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Broncos: Action not words

Broncos: Action not words

09/16/2011 03:43:52 AM

Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin says the Broncos will not resort to sledging St George five-eighth Jamie Soward in their elimination final at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Griffin's claim comes after reports had emerged suggesting that Wests, led by prop Bryce Gibbs, had intentionally set out to verbally unsettle the St George playmaker in their 21-12 victory in Week 1 of the finals.

Soward's Dragons teammates have come out in staunch support of their No.6's ability to handle a repeat of the tactic this weekend, but Griffin said that there was no chance such a high-stakes game would be decided by sledging.

"(Sledging's) not our game. I think if you're looking to do that, you ain't got confidence in yourself," he said.

"If we're good enough, we'll win by the way we play, not by trying to come up with a trick like that."

The Dragons' nine-point loss to the Tigers in the first week of the NRL finals could not have come in more stark contrast to Brisbane's 40-10 demolition of the Warriors, but Griffin was adamant his side would be facing the defending premiers at their very best.

"They're the premiers, they've got the master coach, they've got their backs against the wall – they're going to have their best game of football tomorrow night," he said.

"The thing you read into is for three years they've been the benchmark of the competition. They've either been winning competitions or minor premierships."

"Everyone wrote them off a month ago and now they're back and they're here. The reason they can do that is they've built such a platform over the last three years to lead the competition. "

"I'm sure under the pressure of a knock-out semi, that's going to come out in their game tomorrow night and we're going to have to beat them at their best."

Riding a seven-game winning streak that dates back to mid-July, the Broncos looked to have hit another gear with their show of strength against New Zealand.

Yet improvement has been demanded this week in Brisbane, with Griffin scoffing at suggestions the Dragons were too predictable in attack and warning that the Dragons would not cede position and possession as easily as the Warriors had.

"They've got Test players and Origin players right through their side – they've probably got 10 or 12," said Griffin.

"(They've got) centres and halves and fullbacks that can score from anywhere, so I wouldn't call them predictable."

"If you take your eye off them, they'll hurt you. They're probably a bit more ruthless than the Warriors - they'll make us earn everything we get."

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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