LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
In a significant update for the upcoming NRL grand final, the Brisbane Broncos have made a key change to their team, dropping mid-year recruit Ben Talty in favor of returning player Pat Carrigan. Carrigan, who had been suspended for a high tackle, will rejoin the lineup for the match against the Melbourne Storm this Sunday in Sydney.
Ben Talty initially joined the Broncos from the North Sydney Bears on a train-and-trial basis. His performance this season exceeded expectations, as he participated in 10 NRL matches. Following his appearance from the bench in Brisbane's thrilling preliminary final comeback against the Penrith Panthers, he has been included on an extended bench for the grand final.
Despite his earlier contribution, Talty will not feature in the starting squad, marking a shift for the Broncos. Coach Michael Maguire has decided to maintain Ben Hunt in the halves, while including Ezra Mam from the bench. Mam previously made headlines by scoring a hat-trick in Brisbane's last grand final appearance in 2023 and returned to action from a hamstring injury in the recent preliminary final, where he had a notable impact.
Maguire aims for consistency in his team selection, avoiding a third different starting halves combination during this finals series, following an earlier partnership of Hunt and the sidelined Billy Walters. In contrast, the Melbourne Storm has opted for continuity, announcing an unchanged lineup from their recent victory over the Cronulla Sharks in the preliminary final.