Broncos coach Michael Maguire has confirmed that Hayze Perham will start his first NRL game in 964 days against former club Canterbury on Friday night. Perham replaces Jesse Arthars at fullback in the latest change to Brisbane’s injury-ravaged side. Centre Kotoni Staggs has been cleared to feature against the Dogs after playing through the pain of a plantar fascia issue in last week’s win over the Wests Tigers.
Emerging prop Va’a Semu is set to make his first-grade debut after being named on the interchange. While former Penrith forward Preston Riki will run out for his first game in Broncos colours after also being included on Maguire’s six-man bench for the Suncorp Stadium showdown against Canterbury.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire has confirmed that Hayze Perham will make his first NRL start in 964 days against former club Canterbury on Friday night. Pic: Getty
Winger Deine Mariner was under a fitness cloud after struggling with a knee injury on Tuesday but he’s been cleared to play. But confirmation of Athars’ withdrawal on Thursday means the Broncos will be without 12 players for the Dogs game.
Arthars was originally named to start in the No.1 jersey in the continued absence of Reece Walsh (cheekbone). But he’ll be replaced at fullback by Kiwi star Perham, who comes up against his former club in what will be a first NRL start since the final round of the 2023 season when he was at the Bulldogs. Perham came off the bench to replace Arthars in last week’s game.
Hayze Perham up against former club in first start since 2023
“Hayze has been through a fair bit and believe it or not he is playing against his old team, so it’s funny how it works,” Maguire said. “It’s another great story of a player who has come back from a knee, and he is bouncing around and he’s excited. We were able to give him some time there (at fullback) last week, so he will fit in really well.”
Broncos star Hayze Perham’s last NRL start came in the final round of the 2023 season when he was playing for the Bulldogs. Pic: Getty
(Bradley Kanaris via Getty Images)
Maguire told reporters that Arthars suffered “a bit of a cork down his shin” against the Tigers which ultimately “bled into the calf”. But he said Perham’s previous NRL experience makes him a handy replacement as Brisbane’s third-choice fullback.
“He has a played a fair bit of first grade at fullback, so he knows what he is doing at the back,” Maguire said. “When you come back from a knee, it takes a bit of time to find your straps and he is getting into that space now so it’s really exciting.”
Brisbane’s injury crisis also leaves Maguire without his first choice middle forward pairing of Payne Haas (knee) and Corey Jensen, who ended up in hospital this week with a blood clot on the lung. Lock Patrick Carrigan is also missing through suspension, meaning Ben Talty and Jack Gosiewski have been named to start at prop, with Xavier Willison at 13.
Maguire’s interchange includes the towering Semu, who stands at 194-centimetres tall and tips the scales at 110kg. And alongside fellow former Penrith forward Riki, they offer Maguire plenty of size and power to compliment his other bench options. “It’s great for those two boys,” the Brisbane coach said. “They are both pretty decent-sized humans, so it’s nice to have those guys coming in.”