Brisbane’s NRL premiership winner Brendan Piakura appears to have contradicted his own club after the Broncos reported that he would be sidelined for eight weeks with injury. It emerged this week that Piakura had to undergo knee surgery after suffering a meniscus tear in pre-season training with Michael Maguire’s side.
The Broncos provided an update on the situation on Tuesday night, including the expected timeframe around the edge forward’s recovery. The club’s statement was still up on their website at the time of writing. It reads: “Brendan Piakura has undergone surgery to repair a meniscus tear sustained during pre-season training. The Broncos’ forward is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks.”
Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire (R) may not be without Brendan Piakura (third from L) for eight weeks after the forward contradicted an injury statement from the club. Pic: Getty/AAP
The ‘NRL Physio’ account also explained the typical amount of time players would be sidelined with Piakura’s injury. But the 23-year-old seemingly refuted suggestions he will be out for a couple of months, after responding to a social media post from journalist Isaac Issa.
“Not eight weeks, bud,” Piakura first commented in response to the Instagram post about his injury. It was then pointed out to Piakura that the Broncos were the ones who provided details about his setback, prompting another stunning response from the back-rower. “I ran today, back next week,” he replied.
Brisbane Broncos forward Brendan Piakura has disputed reports from his own club that he will be sidelined for eight weeks after undergoing knee surgery. Pic: Getty
If that’s the case then it will come as a huge relief for Brisbane and the club’s fans, who were anticipating that Piakura would miss the World Club Challenge showdown against English Super League champions Hull KR next month. The Broncos fly to England on February 10 to prepare for the clash with the English treble winners 10 days later.
Confusion reigns over injury to Brendan Piakura
The eight-week timeframe initially reported would also rule Piakura out for the start of the new NRL season, with the Broncos kicking off their campaign at home against the Panthers on March 6. The back-rower’s defence and ability to hit holes in attack were a feature for Maguire’s side last year, and he played a key role in their grand final triumph.
Bench forward Xavier Willison loomed as one of several contenders to replace Piakura on the opposite edge to Jordan Riki. Willison has started six of his 51 games for the Broncos in the back-row but Maguire found success using the towering forward through the middle during a breakout 2025 season that saw him called up for New Zealand’s Pacific Cup triumph.
Jack Gosiewski or Jaiyden Hunt would be more like-for-like replacements for Piakura and have often done the job for Brisbane when called upon. Neither were part of Brisbane’s grand final side though.
Ben Te Kura, Ben Talty and Aublix Tawha are among those vying for bench roles, following the departures of Kobe Hetherington (Manly) and Tyson Smoothy (Wakefield Trinity) at the end of last season. But if Piakura’s injury is not as serious as first thought, some of those fringe Broncos squad members will have to wait a little longer for their opportunity.