Star Raider John Bateman has issued a stark warning ahead of Saturday's clash with the battling Broncos, labeling Brisbane the most "dangerous" opponent his side will face all year.
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Bateman is expecting the Broncos to come out breathing fire after a week from hell, and has urged his teammates to ignore their paltry form since the season restart which has earned just a solitary win from 11 matches.
"The main talking we can do as sports people and as rugby players is you do your talking on the field, and that's what they'll be going out to do this week," Bateman said.
"They've had a lot of shit thrown on them this week. What they'll be doing this week is literally bunkering down, all sticking together and they'll want to go prove everyone wrong by what they can do on the field.
"If I'm totally honest, they're probably the most dangerous team we'll come up against this year. We spoke about it after the Penrith game, before what's happened this week."
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Brisbane will be without under-fire coach Anthony Seibold this weekend, who remains quarantined in Brisbane after leaving the team bubble following his side's loss to South Sydney last Friday.
Assistant Peter Gentle will take the reins in Canberra but is without Tavita Pangai Junior, who has been stood down by the NRL for a series of COVID-19 breaches.
The Broncos started the year with two straight wins before the season lockdown, and their only triumph since resuming was against lowly Canterbury more than a month ago.
Brisbane is locked in a battle with the Bulldogs as the Queensland club desperately tries to avoid its first wooden spoon.
"We'll be ready and firing," Bateman said.
"We've come off a loss this week and that loss hurt us quite a bit. We'll be ready to go this week and we're looking forward to it again."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
