Broncos fired up for NRL finals after last year’s collapse

Back-rower Jordan Riki has spoken openly of the fire burning inside every Brisbane Broncos player who endured the pain of watching last year’s NRL finals series.

The Broncos head to Canberra this weekend to play a desperate Raiders side currently locked in a dogfight to stay in the top eight.

“The last time we got a trip to Canberra was actually my NRL debut for the Broncos in 2020,” said Kiwi-born Riki, who has since played another 61 games and scored 13 tries.

“We didn’t come away with a win that day and it was a lot different from what I imagined my NRL debut would be like, with my family there and a packed-out crowd.

“It was played in the middle of COVID, so there was no crowd and my family was stuck in New Zealand.”

Riki said the pain of missing out on competing in last year’s NRL finals series was one of the key factors driving the players this season.

“The first day of pre-season, Kevvie (coach Kevin Walters) definitely let us know that it burned him during the off-season and a lot of the boys, including myself felt the same way,” added Riki, ahead of what will be his first finals campaign.

“It was pretty much the first thing said on day one of pre-season training when we all got back together.

“We all felt like we should have been in there (finals) and that we let it slip out of our own hands and it really burned us.”

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With the players a year more seasoned after a disappointing end to 2022, Riki said the club had the cattle to go all the way this year.

While Penrith are at the short quote of $2.10 to win the 2023 NRL Grand Final, many experts believe Brisbane ($3.50) play a style that could trouble the Panthers if they were to collide in the October 1 showdown.

Walters has the Broncos playing a high-octane style and has worked overtime on improving a defence which, at times, has leaked too many points.

“Kevvie loves us to be ruthless – he wants us to play flat and fast,” Riki said.

“We’ve got the mobile forwards like Patty Carrigan and Thomas Flegler and off the bench, Corey Jensen, who is hugely underrated, and Marty Taupau who carry the ball strongly.

“We’ve got some electrifying backs in Reece Walsh, Herbie (Farnworth), Ezra Mam, and Selwyn Cobbo who love that fast, up-tempo game.

“A huge thing for us tough this year has been our scrambling defence and turning up for each other and having each other’s back.”

Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds sat out training at Red Hill on Wednesday ,and while veteran winger Corey Oates looked “quite proppy” at times, he quickly brushed aside concerns about finally playing his 200th NRL game for Brisbane.

“I’ll be playing in Canberra,” said the 118-try winger, who has been sitting on 199 games since early last month because of injury.

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