Broncos' secret weapon
By Steve Ricketts
March 24, 2004
THE Brisbane Broncos are on the verge of unleashing blockbusting winger Gary Tupou who shapes as the man to fill the void left by the departure of Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri for rugby union.
Tupou trained with the Broncos NRL squad for the first time yesterday, his hopes of playing against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown on Sunday strengthened by a further setback to Test centre Brent Tate's comeback ambitions.
Tate said a knock he took at training yesterday had lessened his chances of being cleared by a specialist today after nerve damage to the shoulder in August last year. He has not played since.
"I'm probably not as confident of getting a clearance as I was a week ago and I can't afford to take any chances with this injury," Tate said.
"It's a bit of a setback. The specialist might tell me I'm okay to play because my shoulder is as good as it's going to get, but he might say I should take another week or two to rest it."
At 108kg and 195cm Tupou is bigger than Sailor (106kg, 191cm) and Tuqiri (102kg, 191cm) and in the mobility stakes loses little in the way of comparison with the Wallaby duo.
Craig Frawley has been named on the wing for the Tigers match, with Nick Parfitt relegated to the bench, but Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has Tupou short-listed for an NRL start.
"I don't know where I will be playing this weekend although people have dropped a few hints," Tupou said. "I will be meeting the Broncos in the next two weeks to talk about extending my contract."
Tupou approached Bennett for an opportunity when the Broncos were in Auckland last year and he was given a "trial contract" extending until April 30.
After impressing for Brisbane feeder club Toowoomba Clydesdales against Norths on February 21 he got a run for the Broncos against Melbourne that same night but hurt his knee.
The New Zealand A (league) and former Waikato Chiefs (union) development squad member did not play again until last Saturday against Ipswich at Toowoomba.
Former Test centre John McDonald, a spectator at the match, described Tupou as "devastating".
"He looked a bit raw but he was mobile and he kept pushing people off like Lote and Wendell used to do for the Broncos," McDonald said.
The Broncos' big off-season buy from across the Tasman, Motu Tony, yesterday learnt he would be out for three to five weeks with a knee injury while hooker Barry Berrigan is still awaiting the final green light for a neck problem and did not train yesterday. Another absentee was forward Corey Parker who has a suspect ankle.
With Tony out, Karmichael Hunt moves from centre to fullback with Casey McGuire switched from lock to centre. Dane Carlaw returns from a knee injury for his first game of the year – at prop.
Before the team was named Carlaw said he expected to be on the bench.
"It depends on how desperate Wayne is," Carlaw said.
Carlaw said he thought a slow start was Brisbane's downfall in last Sunday's 26-18 loss to Parramatta and the warm-up in humid conditions may have been a contributing factor.
"Maybe because they warmed up for a long time out there at Suncorp it took a bit out of them," he said.
Halfback Brett Seymour, who comes off contract this year, said he was looking to outplay the Tigers' former Brisbane halfback Scott Prince.
"I'm sure he feels if he didn't leave he would be in the (Broncos) number seven jersey," Seymour said. "Hopefully I will get one up on him. I'm trying to do well for the side and to consolidate a spot. I'd like to stay here for a few more years yet."
The Courier-Mail
