Broncos, Storm set to make mass changes for NRL R27 clash

Thousands of rugby league fans hoping to witness an NRL blockbuster between the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night will be left disappointed, with rival coaches Kevin Walters and Craig Bellamy set to rest a host of star players.

More than 40,000 tickets have been pre-sold for Thursday night’s battle, which could decide the minor premiership.

With the NRL finals looming large, several teams at the top end of the table could be decimated by late withdrawals.

Round 27 teams will be confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, but word is already out that Walters will not risk any of his gun players so close to the first week of the finals.

With a top-two spot secured, he is tipped to rest fullback Reece Walsh, five-eighth Ezra Mam, winger Selwyn Cobbo, and his leading metre-man, Payne Haas.

They will watch from the sidelines along with Brisbane Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds (calf), Pat Carrigan (foot ligament), and Katoni Staggs (suspended).

Likewise, Bellamy will not play halfback Jahrome Hughes (knee) or hooker Harry Grant (shoulder) due to injury concerns, and may also give thought to resting star five-eighth Cameron Munster and a few other players.

Regardless of the result on Thursday night, the Melbourne Storm are guaranteed to finish fourth on the ladder.

Top NRL bookmakers, who have Brisbane pegged as clear-cut favourites, may be rushing to change their odds once the teams are confirmed.

Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary faces a similar situation.

He is already without five-eighth Jarome Luai, who is receiving around-the-clock treatment for a shoulder dislocation suffered last weekend, while he might also be tempted to rest forward Liam Martin and even winger Brian To’o to have them fresh for the finals.

The Newcastle Knights, meanwhile, are expected to welcome back Jackson Hastings to the halves for their final game of the season against the lowly Dragons.

However, the Hunter club will be without inspirational fullback Kaylyn Ponga, who is hoping to be back from a shoulder injury in the first week of the finals.

The other big clash of the round involves the eighth-placed South Sydney Rabbitohs on 30 points and the 10th-placed Sydney Roosters on 28 points, with the latter needing to win and have other results fall their way.

Joseph Manu (hamstring) has a chance of playing, but the Roosters will be without their enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who is suspended until 2024.

South Sydney will be without fullback Latrell Mitchell and forward Tom Burgess.

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