Michael Ennis believes the Broncos face a huge challenge to overcome the loss of their three most important players in a brutal start to their bid to avenge grand final heartbreak.
A facial fracture to Reece Walsh from a head clash with Taylan May sees him join Payne Haas and Adam Reynolds on the sideline as the Broncos slumped to 1-2 to start the season.
Ennis believes the loss of Walsh on the back of Haas and Reynolds is a tough hole for the Broncos to climb out of, but it could also have a silver lining.
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“Walsh is a massive loss on the back of losing Adam Reynolds and Payne Haas as well,” Ennis told foxsports.com.au.
“When the Broncos lost Tom Flegler and Herbie Farnworth I feel like you noticed it in that first game against the Roosters, particularly Flegler through the middle.
“That rotation was just brutal the last 12 months and obviously it grew over so many games.
“But they certainly not having Haas there last night and then back that up and not have Flegler there to step in when he’s done that previously.
“I thought Carrigan did an awesome job. I thought Pat Carrigan in a beaten side was fantastic, but they are two huge holes, no Haas, no Flegler.
“So to have Payne out for a little while with his knee. We are not sure how long Reynolds is out, but to take Haas and Walsh out of that side certainly dents that early season opportunity to get points and get momentum.”
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Ennis warned that history shows it is very hard to make a run at the premiership if you get off to a slow start, particularly now the season is even longer after the addition of the Dolphins.
“When you attack a footy season the start is so important because then when you get to that midpoint of the year players are playing with confidence if you’ve started well,” Ennis explained.
“You’re sitting in a good position on the ladder where you’re not having to just grind and chase wins.
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“You can play with a little bit more freedom and confidence and then off you go, whereas if you miss the start you spend so much energy through that mid part of the year trying to get back to the top of the table or at least into that top four position, that come the back end of the season, fatigue really catches up with you.
“One from three at the moment from Brisbane to start the year now and they’ve got to play the Cowboys and Melbourne the next fortnight without Haas and without Reece Walsh and who knows where Reynolds is at.”
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Apart from Carrigan Ennis believes the Broncos couldn’t have lost three more important players to their side in one fell swoop.
“If you said to Kevvie at the start of the year the three blokes that you don’t want to be without this year, they are three,” Ennis said.
“So definitely a really tough time for Brisbane but an important one and if they can find a way to graft away the next two weeks and knock over those two sides.
“Then all of a sudden we’re having a different conversation because the character and the confidence you build in your footy side.
“We’ve seen that with Penrith, we’ve seen it with Melbourne, that language where they talk about next man up.
“Each side has different terminology of how they do it, but if you can get guys outside those stars that are stepping up when they’re missing in big footy games, then it gives your squad a huge lift and huge confidence.
“So it’s a great opportunity for Brisbane the next two weeks. But it’s going to be a mighty challenge without Walsh and without Haas.”
Despite the unfortunate injury to Walsh, Ennis does not believe May should have been suspended.
However, having been placed on report, Ennis believes it should have been a sin bin on the field based on what we have seen in the past.
“I think it was fair game and that might seem like it kind of doesn’t feel right because the poor kid’s got a facial fracture, but I just thought it was a strong defensive route from May that lead to an unfortunate head clash,” Ennis said.
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“I thought it was an accident but then once the bunker stepped in and said that it was a reportable offence and they’ve used the word direct and forceful or reckless.
“They’ve used that before and without a doubt 12 months ago or something like that you think well if it’s if it’s a penalty and it’s direct contact of the head and the bunker stepped in and made it reportable.
“I was surprised then that even though I don’t agree with it because I thought it was an accident, I thought he might have gone to the sin bin.
“I thought it was an accident, so I didn’t even think that it was probably a penalty because unfortunate things are going to happen from time to time that are just accidents.
“But then once it became a reportable offence from the bunker I was surprised that then that didn’t lead to a sin bin because they often take into account with the severity of it and Walsh had to leave the field.”
Source Agencies
