Strong Shark Pack Awaits Buoyant Broncos

Sydney Morning Herald

Sunday June 29, 1997

By PAUL KENT

CRONULLA

BRISBANE

The Brisbane Broncos rumble into town tonight as one of the few sides to emerge from the carnage of the World Club Challenge with their form brighter than when they went in.

The three-week break was meant to be no good for the Broncos.

Travelling along at the top of the table the last thing a coach wants is for the competition to be held up, played against a substandard opposition, and in danger of having the wheels fall off.

Yet when Brisbane whipped Wigan it was one of the best performances from the club in years.

This was the way in which the Broncos once played. So who was going to hold them back now?

Well, this brings us to the second part of the story.

While the Broncos were putting the fear of the footballing gods into all those still at home, Cronulla coach John Lang was taking his players to play in England, where they were largely out of sight.

About the only thing we've seen or heard of Cronulla during the past three weeks was the odd score update or Mat Rogers's try highlight.

We didn't hear about Andrew Ettingshausen, ET to all but a few, and his efforts off the field.

A multiple Kangaroo tourist, Ettingshausen took the opportunity overseas to show the boys the ropes.

"He got them going both on and off the field," Lang said.

"He really got them together. And I eased up the pressure and the boys grabbed the bit."

Lang added that he believed "all this could be a positive step in our evolvement".

Which is what the coach has been looking for.

Cronulla started the year in rare form.

Several rounds in, their premiership odds had been cut dramatically and many saw this as their best chance in a lot of years for premiership glory.

But almost as quickly the wheels fell off, and through their sheer perseverance Brisbane reassumed their mantle as the No 1 team.

The trip to England, though, may have changed all that for Cronulla.

For starters, the Sharks struggled when injuries tore apart their forward pack.

Les Davidson went down with a knee injury. Danny Lee was hurt. Jason Stevens spent some time sidelined, as did Craig Greenhill.

All are back on deck now, with Davidson returning tonight to stiffen the pack for the first time since round four.

Lang is still undecided, but Davidson may start the match with Greenhill the one coming off the bench.

The Broncos, as far as they are concerned, are travelling along, business as usual.

Which for Cronulla fans could be a little worrying. Nobody does business like the Brisbane Broncos when they're on their game.

CRONULLA: D Peachey; M Rogers, A Ettingshausen (c), R Richardson, R Barnett; M Healey, P Green; T Nikau, C McKenna, C Greenhill or L Davidson, J Stevens, D Treister, D Lee. (One to be omitted). Reserves: G Bell, M Lang.

BRISBANE: D Lockyer; T Carroll, S Renouf, A Mundine, W Sailor; K Walters, A Langer (c); D Smith, P Ryan, G Tallis, A Gee, J Driscoll, G Lazarus. Reserves: B Thorn, S Webcke, J Plath, M Hancock.