By Nick Wright
So much hype surrounds Blake Mozer, it is difficult to believe he has just three NRL appearances to his name.
But based on his efforts for the Broncos in his last outing, the time has come to ask whether he needs to be parachuted into the side full-time.
The 20-year-old hooker rose through the junior ranks as one of the elite schoolboys players at Keebra Park State High School.
Blake Mozer celebrates scoring for the Broncos against the Dragons.Credit: NRL Photos
Lauded in some circles as a young man similar to the great Cameron Smith in terms of game style, Mozer has been largely kept back and given time to develop his craft in the Queensland Cup.
But on his return in the recent defeat to the Dragons, Mozer demonstrated he was up to the task of regular first-grade.
His side trailed 28-6 when he joined the fray with half an hour remaining. The Broncos would score the next four tries, desperately close to a remarkable comeback.
Mozer’s service for Ezra Mam to score was perfect – a wide ball straight into his hands on the run to allow the five-eighth to hit the defensive line at speed and charge over.
He then showed great strength to claim his first NRL try at close range, while his ability to engage ruck defenders opened space out wide for Kotoni Staggs to get the Broncos within four points at the death.
Mozer finished with a try, two linebreaks, 36 metres and 23 tackles, leading coach Kevin Walters to admit the time had come to consider handing him more responsibility.
“We’ll look at that, but Blake’s just one player. Blake was really good [in that game], so that was pleasing for him, and I’m really happy for him because he’s been waiting for an opportunity,” Walters said after the loss to the Red V.
“He certainly grabbed it really well, so well done to him.”
Blake Mozer has been given fleeting chances in the NRL, but has shown he is up for the test.Credit: NRL Photos
Mozer has been named to take the field again against the Bulldogs on Saturday, after Brendan Piakura suffered a quad complaint. But he will do so from the interchange bench.
While Mozer has been stuck behind starting rake Billy Walters and interchange dummy-half Tyson Smoothy, the reality is Brisbane looked a much greater attacking threat when the youngster was on the field.
Smoothy was moved to lock for the Dragons clash to cover the absence of State of Origin middles Pat Carrigan and Payne Haas, finishing with 88 metres and 51 tackles for just one miss.
Whether that is a long-term ploy, which would involve moving Carrigan up front with Haas, remains to be seen.
Walters’ men will need to win five of their final six games just to remain in the finals reckoning, so they will need to keep rival sides guessing.
Billy Walters admits the idea of moving Smoothy to the forward rotation might not be a consistent ploy, and was designed out of necessity.
But he said Mozer’s presence kept him on his toes, and the youngster’s chance to cement his place would beckon should one of the starting dummy-halves falter.
“Although it was in a losing side, he was one of our best players,” Billy Walters said. “It’s definitely putting the pressure on me and Tyson to hold our spots, but that’s what you need to be playing your best footy.”