Brisbane will turn to rookie Jonus Pearson for Friday’s blockbuster final with North Queensland after James Roberts was suspended at the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night.
Pearson is expected to come into Wayne Bennett’s 17 for the latest chapter in the Broncos-Cowboys rivalry after Roberts was given a one-match ban for contrary conduct.
The Broncos failed in their bid to have Roberts cleared after being cited for striking at Gold Coast’s Ryan Simpkins with his boot during Friday’s fiery elimination final win over the Titans .
Pearson, who was earlier this year likened to former Broncos and Australian winger Jharal Yow Yeh, was named as 18th man on Tuesday and is expected to come into the run-on side with Jordan Kahu to shift into the centres.
It will be Pearson’s third game of first grade and a big assignment coming up against a dangerous Cowboys backline.
However, North Queensland coach Paul Green has his own headache with centre Kane Linnett not named because of a strained calf.
While last year’s Dally M centre of the year Roberts has been relatively quiet by his standards this season, he had arguably his best game of 2016 against the Titans last Friday.
He came up with a crucial linebreak to set up Kahu’s controversial first-half penalty try and threatened to find open space on a number of occasions.
“There’s no player I like to see in open space more than James Roberts,” skipper Corey Parker said after the game.
“The pleasing thing for him is he’s probing and he made that happen and good things come off the back of that for us.”
The match review committee – which has come under fire in recent weeks – did not charge Roberts with kicking, arguing there was insufficient evidence to warrant a kicking charge but cited him for contrary conduct.
Roberts’ defence counsel Nick Ghabar argued that his client was simply trying to push off Simpkins with his legs and play the ball after being held down and wrestled in the tackle.
But the judiciary panel of Mal Cochrane, Bob Lindner and Sean Garlick took just six minutes to find Roberts guilty, meaning the Broncos must beat the Cowboys if Roberts is to play again this year.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Interesting question. Will it be Ponga vs Pearson on the wings?
Matth
Guest
As a Broncos supporter, I think that was a fair enough result. Now if we win and Pearson has a good game, will Bennet have the guts to drop Roberts for letting the team down?
Jara W
Guest
I thought a kicking charge would have seen him play??
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Steveng ... If you are responding to my comment , I was being facetious , of course he kicked him . The NRL is in real trouble under the mismanagement of Greenburg and will be facing a massive uphill battle to regain credibility by the time he is axed . Sad but true .
tim
Guest
I skimmed through the comments and now the phrase "nudge my arse" is going to give me nightmares
mushi
Roar Guru
6 Minutes? Must have had dodgy WiFi that took 4 minutes to download the video
Squidward
Roar Rookie
It was PNG Broncos fan who said it...
Maroon Blood
Guest
Kahu into the centres......is Opacic back for the other centre position? Kahu is a better all round player than Roberts anyway and Pearson has looked pretty good in his games so far.....except under the high ball......like Oates post-Origin......stand by for a bomb fest from JT.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
To be fair I've had that happen to me as well, more than once. Maybe we could start a support group
steveng
Roar Rookie
Rubbish ',Oingo Boingo' that was a blatant kick and looked very bad on TV, especially when kids are watching and buggerlugs Sutton, acting dumb, and saying that he didn't see it. Roberts was lucky that he didn't get more weeks off. There is no excuse for doing such things on the field and worst is that people try to justify that!
Spongebob
Guest
Unbelievable, you can't even kick a guy while he's down now? They don't make marshmallows as soft as the NRL.
andrew
Guest
"Just six minutes"?! What were they doing for the other 5 minutes? Taking coffee orders?
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Hahaha. He also accidently fell nose first onto a toilet cistern at the pub and accidently into a bouncers choke hold
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
I guess in the same way that Konrad Hurrell rapidly moved his shin in the direction of the ball in an attempt to halt the progress of the balls trajectory towards the try line and move it more with the shin/knee region back into the field of play to stop Jordan Kahu scoring a try. He didn't kick at the ball at all. This was a kick, plain as day. He's only lucky he didn't get enough back swing in to make it look a lot worse. It was absolutely intentional, just a real angry brain snap. Right result, wrong charge.
Baz
Guest
You really think he wasn't kicking woh you are one eyed fan.
Joe
Roar Rookie
I think Pearson should do ok. He had a good debut and has improved with each game and is pretty consistent. I think Linnett is a bigger loss for the cowboys. Even though he has butter fingers he has some good tough carries when the forwards need a break. Bowen isn't a bad replacement though. Can't wait for this game.
Maxt
Guest
Png if you are not trying to be funny you are waaay out there.....nudge my arse....which by the way would still probably be illegal.
Jara W
Guest
The process and inconsistency is an embarrassment. But they've got the right result this time. And we should probably be celebrating every opportunity we get to say that.
PNG Broncos fan88
Roar Guru
Roberts misjudged the distance Simpkins was in proximity to himself and lashed out with his leg thinking that he would nudge him off to the side with the most part of upper shin/knee for a quicker play the ball. Unfortunate that the swinging leg motion out than caused contact with his foot (looking like a kick) to the further away than thought Simpkins. Fair enough suspension, Roberts was careless but not intentional. Classy Kahu to shift in and rookie sensation Pearson to cover on the wing, and we are good to go.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
He's lucky he got contray conduct ay instead of good ol kicking charge