Player Profile - Shaun Berrigan

Shaun Berrigan plays his 100th game for the Broncos at the weekend - 99 more than he thought he'd play for the champion National Rugby League club.

Allan Langer's successor flashes a cheeky grin when recalling his NRL debut against the Tigers at Leichhardt Oval mid-way through the 1999 season.

Brisbane squeezed out a 12-10 win.

But Berrigan walked off convinced he'd played his first and last game for the Broncos.

"I got sin-binned...I remember it very clearly," said Berrigan.

"It was against the Tigers and I thought I might never play first grade again, I was so worried about it (being binned)."

Berrigan, who waited four years for his big break, said he didn't think he'd ever play 100 games - which includes 98 premiership matches and Super League's 2000 World Club Challenge against St Helens - for the club.

"As a kid coming to the club I never thought I'd do it," he said.

He's happy his 100th game coincides with the return from injury of five-eighth Ben Ikin and champion fullback Darren Lockyer against the New Zealand Warriors at Ericsson Stadium on Sunday.

"Benny and I played well until he got injured and it's good to have him back," said Berrigan, still yet to convince everyone that halfback is his best position.

"Everyone knows Lockie is an awesome footballer who would slot in anywhere."

Berrigan said it was hard to say why Brisbane was struggling at the business end of the season.

"I'm not to sure you can pin-point one thing.

"It's a multitude of things, mostly more individual than team.

"Having everyone turn up wanting to play and be ready to play is what we need this weekend."

Ikin and Lockyer will provide a lot of answers.

"The more options you've got, the more doubt you put in the defence's mind," said Berrigan.

"The last few weeks we haven't scored many points at all, we've been struggling a bit in attack."

Training has been exceptionally physical this week, the heavily padded suits used in almost every session.

"It's about getting our attitudes on track and getting us to turn up ready to play," said Berrigan.

The Warriors, fresh from a nine day break, will use a simple game plan against Brisbane - bash them into submission.

"I don't really want to think about that too much, they're really big boys," said Berrigan.

However a player like Berrigan, who is deceptively quick around the middle of the rucks, could benefit if the two packs indulge in a crowd-pleasing bash-a-thon.

"You use a lot of energy when you're trying to hurt people and if it's real physical up front it could open up for me and the halves," said Berrigan.

After slumping to a record four straight loss, Brisbane desperately needs a confidence-boosting win.

"Five in a row is obviously worse than four in a row so we definitely want to win," said Berrigan.

Berrigan is also hoping to make the November Kangaroo tour of Great Britain as a utility if he is not chosen to replace Andrew Johns at halfback.