Reporter Paul Crawley believes the Broncos should have picked Ezra Mam at five-eighth for the grand final against the Storm, and moved Ben Hunt to hooker.<\/p>\n
Broncos coach Michael Maguire has again opted to pick Hunt at five-eighth ahead of Mam, with Mam to come off the bench in the decider.<\/p>\n
The Broncos have secured remarkable comeback victories in their first two finals games.<\/p>\n
Watch every game of the NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series before the Grand Final, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n In the qualifying final against the Raiders, they trailed 28-12 with just 15 minutes remaining in regular time, before coming back to secure a 29-28 golden point win.<\/p>\n Then in the preliminary final, the Broncos were down 14-0 at halftime against the Panthers, and somehow recovered to win 16-14.<\/p>\n That was in large part due to Mam\u2019s contribution off the bench.<\/p>\n But Crawley is concerned the Broncos can\u2019t afford to give up another big lead against the Storm.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think that they can (give up a lead) again,\u201d Crawley said on NRL 360 on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they need to start fast.<\/p>\n \u201cTo beat the Storm, they need to start fast.<\/p>\n \u201cI would have had Ezra in the six jumper, and I would have had Ben Hunt in the nine.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s their best team.\u201d<\/p>\n Host Braith Anasta agreed with Crawley.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a good point you make. It\u2019s hard to keep coming back,\u201d Anasta added.<\/p>\n \u201cThat win will take a lot out of them.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though it was amazing and the fans were pumped.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve proven to themselves they can come back now and they\u2019ve done it so much this year.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it is hard to do it against Melbourne, very hard to do against Melbourne.\u201d<\/p>\n Crawley feels the Broncos need to jump out of the gates quickly against the Storm.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd especially three weeks in a row,\u201d Crawley said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t think Penrith would give up a 14-point lead, but to do it again.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the Broncos are playing with such belief now that if they can start fast, they\u2019re also going to be hard to beat when they\u2019re on top.\u201d<\/p>\n But journalist Dean Ritchie had a different view.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d have to be insane to change your halves between the prelim and the grand final, after you\u2019ve just won a big game,\u201d Ritchie said.<\/p>\n \u201cI just think that that\u2019s their best team,\u201d Crawley responded.<\/p>\n \u201cIt may well be, Crawls,\u201d Ritchie replied.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s a 17-man game.<\/p>\n \u201cEzra was used so effectively off the bench last week, and he will be used effectively again this week.<\/p>\n \u201cBut to change your two halves, who have set the standard during the (finals), in the week of the grand final, would have been madness.\u201d<\/p>\n Anasta seemed to lean more towards Crawley\u2019s line of thinking.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t disagree, but there\u2019s an argument, definitely, to change it,\u201d Anasta said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey only won by two points (against the Panthers). They came from behind.\u201d<\/p>\n Co-host Gorden Tallis seemed to play down the issue.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s one interchange,\u201d Tallis interjected with.<\/p>\n Ritchie doubled down on his point.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t broken, Braith, so why would you try to change a winning side?\u201d Ritchie asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not saying they should. All I\u2019m saying is that there\u2019s a fair argument there with the quality of player that Ezra Mam is,\u201d Anasta replied.<\/p>\n Crawley believes Hunt adds more value to the team in the dummy half role.<\/p>\n \u201cBen Hunt is a pretty good half. He\u2019s a great hooker. That\u2019s how I see it,\u201d Crawley said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he plays for the Queensland side, he plays nine.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n PREDICTED DALLY M TEAM OF YEAR: Broncos star snubbed in shock shake-up<\/a><\/p>\n