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While Brisbane failed to score a point against Penrith, Pezet\u2019s Eels were manhandled by the Storm as his former side crossed for nine tries as Harry Grant carved them up through the middle.<\/p>\n
Riki will line up opposite Pezet on Thursday night, with barnstorming centre Kotoni Staggs to play outside of him where the Broncos will look to attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cI watched that game, and they were sending some traffic down to him,\u201d Staggs said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we won\u2019t change that and we\u2019ll probably put Riki on him and make him make tackles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we can get some joy down that edge.\u201d.<\/p>\n
Joe Chan tormented Jonah Pezet as the Storm thrashed Parramatta in their round one clash.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
The Storm sent plenty of traffic Pezet\u2019s way, with the playmaker forced to make 21 tackles while he missed two as Melbourne forward Joe Chan racked up 198m and a try from his 16 carries and also gave it to his former teammate after he forced an error.<\/p>\n
Pezet left the Storm at the end of the 2025 season and will spend one year at the Eels before he joins Brisbane on a long-term deal. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have him next year, but that\u2019s next year,\u201d Staggs said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to focus on this year now. He\u2019s a Parramatta Eel so we\u2019ll try to play our game against him.\u201d<\/p>\n
The round two opener shapes as a must-win clash between two teams reeling from first-up losses where they were completely outplayed by their opponents.<\/p>\n
The Broncos were totally outclassed by the Panthers in round one, but players aren\u2019t pushing the panic button.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
Brisbane\u2019s premiership defence got off to an awful start with a 26-0 loss to a champion Penrith side, with the Broncos completing just 62 per cent of their sets.<\/p>\n
It led to the typical fears of a premiership hangover fuelled by Payne Haas\u2019 decision to sign with Souths next year and a shock loss to Hull KR in the World Club Challenge. <\/p>\n
\u201cNot at all,\u201d Staggs said when asked about a potential premiership hangover.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were better on the night and we just didn\u2019t play our game. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was round one and we\u2019ll get better from that and we\u2019ll learn from this game going onwards. It\u2019s only early days.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past we\u2019ve been beaten and teams always come after us, but it doesn\u2019t change the way we need to go about things.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just need to focus on what we can do in this building and on the field. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll watch the game in review and see what we can fix and do better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crichton talks milestones, Souths, Lomax | 09:12<\/p>\n
EX-TIGERS STAR CONFIRMS SUPER LEAGUE SWITCH<\/p>\n
The Wests Tigers have confirmed utility Jack Bird\u2019s departure from the club, with the versatile 30-year-old given a fresh lifeline in the Super League.<\/p>\n
Leeds Rhinos confirmed Bird\u2019s signing on a two-year contract midway through last month, but the Tigers had to wait until the NRL officially confirmed Bird\u2019s release before announcing he would be leaving the club. <\/p>\n The Tigers said the decision was made \u201cby mutual consent\u201d, with Bird signing a two-year contract with the Rhinos.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really excited to be joining Leeds Rhinos. It\u2019s a huge club with a proud history and a passionate supporter base,\u201d Bird said last month. <\/p>\n \u201cI know a few of the boys; Brodie Croft and Keenan Palasia could not speak more highly of the club and I can\u2019t wait to get stuck in… I have heard so much about how great the atmosphere is and I\u2019m looking forward to experiencing it for myself and then getting stuck into to training over the next couple of weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n Head coach Brad Arthur said he was confident Bird would be a value add for the Rhinos, declaring he brings \u201ctoughness, professionalism and a high level of football intelligence\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s competed at the top level and understands what it takes to prepare and perform week in, week out,\u201d Arthur added.<\/p>\n Get all the latest news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports NRL Sportmail. Sign up now!!! <\/a><\/p>\n New #7! Sanders delivers Golden Dagger | 04:15<\/p>\n THE BIG PRE-SEASON CHANGE BEHIND SHARKS STAR\u2019S STATEMENT<\/p>\n Cronulla five-eighth Braydon Trindall and Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon stopped short of saying it was the playmaker\u2019s best game for the club, but both agreed that his combination with Nicho Hynes was the best it\u2019s looked in Saturday\u2019s thumping win over the Titans<\/a>.<\/p>\n It usually takes teams a while to work their way into a new season, but the Sharks duo looked polished after a big pre-season together with the club and in the All Stars game.<\/p>\n Both men scored doubles in the 50-10 victory, with Trindall adding four try assists and a booming 40\/20.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s probably the best it\u2019s ever felt with Nicho,\u201d he said after the game.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do work hard at it behind closed doors and at training and even off the field when we catch up. We try to stay as connected as we can, and it comes out on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n Trindall may have had the six on his back, but he looked like the dominant half in attack, which Fitzgibbon says isn\u2019t new but is simply clicking better than in previous years. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not any different to what we\u2019ve always done,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only thing I\u2019d say is that they\u2019re getting better at it. We want to work on if there are six agains and a lot of ball in midfield, then Hynes is on the ball because he\u2019s a runner, so get him on the ball. It\u2019s not complicated.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then if we get the opportunity to set things up, then we\u2019ll get \u2018Tricky\u2019 (Trindall) on the ball. <\/p>\n \u201cBut if Hynes is ahead of Tricky, then there\u2019s not really any right or wrong (answer). We\u2019ve been working on that for a number of years. Tricky knew when to go and he was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n TALKING POINTS: Madge backflip tip as gamble fails; \u2018embarrassing\u2019 moment outs Eels<\/a><\/p>\n