Brisbane Broncos rugby league winger Deine Mariner is on track for one of the most remarkable comebacks in the sport’s recent history, just weeks after medical experts held genuine fears that a rare, sudden medical condition could force the amputation of his leg. The 2023 grand final hero is now eyeing a return to the field before the end of the 2024 season’s finals series, in a story defined by grit, fast-acting medical care and extraordinary good fortune.
Mariner first sustained what medical staff initially believed to be a severe bruising injury, or cork, during the Broncos’ round nine clash against the Sydney Roosters. The Samoan international was forced off the field early in the match, but returned to the pitch to cover for a teammate who suffered an injury later in the game. By the time the match concluded, Mariner was already showing clear signs of distress, but the full severity of his condition did not emerge until that night, when he was staying at the team’s Sydney hotel.
As his condition rapidly deteriorated overnight, Mariner made the critical decision to contact the Broncos’ medical staff, who immediately arranged an urgent dash to Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. By the time he arrived, he had developed acute compartment syndrome, a dangerous condition that causes dangerous pressure buildup in muscle tissue that can cut off blood flow and lead to tissue death if not treated immediately. When medics checked for a pulse in Mariner’s foot, the risk of amputation became a real possibility.
Mariner recalled the harrowing experience in an interview following his recovery: “I got rushed into surgery, so I didn’t really get to understand what was happening. All I knew was that there was a lot of pressure on my leg at the time. And I think a lot of the blood flow was starting to stop going into my leg. It would definitely be up there with the worst pain I’ve experienced. I was trying to go to sleep and I was thinking, ‘Should I call them or not?’ Then when I really started to feel a lot of pain and I couldn’t move, that’s when I was like, ‘I better call them.’”
“I didn’t even think of losing my leg as an option until I got to the hospital and they were checking for the pulse in my foot, and that’s when that stuff started coming up,” he added. “But I was like, ‘Just do the surgery so I can get it over and done with.’ When I woke up, I saw my leg still there, so I was like, ‘It’d be pretty bad if I woke up and my leg wasn’t there.’ I’m just pretty lucky to be in this position. I’m still breathing and I’m still alive. Being in ICU, I saw a lot of other people that don’t get a second chance.”
In total, Mariner underwent seven separate surgeries to save his leg. The first two procedures focused on cutting into the affected muscle tissue to release the dangerous pressure buildup. Over the following days, surgeons closed the wound gradually across five additional procedures, a process that required repeated rounds of general anesthesia.
Mariner paid tribute to the medical teams that saved his leg and his future playing career: “I wasn’t used to going back under anaesthetics for that long. It was pretty full on, but I was in such good hands. Shout out to Dr Gupta and his team at St Vincent’s Private Hospital. They were the best. I wouldn’t be able to be here today if it wasn’t for them. Even the doctors were saying they haven’t seen this happen in a player in this context before.”
Even more incredibly, Mariner’s recovery has progressed far faster than many medical observers expected. Currently recovering at home after his time in hospital, Mariner says he is targeting an eight-week timeline for his return to full training and match play, putting him on track to rejoin the Broncos squad ahead of the 2024 NRL finals.
“At the moment my leg is stuck a bit, so once that opens up, I’ll be able to start moving again. I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself to get back out there again for the Broncos,” he said. “I think we’re looking around the eight-week mark for returning to play. Obviously we’ve still got plenty more games to go, so I’ll just have to take it day by day and let the body heal itself. It gives me a bit more hunger to get back out there. At the same time, I just want to make sure that I’m doing the best for myself and putting myself in a good position for my body to heal.”
Mariner added that the overwhelming support from his club, teammates and family has helped him maintain a positive outlook through the harrowing experience: “It has been a pretty hectic couple of weeks. My leg is doing a lot better and I am back home now which helps. I’m good. It was pretty full on with everything but I had a really good support group and the club were so good to me and my family. I am in a pretty good headspace. When the time comes, I’ll be ready.”