of rugby league's development. Source: Getty Images

The Pacific Tests are another terrific step forward for the development of the game in those countries.

As we saw with Samoa's performance in the Four Nations last year and during the 2013 World Cup, the best way for these developing nations to improve their performances is by having greater exposure to quality matches against quality opposition.

The number of players from the Pacific nations playing in the NRL will undoubtedly lift standards, but the long-term development being done by rugby league in these countries is where the real gains will be made.

The inclusion of the PNG Hunters into Queensland's Intrust Super Cup was a massive step forward, just as Fiji's inclusion in the NSW Cup from next year will accelerate development there.

Hopefully, if the right financial backers can be found, Samoa and Tonga can follow suit with a team in one of the state leagues in the next few years.

But the representative round could also pay big dividends for the gam in Australia as well.

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The scheduling of the representative round should be the first step in creating an expanded representative window, that could include State of Origin.

Stand-alone Origin games have been suggested for a long time as a way to minimise the impact on the NRL clubs that lose players to the interstate series, the workload on players, and the dilution of the NRL competition because of the number of players being stood down because of representative duties.

But for a true representative window to work, Origin cannot do it alone.

Test matches like this Pacific series, Tests involving England and New Zealand, and perhaps even an international Nines tournament could be looked at as a way to beef up a potential representative schedule for television audiences and venues across the region.

Given more opportunity, the development of the international game will continue to grow, and that is great news for rugby league.

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Bennett drops wrestle to go on defensive

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BRISBANE are trying to lead a defensive revolution of the NRL with Wayne Bennett tossing out the wrestling textbook and urging his players to "hit and stick" to gain dominance in defence.

The proof of Bennett's madness is how the Broncos have emerged as one of the grittiest teams in the NRL competition over the opening six weeks to create a defensive wall that is the envy of the league.

The Broncos and Dragons have been the two most impressive defensive outfits to start the season with the two clubs ranked at the top of the charts for goal-line defence.

Brisbane is ranked No.1 for fewest tries conceded from inside 20m at just nine, one ahead of the Dragons who are ranked No.2.

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The Broncos average just one try conceded inside 20m per 20 tackles, while the Dragons are more efficient at one try per 25 tackles.

They are the two leading teams for tries conceded by line breaks with the Dragons No.1 with just eight and the Broncos No.2 with 12.

The Dragons have largely bolted to the top of the charts in the past three weeks where they've conceded a total of two tries in wins over Manly, Newcastle and Canterbury.

Bennett said his team had changed their defensive focus in 2015 on the back of the new wrestling guidelines, opting for strong contact rather than the "cuddling" method of holding players up.

Wayne Bennett talks to his troops at Broncos training. Source: News Corp Australia

"The rules have changed the game, you just can't have three guys laying on the ground anymore. You're better off hitting and sticking than falling down on top of them and have to get off quickly," Bennett said.

"We're just trying to get less in the tackle but be more effective with our tackle technique.

"There is nothing scientific about defence, it's all about what you want to achieve with your teammates and how you want to play for each other and that's what (the Dragons) are doing really well.

"We're a pretty good defensive team right now as well … I'm pretty pleased with where we are at defensively."

Bennett said the crowd reaction to the way Brisbane muscled up against the Roosters last week showed fans wanted to see more old school hits and less dancing.

"The crowd loved it. Every time there was a good hit below the ball they just got into it," he said.

"The fans showed that is what they want as well rather than the other way of just cuddling each other."

League Immortal Andrew Johns noticed Brisbane's driving technique in their win and believes it is putting pressure on the opposition in a new way.

"All Brisbane's technique is different," Johns said.

"A lot of teams are doing the catching and holding but they drive in with the shoulder and it's no coincidence it forced a lot of errors.

"When the shoulder goes at the ball, it's a bit of old school from Brisbane and I love the way they're defending."

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Falloon focused on finding form

Beau Falloon has vowed to get back to his best for the Titans. Source: Richard Gosling / News Corp Australia

GOLD Coast hooker Beau Falloon has vowed to make amends for his frustrating start to the NRL season and help lead the Titans to a breakthrough home victory against Penrith.

Falloon has endured a difficult season with any momentum he planned to carry over from his Titans player of the year award last year crushed by repeated disruptions.

First a hamstring strain cost him appearances in the first trial game or Nines tournament.

Next were the cocaine charges that resulted in him and four teammates being stood down for the first two weeks of the NRL season by the Titans.

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Falloon struggled as off-field pressures got to him. Source: News Corp Australia

Two games later Falloon was suspended again, this time copping two weeks for a lifting tackle charge that was his second suspension for the offence within a year.

Falloon was also lucky to escape a ban last year for an offence against the Storm, saved only because the tackled player landed on his arm despite being up-ended.

Now as he prepares to return against the Panthers, Falloon has vowed to tidy up his tackling technique and deliver the performances on the field that last year earned selection for NSW City Origin.

"It's been frustrating, I haven't had the best start to the year," Falloon said.

"It's been really disruptive but I've been doing some really hard training. The fitness is not a problem. I'm fit and raring to go.

"The suspension from that tackle didn't come at the best time. I just need to put all that behind me now and focus on stringing some really good games together.

"I'm planning on staying on the field a bit longer than the two weeks this time."

Falloon said as a smaller man he'd developed a tackling technique in his junior career of going lower on the big men and lifting them off the ground to halt their momentum.

Over the past fortnight he has worked extensively with coach Neil Henry and defensive co-ordinator Rohan Smith to develop a technique that is safer within the rules of the game.

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"I've got a bit of a not a bad technique, but just an old habit you can't do anymore," he said.

"I've been working on that the last two weeks so hopefully I can put that into practice and hopefully I don't get charged anymore with lifting tackles.

"One of my habits I have is trying to get under them and I tend to lift. That is what gets me in trouble.

"I've got to get it out of my game, which I'm trying really hard too."

It will be Falloon's second game alongside rookie five-eighth Kane Elgey but he said the 21-year-old was showing positive signs of being quality playmaker for the club.

"He has come along really good. He is out there playing his role and he is a good exciting young kid. Hopefully he just keeps building on his game every week," Falloon said.

"He is only young so he is just going out there and doing his job. That is all we expect of him. "He doesn't have to set the world on fire or anything like that. As long as he goes out and does his job that is the main thing."

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