It has been a long time coming but Brisbane livewire James Segeyaro reckons his 150th NRL game will be worth the wait.
Despite taking eight years for his milestone match to arrive, the PNG international said he could not have planned it better before Friday night’s clash with Penrith at Suncorp Stadium.
The 28-year-old believed the stage was set for a night to remember with eighth-placed Brisbane hoping to keep their finals hopes alive with victory over Segeyaro’s ex-club.
His landmark game has arrived in his first season for Brisbane after NRL stints at North Queensland, Penrith and Cronulla, via English Super League club Leeds, since his 2011 debut.
“I thought I was going to get there a couple of years back but it took a while,” Segeyaro said.
“I am lucky enough to get there this week against my old club, although I have a couple of them; I have been around a bit.”
The jury is still out on whether veteran forwards Matt Gillett and Alex Glenn will join Segeyaro in the Broncos’ side to face seventh-placed Penrith.
Gillett (back) and Glenn (knee) featured at training on Wednesday after being named on an extended bench but Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is not expected to give a final verdict until Thursday.
Gillett has not been sighted in the NRL since round 15 while Glenn missed last round’s win over North Queensland.
“He is a week to week thing for us. He just has to get himself right,” Segeyaro said of Gillett.
While there is a question mark over Gillett and Glenn, the Broncos know exactly what they will get from Segeyaro when he comes off the bench against the Panthers.
“He brings a spark. If we are down he brings the energy. We need someone like him to come off the bench and into the game,” Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs said.
“He is always there talking. He never shuts up.”
Staggs believed off-contract Segeyaro had done enough in his eight games for Brisbane to earn an extension at Red Hill.
Segeyaro was keeping his fingers crossed.
“It would be good to get it sorted soon so I can solely focus on getting a good run into finals,” he said.
Brisbane have suffered just one loss in their past six games but need to maintain their momentum to remain in the finals mix.