Glenn adamant Gillett can handle middle role

Broncos team-mates have backed Matt Gillett to handle playing in the middle as coach Anthony Seibold weighs up whether to persist with the Test and Maroons representative at lock.

The 30-year-old was given a tough assignment in the middle in the 25-22 trial win over the Titans in his first game back since May last year, and man of the match Alex Glenn said he handled it with aplomb.

The Titans dominated early up front but as the game wore on Gillett became more involved.

“That is his first game back from that devastating injury to his neck and I thought that was a great first hit-out for him,” Glenn said.

“Anyone that has had a neck injury, you are always going to be a little bit hesitant or a little bit sceptical about going into tackles.

“I thought he put his body on the line and it was a great first hit-out after 10 months out of the game so I still believe there is a lot more to see from Matt this year.”

With Tevita Pangai jnr set to return for the Telstra Premiership round one clash with Melbourne, Gillett may yet be moved back to his preferred right edge position. Either way, Glenn said he had the game smarts to handle playing as a middle forward.

“I have confidence in Matt playing through the middle if he does fill that lock role because he does have the ball skills and can hit strong lines on the edge and that is only going to benefit our game,” Glenn said.

“He is a bit like myself. I played a bit in the middle last year and rotated through. It is just how we play through that middle.

"We get Lodgey and Joffa [Joe Ofahengaue] and all the big boys to take those hard carries and we play off that as a ball-playing lock.”

Seibold said he was yet to decide where he played Gillett in round one.

“The big thing was him just coming back and getting the jersey on and competing. He did 30 minutes straight in the first half and about 20 minutes in the second half so it was a fair old hit out for Gillo,” Seibold said.

“I will have a look and see where we play him in round one.

“David Fifita is progressing really well and Jaydn Su’A played the last 30 minutes on that right edge and I thought he was particularly good.

"I’ve got to balance the side the best we can but what I do know is all three of  those guys will be in our best 17.”