Playing 22 games, including Sunday’s thrilling preliminary final win over Penrith, may not be enough for Broncos hooker Cory Paix to avoid being axed for the grand final according to Brisbane great Corey Parker.

With superstar Pat Carrigan set to return from suspension in the decider against the Melbourne Storm, Parker has predicted a line-up reshuffle could end with Paix being forced out of the 17.

Selection heartache looms for someone after Xavier Willison, who scored a crucial second-half try, avoided suspension after being put on report following a dangerous tackle in the 28th minute of the 16-14 win over the Panthers. Willison copped only a $1000 fine after diving in forcefully at the legs of Luke Garner, who might have been injured had his boots not immediately given way.

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Parker said that with coach Michael Maguire having to make room for Carrigan, Paix could suffer the heartbreaking chop.

“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 told SEN on Monday morning.

“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.”

In the aftermath of the win, Maguire said there was “so much more in the group” after fighting back from a 14-0 deficit to win.

“The fact they are buying it at a high level, that’s the special part,” he said.

“It’s how the boys have been.

“The last couple of months, the way they have trained over the year, knowing that is inside them, that they can come home like that and they have shown that.

“We have been practising that for nine months. The hours and hours of time you spend at training practising that and that’s for these moments.

“There’s one to go now.”

A decision from the NRL’s match review panel looms as the deciding factor in whether Willison misses the grand final.

Read on for the Team Tips for the NRL Grand Final.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 5

NRL GRAND FINAL

Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos at Accor Stadium, 7.50pm AEDT

Last week’s Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 12. Eliesa Katoa 15. Shawn Blore 13. Trent Loiero 11. Ativalu Lisati 14. Tyran Wishart 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Alec MacDonald. 18th man: 20. Joe Chan

Team Tips: The Storm welcomed back two key players in their preliminary finals win over the Sharks. Shawn Blore slotted into the back row, with Ativalu Lisati shifting to the bench. Meanwhile, Jahrome Hughes made a seamless return from a fractured wrist and he didn’t miss a beat in an impressive performance. Nelson Asofa-Solomona remains suspended, meaning no changes are expected in Craig Bellamy’s side.

‘I didn’t do one bloody rep’ | 02:03

Last week’s Broncos team:

Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Josiah Karapani 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Tyson Smoothy 14. Ezra Mam 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Xavier Willison 17. Ben Talty. 18th man: 18. Jesse Arthars

Players cut: 20. Selwyn Cobbo 21. Jaiyden Hunt 22. Jock Madden 19. Jack Gosiewski

Team Tips: In a big boost, the Broncos welcome back lock Pat Carrigan which is set to spark a forward pack reshuffle. Carrigan will reclaim his No. 13 jersey, but it remains to be seen how Michael Maguire will shape his bench. Smoothy played 38 minutes against the Panthers after winning the starting spot, while bench middle Ben Talty only featured for 11. Talty is the likely man to drop off the pine, considering Maguire put his faith in Smoothy for the preliminary final. Carrigan’s return also shapes as a mammoth boost in the battle to win the middle of the park. Storm enforcer Stefano Utoikamanu dominated his opposite man Addin Fonua-Blake on Friday night, but the might of Payne Haas shapes as an ever tougher test. Throw in Carrigan, who provides a one-two punch alongside Haas, and it’s a difficult mountain for Utoikamanu to climb. Elsewhere, Ezra Mam is being tipped to start at five-eighth by Broncos legend Corey Parker, with Cory Paix the man to miss out.

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