Quote ="Freddie Miller."I am certain Melbourne will be involved being the Premiership winners, with a big question mark over the Cowboys. Bennett has offered his Brisbane team to fill in if a second side is needed.'"
Apparently not:
[urlhttp://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/brisbane-broncos-keen-to-have-familyfriendly-sunday-afternoon-slots-next-season/news-story/0026d372b390d8d647273cd921e1a145[/url
[iBroncos coach Wayne Bennett said they would not play another World Club Series match in England next February if asked.
The English Rugby Football League is having trouble raising Australian interest, with clubs wary of adding pre-season games for players who will contest the World Cup until as late as December 2.
“We have played games in England the last three years. We made a decision we probably won’t go over — we will take a bit of a different direction with it,’’ Bennett said.
Bennett said the Broncos would play trial games at venues to be announced, but would be outside Brisbane.
Grand finalists Melbourne and North Queensland have booked a testimonial trial in February to benefit Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston and the Storm may play as many as two trials against the Warriors, one at the Sunshine Coast and one in New Zealand.
Preliminary finalists Brisbane would have been a welcome WSC opponent, but the World Club Challenge trophy could only be contested by the Storm, as premiers.
The Storm and Cowboys declined the chance to play WSC matches in 2017 as preliminary finalists, with the Broncos losing to Warrington and Cronulla defeated in the WCC by Wigan.
Broncos CEO Paul White has made plain in the past two years their interest in hosting an English club in a WSC match at Suncorp Stadium.
“We’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting for it (the WSC) over the years, playing it three times,’’ Watt said.[/i