Intrust Super Cup flavour to Broncos first trial team

Broncos behemoth Payne Haas will make his long-awaited return to the playing arena in the trial with Souths-Logan on Saturday night after Brisbane named a squad that includes five players with NRL experience.

The 19-year-old prop played three games off the bench last year for the Broncos before a shoulder injury ended his season.

Haas has trained strongly this pre-season after successful shoulder surgery and will start in the front row in the trial clash in Warwick.

Jake Turpin (hooker) and Gehamat Shibasaki (centre) made their NRL debuts last year and will start.

Former Storm and Rabbitohs flyer Richie Kennar will start on the wing in his first match in Broncos colours.

The 23-man squad also includes prop Patrick Mago, who played 12 Telstra Premiership games last year. Mago has been named on an extended bench.

The side includes highly rated middle forwards Thomas Flegler (prop) and Patrick Carrigan (lock) in the starting side.

With Haas and a posse of young forwards breathing down his neck Mago has also been turning it on at pre-season training.

"I just look at [Haas] as a freak ... running the 1.2 [km shuttles] and killing it and at that weight," Mago said.

"It motivates me. If a big boy like that can run like that then anybody can.

"We have got heaps of young forwards coming through and a lot of healthy competition. I've got to work hard to try and maintain my spot in the team."

Turpin, who played two NRL games last year, said Haas was now regarded as a leader for his stunning work ethic.

"I play pretty big minutes but to see a 125kg prop be fitter than us is pretty extraordinary. A lot of the young forwards are starting to look up to him and he is a young forward himself," Turpin said.

"It is good for me as a hooker. He plays the ball pretty quick and I can run off it. Everyone loves playing with Payne. He's got a lot of skill, he's quick and fit."

Turpin said he was learning plenty as Maroons hooker Andrew McCullough's understudy in what has been his best preparation for an NRL season. 

"Coming into pre-season my goal was to get a full pre-season out. I haven't done one since I was about 17," he said.

"My second goal was that wherever I am playing to be playing at my best. Obviously. I have got a really good hooker to be doing my apprenticeship underneath."

Former Warrington, St Helens and Castleford forward Andrew Savelio makes his first appearance for Brisbane since suffering a season-ending ACL injury in last year’s trial against the CQ Capras.

"Andre has done a lot of work to get his knee back to what it was this time last year," Turpin said.

"I hope Andre is full of confidence this weekend because he is a special player as well and all the boys are pretty happy for him to get out there and play footy again."

Highly rated 17-year-old  Gold Coast product Tom Dearden will start at halfback after starring at schoolboy level for Palm Beach Currumbin High.

The trial clash also features former Fijian rugby union sensation Ilikena Vudogo on the bench in his first hit-out for the Broncos. The 20-year-old was the player of the tournament at last year’s World Rugby Under 20s Trophy.

Broncos team to play Souths Logan Magpies

Saturday, February 16 at 6pm at Father Ranger Oval, Warwick

19. Tesi Niu
2. Richie Kennar

3. Gehamat Shibasaki
4. Ed Burns
1. Herbie Farnworth
6. Troy Dargan
20. Tom Dearden
8. Payne Haas
9. Jake Turpin
10. Thomas Flegler
11. Andre Savelio
12. Jamil Hopoate
13. Patrick Carrigan

Interchange:
14. Kobe Hetherington
15. Keenan Palasia
16. Jordan Grant
17. Patrick Mago
18. Ethan Bullemor
7. Tanah Boyd
21. Cory Paix
22. Xavier Coates
23. Ilikena Vudogo