HOOKER Michael Ennis says the Broncos will be looking to harass gun Parramatta halfback Tim Smith as much as possible in Sunday's NRL clash at Suncorp Stadium.
Smith, the 2005 Dally M Rookie of the Year, has one of the NRL's most astute kicking games and already this season has found open space with the boot twice as many times as Newcastle champion Andrew Johns.
Ennis said Brisbane would do everything it could to pressure Smith who, at just 21, has become the Eels' attacking linchpin.
He said Smith could expect plenty of attention in defence from Brisbane's forwards, who last Saturday forced Cronulla halves Brett Kimmorley and Adam Dykes to attempt a combined 68 tackles.
"I'm sure at some stage we will direct some traffic at him," Ennis said. "He's a key player and obviously you want to tire him out just as opposition teams do to ours.
"We'll be treating him with the same respect and emphasis as we did with Kimmorley and Dykes last week."
Ennis said Brisbane recognised Smith's creative ability but believed the Gold Coast product could be pressured into mistakes by a rushing defence.
He said Brisbane could rattle Smith's confidence early by forcing a bad pass or blocking a kick.
"Applying pressure is always good and if you can rush a kick or rush a decision, then it can throw a halfback off his game and lead to errors," he said.
"We need to get up in his face, get off the line quick and get stuck in.
"He'll control things for them but, in saying that, mentally we need to prepare for the whole side.
"By putting pressure on their game in general the pressure will then shift back to him."
Injured Parramatta trio Timana Tahu (hamstring), Eric Grothe (foot) and Daniel Wagon (back) are racing to be fit for the match, but Ennis said the Broncos had prepared as though they would play.
The Eels averaged 32 dummy-half runs a game in 2005 the most in the NRL and Ennis said Brisbane's ruck defence would need to be committed to limit their effectiveness.
"That's a real strength for them with the dummy-half runners and outside backs they have," he said.
"We are going to have to turn up with a good attitude defensively to stop them."
Ennis, who was close to Brisbane's best against the Sharks, said the Broncos had at least another 50 per cent improvement left in them.
But he warned fans to be patient, saying the full effects of changes to the side's playing style would not be seen for another four weeks.
"That's when all the work we've been doing will really kick in and when we will start to see some real benefits," he said.
"I don't think the training wheels ever come off. I doubt we will ever be completely satisfied until we can say we have things down to an art form.
"There were some good signs last week but no one is getting carried away. We all know we've got a long way to go."
Inspirational prop Shane Webcke is expected to play for the Broncos despite rolling his ankle at earlier in the week.
The team has its final training session at Red Hill on Saturday morning.
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