While the reality of no finals this year has sunk in, the Broncos are still hoping to play their part in shaping the finals race – starting with bringing down Brisbane rivals the Dolphins.
Kicking off week one of Indigenous Round with a bang, a sold-out crowd is expected at Suncorp Stadium for the latest instalment of the Battle for Brisbane, with Billy Walters saying his side still had plenty to play for to close out the season.
“That's our goal for the rest of the year: to disturb a few of the teams still in the competition,” Walters said.
“The Dolphins are one; they're a team that's playing pretty well, and if we can put a dent in their road to trying to win the comp, then that's a win for us as well.”
With five games remaining in the season, coach Michael Maguire has shaken up his team for this week’s derby, while a head knock to skipper Adam Reynolds has forced his hand in the halves, bringing in Thomas Duffy to partner Ezra Mam.
In what could be a precursor to next season with Reynolds retiring from the NRL, Mam said he was looking forward to working on their combination on the field.
“Duffy's got a lot of great qualities that help my game as well” Mam said.
“We're pretty similar in age, so our chemistry and the way we move on the field is pretty intact.
“Having that free-flowing spine with my connection with Duffy and Walshy (fullback Reece Walsh) is going to be very exciting to go out there this weekend and put on the plays we've been doing for the last couple of weeks.
“We've played together a couple of times this year and we've had little moments where we've clicked.
“I feel like the more we can build on our combination throughout the back end of this year and hopefully into the pre-season and next year.
“With Duffy, he's got a really big organising game and I feel like he can organise the team as well and allow myself and Walshy to unlock our strike weapons."
For Mam, this round also holds an extra special meaning – on top of being able to play against a number of his former team-mates in the cross-town derby.
Sharing both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island heritage, Mam said the two weeks of Indigenous Round were special and helped him showcase his culture.
“Indigenous Round is a big round for myself, I get to represent both sides of my heritage,” Mam said.
“For myself and the multiple players playing this round, they're very proud of who they are, where they are and where they're from.
“It's good that we can showcase that and provide a bit of education to the wider community about our culture."
Dolphins v Broncos: Round 23
The grandson of prominent Indigenous activists and grounded in his youth with culture, Mam continues to perform Torres Strait Island dances and strove to apply his cultural practices to his work on the football field.
"Last week I danced, so I still do it to this day,” Mam said.
“It's inside me and that's something I've been brought up with, thanks to my upbringing. It's something I've carried along the way.
“I feel like I show those traits on the footy field and around the club as well.
“I'm very grateful for my upbringing and my cultural side of things. It's good that I'm still connected with my culture.
“(But) I'm not where I want to be with my culture yet.
“I've still got a lot to learn and humble myself about, and that's always something I want to improve going forward."
Match: Dolphins v Broncos
Round 23 -
home Team
Dolphins
5th Position
away Team
Broncos
15th Position
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
