Broncos centre's long two-year wait for game time after winning NRL title and Origin series
Brenko Lee is poised to grab his chance again after spending nearly two seasons treading water since his NRL title and State of Origin double.
The centre was impressive in Brisbane’s gutsy defeat of Canberra on Saturday, in just his second NRL game and first victory since winning a premiership with Melbourne and clinching a State of Origin series inside a month in 2020.
Injuries took hold in 2021 and he was sent to the Broncos, where he found himself down the pecking order.
But he is now ready to play an important role, with English centre Herbie Farnworth facing a possible season-ending biceps injury.
It is Lee’s fifth NRL club but the 26-year-old says he has coped well with the long wait for another chance.
“That’s life and rugby league; it’s not a straight road, it’s real rocky,” he told AAP.
“I’m a bit more mature than when I was 18, 19, when I would’ve been more frustrated, kicking stones.
“But it all happens for a reason and I was ready to go when called upon.”
Lee could shift flanks to accommodate the likely return of Kotoni Staggs, who is among a host of stars hopeful of playing the Storm in Melbourne on Friday.
Captain Adam Reynolds (ribs), prop Payne Haas (shoulder), winger Corey Oates (hand), fullback Te Maire Martin (ribs) and five-eighth Ezra Mam (HIA) all finished the game with concerns but are targeting the clash.
However, hooker Cory Paix (knee) faces up to six weeks out, while Farnworth requires surgery and is touch-and-go to feature again this year.
Farnworth scored twice on Saturday and had been a huge factor in the Broncos’ (9-4) form surge that has them on a seven-game winning streak.
Lee has been around long enough to know nothing is guaranteed but admits he’s excited by a premiership reunion of sorts against the high-flying Storm (10-3).
“It’s been a long few weeks (waiting for a chance to play), but I knew when I got my opportunity I needed to take it and stamp my authority,” he said.
“If it does arise again I’ll be taking it again. Going down to Melbourne, got a few close mates down there winning the premiership with them.
“It’ll be a big trip, but we’re flying and one thing for sure is we won’t beat ourselves.”
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*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
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