The NRL pre-season is well under way and there are already several key players looking at missing round 1 of the 2026 season.
The Sporting News provides all the latest injury updates.
MORE: Cowboys hit with suspension blow before round 1 clash
Brisbane Broncos PLAYERISSUERETURNBrendan PiakuraKneeRound 3Billy WaltersACL2027Hayze PerhamACL2027
Broncos injury news:
Brendan Piakura has bene listed as a round 3 return to action however recent reports have suggested he may be fit earlier.
Canberra RaidersPLAYERISSUERETURNCorey Harawira-Naera MedicalIndefiniteXavier SavageShoulderRound 1Raiders injury news:
Xavier Savage suffered a season-ending injury after fracturing his shoulder in the Raiders‘ Round 25 win over Penrith. He is expected to be fully fit for kick-off of the 2026 season.
Canterbury BulldogsPLAYERISSUERETURNMatt BurtonHamstringTBCLeo ThomsponCalfTBCMarcelo MontoyaAnkle2026/TBCFinau LatuBackRound 2Mitchell WoodsHamstringRound 4-6Kade DykesKneeRound 6-7Jethro RinakamaShoulder2026/TBCBulldogs injury news:
Matt Burton limped off with what looked to be a significant hamstring injury in the Bulldogs week 2 pre-season challenge match. The club has confirmed Burton will be sent for scans with speculation it could keep him out anywhere from 2-6 weeks, depending on severity.
Leo Thompson pulled out of the annual Allstars clash pregame with what was described as calf tightness by the club. Further tests will occur but there seemed to be confidence Thompson would be available round 1.
Cronulla SharksPLAYERISSUERETURNRonaldo MulitaloKnee2026/TBCCameron McInnesKneeRound 6-8Liam IsonKnee2026/TBCSharks injury news:
Cameron McInnes suffered an ACL injury in 2025 with an unknown return date, however, recently the Sharks have indicated tehy expect a likely return towards the end of the first two months of the 2026 season.
DolphinsPLAYERISSUERETURNJeremy Marshall-KingKneeRound 7LJ NonuKneeRound 4Jack Bostock KneeRound 10Max PlathKneeRound 4Daniel SaifitiShoulderRound 1Dolphins injury news:
Jeremy Marshall-King was sidelined with a knee injury picked up in the pre-season due to a freak accident at home.
Max Plath has been scheduled for a round 4 return date however some reports have speculated it may be sooner.
Gold Coast TitansPLAYERISSUERETURNTino Fa’asuamaleauiKneeRound 1Phil SamiGroin2026/TBCJaimin JolliffeKnee2027Brock Gray Knee2026/TBCTitans injury news:
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui missed much of the Titans pre-season training but is reportedly now back to full strength and participation for the Titans.
Jaimin Jolliffe was ruled out for the entire 2026 season after he suffered a ACL injury which follows a run of bad luck after ending 2025 with a PCL injury in Round 24.
Manly Sea EaglesPLAYERISSUERETURNAaron SchouppKneeRound 8Taniela PasekaAchilles2026/TBCNathan BrownBiceps2026/TBCReuben Garrick Shoulder2026/TBCHaumole Olakau’atuShoulder2026/TBCCaleb NavaleShoulder2027Sea Eagles injury news:
Caleb Navale suffered an ACL injury at pre-season training which will require surgery and rule him out for the entire 2027 season.
Whilst several Sea Eagles are awaiting official updates it is thought that most of the return dates to be confirmed will see the players return for round 1.
Melbourne StormPLAYERISSUERETURNXavier CoatesAchilles2026/TBCJack HowarthGroin2026/TBCTrent LoieroSuspensionRound 3Storm injury news:
Jack Howarth is expected to be ready in the early part of the season , potentially for round 1.
Xavier Coates was scheduled to miss the early rounds of the season however an updated timeline has not yet been provided.
Newcastle KnightsPLAYERISSUERETURNCoby HopwoodCalf2026/TBCFletcher SharpeHamstringRound 1Kalyn PongaFootRound 1Paul BryanShoulder2026/TBCKnights injury news:
Fletcher Sharpe suffered a hamstring injury in the Knights trial loss to the Cowboys but is expected to be ready for round 1.
New Zealand WarriorsPLAYERISSUERETURNTe Maire MartinAnkleTBCTaine TuaupikiAnkleRound 1Marata NiukoreCalfRound 1Rocco Berry ShoulderRound 12-13Luke MetcalfKneeRound 8-10Mitch Barnett KneeRound 2Jye LinnaneKneeRound 3-4Roger Tuivasa-SheckHamstringRound 1Chanel Harris-TavitaCalfRound 1Warriors injury news:
Luke Metcalf ruptured his ACL in Round 17 2025 and missed the rest of the season. He is now updated to return after the first third of the 2026 NRL season approximately.
Te Maire Martin suffered a ankle injury in the Warriors pre-season trial loss to the Sea Eagles and is awaiting scan results. Whilst the injury did not look serious there is a chance it keeps him out of the early rounds, depending on results.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck pulled out of the Warriors trial mach with a hamstring strain, but it is not thought to be serious.
North Queensland CowboysPLAYERISSUERETURNJohn BatemanWristRound 1Zac LaybuttSuspensionRound 3Griffin NeameShoulderRound 1-2Jeremiah NanaiShoulderRound 6Cowboys injury news:
Zac Laybutt was charged with a dangerous throw in the Cowboys pre-seaosn victory and will now miss the first two rounds of the NRL season.
Parramatta EelsPLAYERISSUERETURNLuca MorettiCalf2026/TBCArthur Miller-StephenKnee2026/TBCEels injury news:
The Eels currently have no new injury concerns and have so far remained healthy through the pre-season trial matches.
Penrith PanthersPanthers injury news:
No injuries to report.
South Sydney RabbitohsPLAYERISSUERETURNJonah GloverJawTBCIsaiah TassKnee2026/TBCJamie HumphreysSuspensionRound 3Latrell MitchellCalfRound 1David FifitaRibsRound 1Campbell GrahamBackRound 1Rabbitohs injury news:
Jonah Glover sustained an unfortunate jaw injury in the Charity Shield match and is awaiting scans to determine the extent of damage.
Latrell Mitchell and David Fifita did not participate in the Rabbitohs Charity Shield match but are expected to be in no doubt for round 1.
St George Illawarra DragonsPLAYERISSUERETURNValentine HolmesHamstringRound 1Jacob LiddleHamstringRound 2Nathan LawsonFootRound 4Connor MuhleisenKneeTBCDylan EganKneeRound 8-10Dragons injury news:
Valentine Holmes has suffered a hamstring injury in the pre-season and is racing the clock to be fit for round 1.
Dylan Egan suffered an ACL injury in 2025 and despite returning to full contact training coach Shane Flanagan has said they will not rush his return, eyeing a mid-season comeback.
Sydney RoostersPLAYERISSUERETURNRobert ToiaFootTBCVictor RadleySuspensionRound 6Roosters injury news:
Robert Toia missed Tonga’s last game of the Pacific Championships after suffering a foot injury but he is expected to be fit for round 1 of the 2026 season.
Wests TigersPLAYERISSUERETURNLatu FainuShoulderRounds 1-3Tigers injury news:
Latu Fainu suffered a shoulder injury Round 27 of the 2025 season and is expected to return sometime in the early few rounds of 2026.