Panthers v Broncos preview
4 hours ago | Rhys Sullivan
Broncos champions Shane Webcke and Darren Lockyer have been ruled out of this weekend?s clash with the Canberra Raiders ? sending the Broncos into a fully-blown injury crisis.
Now missing from the Broncos squad are Kangaroo front rower Webcke (back) and Petero Civoniceva (knee), Australian skipper Darren Lockyer (rib), in-form hooker Barry Berrigan (neck) and former international backrower Brad Meyers (neck).
Meyers, Webcke, Berrigan and Civoniceva are expected to be out for the next fortnight, while Lockyer will miss four to six weeks of football after x-rays confirmed the star playmaker had a crack in his rib.
The crisis does have a silver lining for Broncos fans, however, with out-of-favour forward Carl Webb called into the 18-man squad for the Raiders match.
The giant Dalby product was dropped from Brisbane?s top squad at the star of the season, but has been sensational in leading the Toowoomba Clydesdales, despite missing three weeks with injury.
Webb will partner Corey Parker in a revamped Brisbane?s front-row, with talented young rake Michael Ryan stepping in to fill the void left by the impressive Barry Berrigan. It is a front-row combination many would see as a potentially devastating pairing in years to come.
The halves also have a ?new? look, with 19-year-old Brett Seymour teaming up with 23-year-old Casey McGuire.
Kiwi recruit Motu Tony and winger Stu Kelly have been called onto the interchange bench. Round Nine V: Canberra VENUE: Canberra Stadium DATE: Sunday May 9, 2004 TIME: 3.00 pm COACH: Wayne Bennett
TEAM: 1: Karmichael Hunt 2: Michael DeVere 3: Brent Tate 4: Shaun Berrigan 5: Craig Frawley 6: Casey McGuire 7: Brett Seymour 8: Carl Webb 9: Michael Ryan 10: Corey Parker 11: Gorden Tallis (c) 12: Dane Carlaw 13: Tonie Carroll
INTERCHANGE: 14: Sam Thaiday 15: Neville Costigan 16: Darren Mapp 17: Moto Tony 18: Stuart Kelly