Thorn not in side
by Barry Dick
Monday February 07, 2005
Source: The Courier Mail

DUAL international Brad Thorn has had a major setback in his return to rugby league and will now not be playing in Saturday's trial match in Bundaberg..

The imposing back-rower was desperate to get some football under his belt before the NRL kicks off  for the Broncos against the Cowboys on March 13,  but will not play a trial game for the club after straining his right hamstring at training last Friday.

Thorn has not played a game of rugby league since the 2000 NRL grand final, and the Broncos were so keen for him to get some game time he had been named in the composite side to play a South Sydney Premier League line-up at Bundaberg Brothers on Saturday night (February 12).

However, coach Wayne Bennett is now resigned to having to take Thorn on trust for the opening NRL blockbuster against North Queensland at Suncorp Stadium.

"Thornie really wanted to play in all the trials – and we wanted him to play, too – but that's not the way it's going to happen now," Bennett said yesterday.

Thorn left the Broncos at the end of the 2000 season, along with a league career that included 130 NRL games, eight State of Origins and three Tests for Australia, to chase a childhood dream of earning an All Black jersey.

Luckless hooker Mick Ryan will miss the start of season after he also strained a hamstring in Brisbane's final training session last week.

"Mick's injury is a lot worse than Brad's and he's looking at six weeks on the sideline," Bennett said.

Ryan looked to have finally established himself in first grade last year before a knee reconstruction scuttled his season after only 10 appearances. He had been one of the most impressive pre-season trainers with the club.

Bennett confirmed several other stars would miss one or both of Brisbane's official trials – against Melbourne Storm at Carrara on February 19 and against Canberra Raiders in Toowoomba on February 26 – because of injuries or because they were recovering from off-season operations.

Test centre Shaun Berrigan and State of Origin forward Dane Carlaw, both recovering from shoulder operations, should be available for the first round of the competition but they will not play either trial.

Winger Stuart Kelly also will miss both hit-outs after his knee flared up following an operation in December.

Tri-Nations stars Darren Lockyer (ribs) and Shane Webcke (knee) will not be required for the Storm trial but should be on deck for the Raiders game.

Fellow Kangaroos Petero Civoniceva, Tonie Carroll and Brent Tate have no injury concerns.

"It's not ideal to have so many sitting out trials but there isn't much we can do about it," Bennett said.