The iSelect Titans under-20s Holden Cup side have the chance this evening to put themselves into top-eight contention if they can secure victory against the Brisbane Broncos who were the early competition trend-setters with three successive wins, but have been beaten in the past two rounds.
Ben Woolf’s lads will take a lot of confidence out of their first victory of the season, a 50-22 win in Melbourne last Sunday, after being 16-0 behind after 16 minutes.
They led in their previous two matches, against Canberra and North Queensland, so they know they have the ability to match it with most sides. They just need to be a lot more consistence over 80 minutes and respect possession in order to be able to control the pace of the game better.
“I think a lot of our boys, who hadn’t played 20s before, finally got used to the pace of the game over the 80 minutes against Melbourne, which was encouraging,” said Woolf. “But we have to back it up. Controlling the ball, keeping our structure in both attack and defence will be the key.”
The return of five-eighth Christian Hazard was a key to the win in Melbourne and he combines with co-skipper Kane Elgey in the halves tonight after they performed well together against the Storm, their first match partnered at six and seven.
Hazard’s pace and Elgey’s organising and kicking game will be vital and when together, they allow Deacon Fletcher to return to starting hooker where he combines well with Jenan Wedderburn-Parish well off the bench.
Unfortunately in-form prop O’Shea Tuiasau has been suspended for two matches for a shoulder charge in Storm victory and has been replaced by Ethan Price in the 17.
Our team:
1 – Jahrome Hughes (capt)
2 - Brian Kelly
3 - Jaiden Hawkes
4 – Conner Broadhurst
5 – Zac Spring
6 – Christian Hazard
7 – Kane Elgey (capt)
14 - Perry Ioane
19 - Deacon Fletcher
10 – Mitch Sharp
11 - Caleb Morehu
12 – Jackson Clarke
13 - Parahi Wilson
INTERCHANGE
15 – Harrison Hughes
16 – Rory Humphries
17 – Jenan Wedderburn-Parish
18 – Ethan Price
