Stats driving Thaiday’s Broncos optimism

Sam Thaiday believes Brisbane have the required form and ideal coach to mount a legitimate title challenge in his NRL finals farewell.

Brisbane sit seventh before Sunday’s final-round clash with Manly but boast the best results against fellow finals contenders this season.

Their 8-4 record eclipses ladder-leading Melbourne’s 6-4 season and includes a clean 6-0 run against Cronulla, Sydney Roosters and South Sydney.

St George Illawarra (6-6) are third best but have lost six of their past eight games and their past five against top-eight sides.

Brisbane could finish as high as fifth with a win at Suncorp Stadium but the retiring Thaiday thinks that would only be an added luxury in a wide-open title race.

“I think anyone’s best is good enough to beat anyone, I don’t think there’s been one team that’s been overly dominant throughout the whole season,” he said.

“Certain teams have had a go and run of wins in a row but I still think this competition is up for grabs for anyone that’s in the top eight.

“We’ll see what happens, we’ll get in there and shake things up.”

The mood at Red Hill has noticeably lifted with consecutive wins over the Roosters and Rabbitohs in the past fortnight, with the reported feud between coach Wayne Bennett and chief executive Paul White a distant memory among players.

Bennett looks unlikely to coach Brisbane beyond next season but Thaiday said the seven-times title-winning mentor was in his element approaching September.

“He’s been there and done it before, knows all the good speeches and quotes to quote at this time of year,” the 33-year-old said.

“I’m sure there will be an inspirational film we’ll all have to watch as a team.”

Captain Darius Boyd and Thaiday, who will play game No.303 for Brisbane on Sunday, are the only players remaining from the side’s last premiership side in 2006.

He won’t compare the two teams but said the youthful impact of David Fifita, Kotoni Staggs, Tevita Pangai and Joe Ofahengaue had been vital this season.

“They’ve been some of our best players … it’s fantastic to see and we play off the back of that,” Thaiday said.

TOP EIGHT HEAD-TO-HEAD (LADDER POSITION IN BRACKETS)

Brisbane (7th) 8 Wins, 4 losses, 66 per cent win rate, +19 differential

Melbourne (1st) 6, 4, 60%, +56

Dragons (6th) 6, 6, 50%, -8

Warriors (8th) 6, 7, 46%, -52

Roosters (2nd) 5, 6, 45%, +25

Souths (3rd) 5, 6, 45%, +16

Sharks (4th) 5, 6, 45%, -24

Penrith (5th) 3, 5, 37.5%, -32