Broncos name side for Wigan clash

Brisbane's Darius Boyd with Sean O'Loughlin

The 25-year-old Castleford-born player joined the Broncos at the end of the 2014 season in a bid to crack the NRL but spent the whole of last year playing for their feeder club Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

owever, an impressive performance in their recent trial match against North Queensland earned Eden a place in Wayne Bennett’s 19-man squad for the trip to England and, with Jack Reed and Lachlan Maranta both injured, he has been given the nod to face Wigan and the chance to secure a wing spot for the club’s opening NRL game against Parramatta on March 3.

“It’s just good to be picked,” Eden told Broncos.com on Tuesday morning from the club’s training base in London.

“All pre-season it’s what players have been working towards, to try and get picked in those first trial games.

“It means everything to me to crack the NRL. It’s part of the reason I came to Australia in the first place, it’s on my wish list.

“It’s the first step to doing it, this World Series game, and it is a step in the right direction.”

Eden, who scored 33 tries in 67 Super League appearances, will partner Brisbane’s new centre signing James Roberts, who wears the number four jersey normally occupied by England centre Reed, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery which ruled him out of last autumn’s Test series against New Zealand.

Also in the starting line-up are Adam Blair, Jordan Kahu, Kodi Nokorima and Alex Glenn, who were all in the Kiwis team that suffered a 20-14 defeat by England in the decisive third Test at the DW Stadium in November.

Nikorima, whose younger brother Jayden will make his debut for Sydney Roosters in the opening World Club Series game at St Helens on Friday, deputises for scrum-half Ben Hunt, who is serving a one-match ban picked up in the Broncos’ Grand Final defeat by the Cowboys.

Broncos side to face Wigan:

1. Darius Boyd

2. Greg Eden

3. Jordan Kahu

4. James Roberts

5. Corey Oates

6. Anthony Milford

7. Kodi Nikorima

8. Sam Thaiday

9. Andrew McCullough

10. Adam Blair

11. Alex Glenn

12. Matt Gillett

13. Corey Parker

Interchange:

14. Jarrod Wallace

15. Josh McGuire

16. Joe Ofahengaue

17. Travis Waddell

18. Herman Ese’ese

19. Tom Opacic