Brisbane Broncos forward pack leader Pat Carrigan has made it known that the Broncos have a finals-worthy team that can shock the competition.
Winning three games in a row against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney Rabbitohs, the Broncos face a big test for magic round.
All eyes will be on them on Friday night at home as they face a rejuvenated Manly Sea Eagles.
A win against the Eagles would be their greatest winning streak since their six-game streak in 2017. A year that they finished the season third on the ladder, winning 16 games to only 8 losses.
“I think we can shock a few people this season," Carrigan told the media.
“As a club, we’ve had some tough times the last few years, so it would be massive to play finals football this year.
“I believe we have a finals roster and we have to perform accordingly.
"I know the guys at the start of the year talked about the potential we have in this place, but we haven’t turned it into consistent performances. But this is an opportunity for us to play finals footy and test us out and see how far we can go in the competition."
Returning for his first game of the season against the Rabbitohs in round 9, Carrigan was a standout for a Broncos forward pack missing Payne Haas and Kurt Capewell.
Carrigan had missed plenty of football after suffering an ACL injury last May and another setback earlier this season.
From the opening buzzer, Carrigan led his team from the front. He finished with 142 metres from 15 runs, 65 post-contact metres, 1 line break, 1 line break assist and a tackle break along with 37 tackles, none missed.
“It’s been tough mentally. I went 22 years without getting a major injury and then I’ve had a few back-to-back, but I need to look at it overall and I’ve been pretty lucky to have a good run with injuries over my career," Carrigan said.
“I was just missing footy. It was good to get back out there and play. The younger guys are stepping up so it’s pleasing to put in the work during the week and get the results."
There is no doubt the Sea Eagles are tough competition, Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans back to their best, young strike power and a strong forward pack. However, at full strength, the Broncos have a roster that can beat anyone on their day, as they have shown.
The following four weeks after this Manly encounter, the Broncos will face the Newcastle Knights, Gold Coast Titans and have a bye followed by the Canberra Raiders.
