An NRL round clash between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos at Allianz Stadium ended not just with a 38-24 Roosters victory, but with a wave of high-profile injuries that has shaken up State of Origin selections and left Brisbane bracing for a challenging upcoming fixture against Manly. The most devastating blow landed on rising star Mark Nawaqanitawase, a NSW Blues State of Origin hopeful whose dream series debut is now all but off the table after he sustained a serious syndesmosis injury that requires urgent surgery.
Roosters head coach Trent Robinson confirmed the devastating news in his post-match press conference, confirming that the dynamic winger, a former Wallaby set to return to rugby union in 2027, will miss 6-8 weeks on the sidelines. The injury occurred in the first half of Saturday night’s game when Nawaqanitawase’s foot became trapped under teammate Robert Toia during a collision. Though he initially tried to push through the pain, he was forced off the field just 15 minutes after the incident. NRL physiotherapy experts later confirmed the injury mechanism was typical for a high ankle syndesmosis sprain, occurring when the foot is caught under contact and forced to rotate outward.
Just 24 hours before the match, Nawaqanitawase had opened up about his long-held dream of representing the Blues in the upcoming State of Origin series, which kicks off with its opening clash on May 27. NSW coach Laurie Daley had previously named the in-form winger as one of the top contenders for a starting wing spot alongside Brian To’o, in a three-way race with Campbell Graham and Josh Addo-Carr. A 6-8 week recovery period from surgery rules Nawaqanitawase out of the series opener entirely, ending his campaign before it could officially begin.
Nawaqanitawase was far from the only star forced to exit the game early with injury. Brisbane Broncos captain Adam Reynolds was already officially ruled out of the club’s next fixture against Manly next week after a brutal head knock sustained while attempting a tackle. Queensland Origin enforcer Lindsay Collins also failed his first-half head injury assessment, ruling him out of Brisbane’s upcoming trip to Gosford next Friday. Roosters and Blues veteran Angus Crichton was also forced off midway through the second half with a suspected medial knee injury, and he is currently awaiting scan results to confirm the severity of the damage.
Robinson noted after the match that Crichton could have stayed on the field, but the injury required repeated attention throughout the first half, prompting the coaching staff to pull him early as a precaution. On Collins’ exit, Robinson added that the Brisbane forward was lucid and alert in the sheds after the incident, but did not meet concussion protocol requirements to return to play.
For Brisbane, young halfback Tom Duffy is set to step into Reynolds’ starting spot against Manly. Broncos coach Michael Maguire praised Duffy’s recent performances, noting he has already proven his ability to lead the team around the park when given the opportunity. The injury crisis extends far beyond Reynolds and Collins for Brisbane: star front-rower Payne Haas and halfback Ben Hunt are already ruled out of next week’s fixture, while wingers Josiah Karapani (ankle) and Deine Mariner (cork) are serious doubts to take the field. Mariner was forced off in the first half after sustaining his cork, but returned to the game shortly after when Karapani exited with his ankle injury. Maguire said Mariner should not have returned to action, but praised the young winger’s commitment to his teammates, noting that the moment reflected the tight team culture that saw Brisbane claw back from a 30-0 deficit to come within six points of a stunning upset.
“Deine probably shouldn’t have gone back out, but that’s what they’re doing for each other,” Maguire said. “I could talk about many other players, but that’s what the competition is demanding of you at the moment. Deine, straight away he jumped up and out he went. So they’re competing really hard for each other. We just needed to be smarter.”
Beyond the injury toll, Brisbane is also waiting anxiously on the outcome of potential match review committee charges, after star centre Kotoni Staggs was sent to the sin bin late in the game for an elbow to the back of Roosters winger Hugo Savala’s head. The sin bin timing proved critical for Brisbane’s comeback: with Staggs off the field, the Roosters scored eight unanswered points in the final eight minutes to seal the win. Brisbane lock Patrick Carrigan took responsibility for the team’s late collapse, admitting a loose carry that turned over possession had shifted momentum back to the Roosters just before Staggs’ sin bin.
“To be honest, that was my fault,” Carrigan said. “I made an error down in the good ball set, just a loose carry and I turned over the ball and put us on the back foot and released pressure of the game. I know ‘Tones’ (Staggs) plays aggressively but I know he wouldn’t have meant to do any harm. To be honest, I didn’t even see it until after the game, so we play a hard fast game, he made a mistake and I’m sure he’ll own that. I love when he’s playing aggressive and I love running out with him.”