Wayne Bennett won’t get bogged down in the numbers as Brisbane’s finals path begins to clear on a telling final two days of the NRL regular season.
Even with Penrith’s upset of Melbourne on Friday, a number of scenarios still lead to a Broncos home final next weekend.
And while Bennett admits he’ll be keeping an eye on top-eight rival St George Illawarra’s effort on Saturday afternoon, the coach has stressed they can’t be distracted by the equation.
The Broncos on Sunday host Manly at Suncorp Stadium, where a win of more than 32 points ensures they finish sixth at worst, regardless of how the Dragons fare against Newcastle on Saturday.
If the Dragons lose, Brisbane will just need to win to jump into fifth or six.
If both teams win, Brisbane’s margin of victory would need to be 13 greater than the Dragons’ to jump ahead of them. A loss would leave them in eighth place.
“What’s the most important for us is that we play well tomorrow and the rest will look after itself,” Bennett said on Saturday.
“The issue is to continue what we’ve done over the last three weeks … it’s the right time of year to be playing well on a regular basis.”
Manly were impressive in their last visit to Suncorp earlier this year but will arrive with the future of coach Trent Barrett clouded.
Barrett’s public fallout with club management suggests the situation is untenable but Bennett has been around long enough to know how clubs react when their backs are to the wall.
“I’m sure they will (respond well),” he said.
“The best thing they did for us this week is they didn’t sack the coach.”
Hooker Jake Turpin will go on the bench, with Andrew McCullough (concussion) still nursing the effects of Dylan Napa’s nasty head-first tackle last weekend.
A near-capacity crowd is expected in what could also be Sam Thaiday’s Brisbane farewell before retiring.
Bennett lavished the former Queensland and Test forward with praise, labelling him a calming influence that was still producing at a similar level to his 2003 debut.
“There’s nothing he hasn’t achieved … he’s done it all,” Bennett said.
“He’s a very understated sort of bloke, that probably suits him … he knows what he’s done.”
STATS THAT MATTER
* The Broncos have their second worst winning percentage against the Sea Eagles (47.7 percent – 21 wins from 44 matches).
* Brisbane has a 54.5 per cent winning percentage against the current bottom eight, the lowest of the current top eight, while Manly’s 36.4 per cent winning rate against the current top eight is the second highest of the current bottom eight sides.
* If the Broncos concede 16 points or more against the Sea Eagles, it will just be the fifth time in club history Brisbane has conceded 500 points or more in the regular season.
