Cory Paix could find himself squeezed out of Broncos grand final side for Pat Carrigan to return

Playing 22 games, including Sunday’s thrilling preliminary final win over Penrith, may not be enough for Broncos hooker Cory Paix to avoid being axed for the grand final according to Brisbane great Corey Parker.

With superstar Pat Carrigan set to return from suspension in the decider against the Melbourne Storm, Parker has predicted a line-up reshuffle could end with Paix being forced out of the 17.

Any selection heartache could yet be avoided with Xavier Willison, who scored a crucial second-half try, on report following a dangerous tackle in the 28th minute of the 16-14 win over the Panthers that could result in a suspension.

But Parker said if coach Michael Maguire made room for Carrigan, Paix could suffer the heartbreaking chop.

“The way I see it right now is Ben Hunt goes from six to nine, (he) created a try for the Broncos coming out of dummy half,” Parker told SEN on Monday morning.

“Reynolds will hold seven, Ezra Mam; I thought he was very good when he came onto the field. He’ll stay at six.

“Now if Hunt goes from six to nine, then that goes Paix from nine … does he go to No.14 or do you hold a Tyson Smoothy, who can play nine, can play 13, and he played exceptionally well this afternoon.

“So, Paix has the probability of starting No.9 for Brisbane in a prelim final and playing the majority of the games for Brisbane to then potentially being rolling out the back door.”

In the aftermath of the win, Maguire said there was “so much more in the group” after fighting back from a 14-0 deficit to win.

“The fact they are buying it at a high level, that’s the special part,” he said.

“It’s how the boys have been.

“The last couple of months, the way they have trained over the year, knowing that is inside them, that they can come home like that and they have shown that.

“We have been practising that for nine months. The hours and hours of time you spend at training practising that and that’s for these moments.

“There’s one to go now.”

A decision from the NRL’s match review panel looms as the deciding factor in whether Willison misses the grand final.