Broncos out to muzzle Murray with Haas-Lodge combo

Joe Ofahengaue has revealed how the Broncos will send their giant forwards straight at Souths lock Cameron Murray on Friday night to wear out the NSW forward and nullify his impact in attack.

With Sam Burgess sidelined by a quad injury the Broncos have identified Murray as one of the key men they must contain.

Murray has missed just six tackles in his last nine games and is one of the most reliable defensive players in the NRL. The Broncos aim to make him work overtime in defence with the hope that it lessons his impact in attack.

In the 11 games prior to Origin series Murray ran for more than 100 metres in each but in the last 10 games has done so on just four occasions.

"He just plays off energy. We are focused on making him do his work early and make him tackle and try and wear him out," Ofahengaue said.

"Hopefully that works out but we are going to have to target him because he is such a good player for them.

"We have to [run at him]. It is a no-brainer. He has been so consistent the whole year and is one we have to watch out for."

The Broncos are well aware Murray has made a habit of coming up with big plays at the back end of games when the opposition is tiring. That was case in the Rabbitohs' 30-18 win over the Cowboys where Murray was the key late in the game to getting his side a come-from-behind win.

"That is what separates the good players from great players,” Ofahengaue said.

"They can be good for the whole game and then at the back end when you need them to they step up, and Cameron Murray has got than in him. He can step up in the last 10 minutes."

Ofahengaue and props Matt Lodge and Payne Haas are all big bodies in the middle for Brisbane but it is 19-year-old Haas who looms as the man who will try and make Murray’s night an unpleasant one.

"Payne is hard to tackle. That is all I can say,” Ofahengaue grinned.

"We try and tackle him here at training but he is a really awkward man to tackle because he has long arms, long legs and is so tall.

"He has been doing an awesome job this year. I think he has been our best player every week. I honestly reckon that the way he is going he could be one of the best props at the Broncos."  

Ofahengaue is awe of the teenager's ability to be just as effective in the 80th minute as he is in the first.

"He is a freak. Lodgey said something really good about him having the toughest mindset  at the back end of a game. I don’t know where he gets his energy from,” Ofahengaue said.

"He is 118 kilos and running like a fullback."