Desperate to solve Brisbane’s halves crisis, Kevin Walters hopes one day the NRL club can have their cake and eat it too, like Thursday’s rivals Penrith.
Last year’s wooden spooners will shuffle their No.6 and No.7 combination for the ninth time in the last 15 games.
But it will be the first time Anthony Milford is dropped – rather than shifted or unavailable because of injury – in what has been dubbed a “line in the sand” moment for the five-time Broncos premiership player-turned coach.
Instead Brodie Croft and Tom Dearden will pair up again at Suncorp Stadium against a rampaging, table-topping Penrith (5-0).
Walters used a sweet analogy to describe the club’s position five games into a 25-round season, even if his calculations were slightly off.
“If you look at a cake, we’ve had a quarter of the cake but there’s still three-quarters of the cake to eat and that’s what excites me,” he said.
Brisbane have rarely had cake in the last two seasons, let alone eaten it, while the Panthers have never gone hungry behind firing halves duo Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.
“They’re playing some good footy, the two of them and leading the way. It’s a big challenge to be up to the standard that they set,” Walters said.
“But I do take it (solving Brisbane’s halves issues) personally … they’ve (Croft and Dearden) been given a great opportunity and it’s up to them to grab that and just play like everyone knows five-eighths and halfbacks should play.”
Brisbane are $12 outsiders to upset the Panthers, who have conceded just 26 points this season compared to the Broncos’ 127.
“There is always pressure on the Broncos, it’s the jersey, it’s the badge, regardless of what other people think we need this team and I believe this team will go out and give a good account of themselves,” Walters said
© AAP
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