shadowboxer
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From yahho.com.au
Brisbane have undergone a major re-shuffle for Sunday's NRL clash with the Sharks after losing skipper Gorden Tallis to a neck-related injury.
While match-winner Darren Lockyer was given the all clear to play with a protective rib guard, Tallis pulled out after losing his battle to overcome a neck injury suffered the previous week in a dubious tackle against St George Illawarra.
Losing Tallis is a blow but coach Wayne Bennett was not letting it show after a training session.
"It goes with footy. Gorden doesn't go a whole year without missing a game somewhere along the way," said Bennett.
Brisbane though is still seething that no official action was taken over the tackle in which Tallis was lifted and speared.
"Yeah, I am scratching my head over it, but anyway it's done with now, we can't undo it," said Bennett.
In a major reshuffle, Ben Ikin moves into the hooking role with Lockyer back at five-eighth.
Shaun Berrigan shifts from hooker into the centres with Mick DeVere moving onto the wing and Stu Kelly dropping to the bench as a back-up dummy half.
Corey Parker comes off the bench to replace Tallis who at this stage is only likely to miss one game.
Ikin, who is proving to be a real bonus for Brisbane as a fill-in specialist said he was only repaying the club for the loyalty they showed him during his battles with knee injuries.
"To be honest they were great to me when I had two years on the sidelines and I said to Wayne (Bennett) at the start of the season if he needed me at Origin time or when injuries struck I'd more than happy to help out," he said.
"Wayne told me I've got a good enough head to play in the front row."
"These days hooker, halfback, five-eighth, they're all very similar roles.
"They're service roles, they require a lot of passing and I'm familiar with that and hopefully defending on the edge of the ruck won't be too different than what I'm used to."
Bennett has no concerns with putting Ikin into the front-row against the Sharks.
"It was an easy decision, because he's got a really good football head on him," he said.
"That's what you need at hooker, someone who can make the right decisions, making sure the ball goes to the right people.
"He'll do that, he'll just have to get used to a bit more intensity that's all."
Ikin said Cronulla was in great form and had the quality players to prove very formidable opponents.
"They're in outstanding form and Brett Kimmorley is playing very well," he said.
"When he plays well, the Sharks fire and he's backed up by other great players like David Peachey and Jason Stevens so we will have to be on our game to beat them."
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Brisbane have undergone a major re-shuffle for Sunday's NRL clash with the Sharks after losing skipper Gorden Tallis to a neck-related injury.
While match-winner Darren Lockyer was given the all clear to play with a protective rib guard, Tallis pulled out after losing his battle to overcome a neck injury suffered the previous week in a dubious tackle against St George Illawarra.
Losing Tallis is a blow but coach Wayne Bennett was not letting it show after a training session.
"It goes with footy. Gorden doesn't go a whole year without missing a game somewhere along the way," said Bennett.
Brisbane though is still seething that no official action was taken over the tackle in which Tallis was lifted and speared.
"Yeah, I am scratching my head over it, but anyway it's done with now, we can't undo it," said Bennett.
In a major reshuffle, Ben Ikin moves into the hooking role with Lockyer back at five-eighth.
Shaun Berrigan shifts from hooker into the centres with Mick DeVere moving onto the wing and Stu Kelly dropping to the bench as a back-up dummy half.
Corey Parker comes off the bench to replace Tallis who at this stage is only likely to miss one game.
Ikin, who is proving to be a real bonus for Brisbane as a fill-in specialist said he was only repaying the club for the loyalty they showed him during his battles with knee injuries.
"To be honest they were great to me when I had two years on the sidelines and I said to Wayne (Bennett) at the start of the season if he needed me at Origin time or when injuries struck I'd more than happy to help out," he said.
"Wayne told me I've got a good enough head to play in the front row."
"These days hooker, halfback, five-eighth, they're all very similar roles.
"They're service roles, they require a lot of passing and I'm familiar with that and hopefully defending on the edge of the ruck won't be too different than what I'm used to."
Bennett has no concerns with putting Ikin into the front-row against the Sharks.
"It was an easy decision, because he's got a really good football head on him," he said.
"That's what you need at hooker, someone who can make the right decisions, making sure the ball goes to the right people.
"He'll do that, he'll just have to get used to a bit more intensity that's all."
Ikin said Cronulla was in great form and had the quality players to prove very formidable opponents.
"They're in outstanding form and Brett Kimmorley is playing very well," he said.
"When he plays well, the Sharks fire and he's backed up by other great players like David Peachey and Jason Stevens so we will have to be on our game to beat them."
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