- The Broncos home fans say goodbye to Petero Civoniceva, Shaun Berrigan, Brad Thorn, Brent Tate and Dane Carlaw
- Justin Hodges replaces Darius Boyd at fullback, with Boyd moving to the wing to cover for the injured Craig Frawley. Joel Moon moves into the centres to cover for Hodges
- Sam Thaiday moves from the bench to lock to replace the injured Greg Eastwood, with John TeReo coming onto the 5 man bench.
*LATE NEWS*- John Te Reo, Clifford Manua replaced by Greg Eastwood and Ben Hannant.
Raiders
- Neville Costigan moves from the bench to second row to replace Matt Bickerstaff.
*LATE NEWS*- Lincoln Withers and Ryan Hinchcliffe switch places with Withers to hooker, Hinchcliffe to the bench. Michael Weyman and Dane Tilse have done a similar move, with Weyman to prop, Tilse to the bench.
Teams:
1. Justin Hodges
2. Steve Michaels
3. Nick Emmett
4. Joel Moon
5. Darius Boyd
16. Ian Lacey
7. Shane Perry
8. Dane Carlaw
9. Mick Roberts
10. Petero Civoniceva (c)
11. Corey Parker
12. Brad Thorn
6. Tonie Carroll
Interchange:
19. Greg Eastwood
15. Dave Taylor
13. Sam Thaiday
18. Ben Hannant
1. David Howell
2. David Milne
3. Phil Graham
4. Colin Best
5. Brett Kelly
6. Terry Campese
7. Todd Carney
17. Michael Weyman
14. Lincoln Withers
10. Scott Logan
11. Neville Costigan
12. Glen Turner
13. Alan Tongue (c)
Interchange:
9. Ryan Hinchcliffe
15. Trevor Thurling
16. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
8. Dane Tilse
BRISBANE is set to recall Test fullback Karmichael Hunt in a last-ditch effort to make the NRL finals and could get an added bonus with prop Ben Hannant also in line for an early return.
Refusing to dwell on heartbreaking losses to heavyweight contenders Manly, Melbourne and the Bulldogs in successive weeks, the injury-ravaged defending premier is set to harness the emotion of this weekend's farewell game against Canberra to mount a desperate late surge at the playoffs.
Brisbane stalwarts Petero Civoniceva, Dane Carlaw and Brad Thorn, will all play their final home match for the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
The club is also planning special send-offs for injured warriors Brent Tate and Shaun Berrigan.
With a string of results falling the Broncos' way over the weekend, they are clinging to eighth spot on the ladder with two rounds remaining.
They must beat the Raiders and then Parramatta on the road to ensure a finals spot.
That cause should be bolstered by the expected return of lock Greg Eastwood, while Hannant (shoulder) and Hunt (hamstring) are also being considered.
Hannant revealed last night that although he will require post-season surgery he should be fit to tackle Canberra.
"It can't get any worse, the shoulder, so hopefully I'll get the all clear to play," Hannant said. "I was very close last week, and I'm dying to play.
"It is a massive game for the club this week. Of course we need a win to make the finals but it is also a big game given the guys we are saying goodbye to.
"Some of those guys have been at the club for decades and it would mean a heap to all of us to send them off on the right note."
Coach Wayne Bennett downplayed the likelihood of Hunt coming back following Friday night's 25-24 loss to the Bulldogs. But with Craig Frawley injured he may be forced to roll the dice.
"The efforts of the boys the past month or two has been great and if we get a chance in the finals with some players coming back, anything is possible," Hannant said.
The Raiders kept their slim finals hopes alive with a come-from-behind win over the Warriors on Saturday night, but coach Neil Henry said the challenge was to find a way to win on the road.
In 11 away games this season, Canberra has won just twice. At home the Raiders have won seven of 11 matches.
"It is a mental and attitude thing," Henry said. "Our defence away at times has been terrible. I can't explain it (the away record).
"We have tried things to fix it. It is mental application. A couple of times we capitulated away from home."
Henry said the Raiders' win on Saturday night against the in-form Warriors was one of their best of the season.
"It was a test of character that we fought back from 10 points down with 10 minutes remaining," Henry said.
"We are hanging in there and mathematically we are still a chance of the finals. Other games have to fall our way and we have to win both games (against Brisbane and Cronulla at home) but traditionally Canberra do well against Brisbane."
Bennett won't gamble on Hunt By Dan Koch
August 21, 2007
BRISBANE coach Wayne Bennett looks likely to resist the temptation to rush Australia fullback Karmichael Hunt back into the team for Sunday's must-win match against Canberra.
Gambling is not something which has ever appealed to the straight-laced Bennett and Brisbane's injury toll is unlikely to inspire a sudden change of heart.
He appeared to be at wit's end last Friday night when he was forced into yet another backline reshuffle just minutes into the game against the Bulldogs, after winger Craig Frawley succumbed to a hamstring strain.
