What anger issues?
Broncos coach Anthony Griffin has suggested the Sydney Roosters are exaggerating ex-teammate Martin Kennedy’s much publicised temper and has almost dared the NRL premiers to bait him.
But Griffin has predicted Kennedy’s reunion with the team that overlooked him for the 2013 grand final will be a “fizzer”.
Kennedy, 25, is on a collision course with his former club after replacing injured prop Ben Hannant (hamstring) in the Broncos’ starting side for Friday night’s Suncorp Stadium clash.
And the Roosters have been quick to target their former colleague, saying they would unleash a verbal barrage to get under the hulking forward’s skin.
Canterbury’s Michael Ennis recently exposed Kennedy’s well-documented short fuse in the opening round, costing Brisbane a try near halftime.
But Griffin did not believe Kennedy’s on-field demeanour would have been an issue unless the Roosters had brought it up.
He even predicted Kennedy’s much anticipated get together with the Roosters would be similar to Ben Barba’s “fizzer” against ex-club the Bulldogs in round one.
“It (Kennedy’s temper) is something they have made a point of,” he said of the Roosters.
“Those type of things get played out more in the media.
“It adds a bit of anticipation to the contest.
“But it was like the Ben Barba thing.
“That turned into a fizzer (after the Bulldogs said) what they were going to do to him, what they weren’t going to do to him.
“(But) everyone plays against their old club at some stage these days.”
However, Griffin said Kennedy would relish having a target on his head on Friday night.
“If a team wants to put pressure on a frontrower than that’s their meat and potatoes – collisions and handling aggression the right way,” he said.
“That’s why we brought him up here.
“He’s got to get through that, but he’s a big boy.
“He needs to do it this week and the week after – it’s not about the Roosters.”
Griffin has once again been forced to reshuffle his pack after Hannant suffered a suspected hamstring tear at training on Tuesday.
Hannant had been due to make his starting debut for 2014 after Josh McGuire was suspended over two charges stemming from last round’s 16-12 win over North Queensland.
Hannant is expected to miss a week.
Boom youngster Corey Oates – back from off-season niggles – is the new face on the bench.