Josh McGuire wasn't exactly talking a big game. But he wasn't backing down from a renewed rivalry with Parramatta either as the Eels prepare to head north for a clutch game against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
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The Broncos back-rower remains a deeply unpopular figure with the Eels after he stood accused of standing on the ankle of Parramatta captain Tim Mannah during their round 21 clash at ANZ Stadium.
The Eels would produce one of their best wins of the season that night and they now remain in the hunt for a top-four finish with two matches left in their home-and-away campaign.
For Brisbane, the defeat would be a catalyst for a damaging run of form that has seen them put big scores on the Gold Coast and Cronulla, before prevailing over the Dragons last Friday night.
McGuire was at the centre of some angst from the Eels, who didn't appreciate footage of McGuire standing on the foot of Mannah. McGuire would later say it was accidental, while Mannah was also happy to play down the incident.
Even so, it left a bad taste in the mouth of Eels centre Michael Jennings, who viewed the act as highly provocative.
"That shouldn't be in our game; that's dirty play," Jennings said at the time. "You can see it's intentional ... [he's] trying to tread on his ankle. It's good that no one came out hurt out of it. But those intentions, you don't need that in our game."
McGuire has become one of the bad boys of the code on the field, if there is such a thing in the modern sanitised game. He has been a thorn in the side of NSW since his rise in Origin and is now one of the enforcers for Brisbane.
He said on Monday he played the game fast, tough and hard and wouldn't be changing anything when he runs out on Thursday night.
"The same thing again. It will be a tough game. I'm looking forward to playing them. I'll play the same footy I've played since I was a kid. The coach wants me to do my job, I'll go out there and do it," McGuire said.
"It's always a good time of year to be playing. We're in a good position and I want to make sure we stay in that position."
If the Eels want to prove victory over Brisbane was no fluke, then the Broncos are equally motivated to ensure the same result doesn't unfold. This will be a spicy affair despite any efforts from McGuire to talk down the confrontation.
