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Nines debacle maybe not be so bad: Broncos

3rd February, 2015
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Crashing out at the Auckland Nines may not be such a bad thing after all, stand-in Broncos skipper Andrew McCullough says.

Brisbane were one of the tournament flops in coach Wayne Bennett’s official return to the club, winning just one of three games.

It was in contrast to their stellar 2014 run in which they just fell short in the inaugural Nines final against North Queensland.

But McCullough did not believe it would affect their confidence in 2015 as they switched their focus on their hectic pre-season trial schedule.

“We were runners-up at the Nines last year and just scraped into the eight (in NRL season proper) – it can go both ways,” he said of their post-Nines fortunes.

“We put some kilometres in the legs in Auckland but the 13-man trials start now.

“Wayne didn’t speak about winning or losing – it was about effort (in Auckland).

“Those good habits can come through now.

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“We have some quality trials coming up. That’s going to be the crunch games for us.”

New Zealand Test forward Adam Blair is set to make his Broncos debut in Saturday night’s trial against the Cowboys in Mackay, part of an unprecedented pre-season schedule.

Bennett will juggle his squad with Brisbane set to fly out to the UK for an expanded World Club Challenge clash with Wigan on February 21 – the same weekend the club contests a trial against Queensland Cup side Redcliffe.

Bennett will also coach the NRL All Stars team on February 13.

“There’s a bit of travel. I think we are only home six days in February,” McCullough said.

“It’s pretty full on but that is the way it is.

“You just have to roll with it.”

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NRL All Stars representative Corey Parker, Indigenous All Stars Sam Thaiday and Justin Hodges aren’t expected to feature in the Mackay trial.

Neither will the recovering Jack Reed, Matt Gillett, David Stagg, Corey Oates, Jarrod Wallace and Dale Copley, who all have shoulder injuries.

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