The Brisbane Broncos have confirmed that second-rower Brendan Piakura has sustained a medial cruciate ligament strain, casting doubt on his availability for Round 1. Piakura suffered the injury during Brisbane’s recent trial victory over the North Queensland Cowboys in Mackay and underwent scans upon returning to Red Hill. Expected to fill the void left by Kurt Capewell’s departure to the New Zealand Warriors, Piakura is regarded as one of the game’s top young talents and was poised for an expanded role this season.
However, with the diagnosis revealing a low-grade strain to his MCL, Piakura’s participation in Round 1 is now uncertain. The club’s head of performance, Dave Ballard, noted that while Piakura remains a possibility for the season opener, his status will depend on his recovery progress over the next 24 hours and subsequent rehabilitation program.
The Broncos face challenges in the edge forward department due to the departures of Capewell and Keenan Palasia, potentially necessitating the deployment of a forward out of position to fill Piakura’s role if he is unable to play against the Sydney Roosters on March 3 in Las Vegas. With the team set to depart for the USA this week, a decision on Piakura’s replacement may need to be made swiftly.