With no back sitting on the bench, replacement hooker Ian Lacey was thrown into five-eighth while Tonie Carroll moved out to the centres and Nick Emmett on to the wing.
Brisbane has not fielded the same backline in consecutive weeks since losing captain Darren Lockyer with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in round 16. Since then the Broncos have lacked the polish to turn their dominance in general play into a winning score.
The loss of Lockyer, Brent Tate, David Stagg and Shaun Berrigan for the year has been compounded by the fact that the players Bennett earmarked to fill the play-making breach have been unable to string together any significant game time.
Hunt has missed the past five weeks; Hodges missed a month; while Carroll, Greg Eastwood and halfback Michael Ennis have also been sidelined with a variety of niggling complaints.
Given that the Broncos' finals hopes are hanging by a thread, Hunt said he was desperate to get back on to the field. The chance to be part of the farewell celebrations for premiership-winning teammates Tate, Berrigan, Petero Civoniceva, Brad Thorn and Dane Carlaw is an added incentive.
However, Hunt was adamant he would not let his emotions cloud his judgment when it came to assessing his availability.
"I'd certainly love to play on Sunday and be a part of the farewell for those guys," Hunt said. "It will be an awesome occasion. Bulla (Civoniceva), Thorny and Dane have been here a long time and done a lot for the club and I think there will be a big crowd in to say goodbye.
"But at the moment I just don't know. I want to play but I won't risk re-injuring it and leaving the guys a man down."
Hunt will test himself with a light run this morning and will continue his intensive treatment program over the coming days. But he will need to convince himself and the coach that he is 100 per cent at Saturday morning's training session to be a chance of playing Canberra. Prop Ben Hannant has more chance of returning from a shoulder injury.
Thorn has been cleared to take his place despite a grade-two careless high tackle charge from Friday night.
With an early guilty plea, he will accrue 93 points, seven short of what would have been a one-week ban.
Broncos big man Sam Thaiday was also charged for his part in a dangerous throw, but with an early guilty plea will also be free to play FOX SPORTS
__________________ I LOVE "BULL" BAILEY "WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MIGHTY GOOD MAN"
NRL premiers Brisbane are facing their biggest challenge since their magnificent comeback season in 1999, says club chief executive Bruno Cullen.
Some observers may argue that, given the number and quality of players unavailable through injury, making the finals from their new position outside the top eight with two rounds to go is the biggest challenge in the club's 20-year history.
Cullen conceded it was virtually do-or-die after South Sydney upset second-placed Manly to tip the Broncos out of the eight but he still insisted they can retain the title.
Unless they beat an unpredictable Canberra at home then fifth-placed Parramatta away, their golden run of 15 successive finals series since 1991 looks over.
"After last night's result we have to win on Sunday and against Parramatta down there which will be a fair ask or we're probably not going to make it," Cullen told AAP.
"We're almost in knockout mode now.
"We basically have to win six games in a row from this weekend and we've won the title.
"We've done it before.
"It may sound crazy to some people but I still think we can make the grand final and even win it.
"I know the players certainly haven't give up on making the grand final and winning it.
"We shown in the last four weeks we can match it with Manly, Parramatta, Canterbury and Melbourne."
"If we don't get any more injuries, we're only going to get better personnel-wise between now and the semi finals if we make them."
Cullen tried to put the challenge in historical perspective.
"It's probably as big, if not bigger than the challenge we faced in 1999 when we lost most of our early games," he said.
"That year we won one game from our first nine or 10 but came home with a string of wins to finish eighth, a magnificent effort by the coach and players."
Brisbane bowed out in its first finals match to Cronulla that year.
If they can beat Canberra, Brisbane should be in a healthier state when they play Parramatta with Test fullback Karmichael Hunt, utility ace Michael Ennis and prop Ben Hannant all expected to be available.
"We can't get Locky (Darren Lockyer) Tatie (Brent Tate) or Berro (Shaun Berrigan) back, we know that," said Cullen.
"But if everyone else is back we could head to Parramatta confident of pulling off a win."
Cullen said departing prop Petero Civoniceva had been magnificent in holding Brisbane together through the club's worst injury crisis.
"When you look at some of the other clubs, and I won't name them, who are really struggling through internal dramas and injuries, or both, you have to pay credit to Petero's leadership given our situation.
"He's one if the (five) guys who's leaving.
"It would easy for Petero to say 'all the superstars are gone and I'm here by myself and I'm not going to be here next year'.
"I'm not saying he wouldn't try but he could go through the motions.
"Instead, he's led from the front and had wonderful support from Brad Thorn, another player who is leaving at the end of the season.
"Corey Parker has stepped up, Shane Perry is playing well again.
Round 24: Brisbane Broncos vs Canberra Raiders
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