The Match Review Committee (MRC) have cleared Xavier Willison to play in the 2025 NRL Grand Final, whereas a dummy-half could find himself squeezed out of the line-up.
Hit with a Dangerous Contact charge on Luke Garner, Willison will only face a $1000-1500 fine, meaning the Cook Islands international will be free to verse the Melbourne Storm in a significant boost to their side.
“I didn't think it was bad. It's come back as just a fine,” Willison told News Corp.
“I wasn't too worried about it. I didn't lose sleep over it.”
While the front-rower has been cleared, coach Michael Maguire will face a difficult choice heading into Sunday with Patrick Carrigan returning to the line-up from suspension.
With Carrigan to return and play in the No.13 jersey, Cory Paix and Tyson Smoothy loom as the possible candidates who are set to make way for his inclusion.
Speaking in the early hours of Monday morning on SEN, former Broncos captain Corey Parker revealed that Paix is the likely option to be dropped, with Ben Hunt returning to the starting dummy-half role and Ezra Mam moving back into the halves.
“The way I see it right now is Ben Hunt goes from six to nine, (he) created a try for the Broncos coming out of dummy half,” Parker said.
“Reynolds will hold seven, Ezra Mam; I thought he was very good when he came onto the field. He'll stay at six.
“Now if Hunt goes from six to nine, then that goes Paix from nine … does he go to No.14 or do you hold a Tyson Smoothy, who can play nine, can play 13, and he played exceptionally well this afternoon.
“So, Paix has the probability of starting No.9 for Brisbane in a prelim final and playing the majority of the games for Brisbane to then potentially being rolling out the back door.”
