Defending National Rugby League premiers the Brisbane Broncos are facing an unprecedented injury crisis following their narrow one-point victory over the Wests Tigers in Campbelltown on Saturday night, with one of the sport’s biggest stars ruled out of the upcoming State of Origin series opener.
Prop forward Payne Haas, widely regarded as the best forward in global rugby league, was forced off the field in the first half of Saturday’s clash after suffering a knock to his knee. Early assessments from club medical staff ruled him out of the remainder of the match immediately, and follow-up scans conducted in the days after the game confirmed the worst-case scenario: a full tear of his medial collateral ligament, classified as a Grade 3 MCL sprain.
Medical experts confirm the injury will not require surgical intervention, as the MCL has strong natural healing potential. Haas will instead wear a locked knee brace that can be adjusted to different ranges of motion to support optimal recovery, according to sports physiotherapy specialists. Current projections place his recovery timeline at 6 to 8 weeks on the sidelines, which will see him miss the opening State of Origin match between New South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons scheduled for May 27.
The injury is a double blow for the Blues, who already lost Manly Warringah Sea Eagles superstar Tom Trbojevic to a hamstring injury last week. Trbojevic is also expected to miss up to two months of play, leaving the interstate representative side severely depleted ahead of the annual series.
For Brisbane, Haas’ injury is just the start of a grim medical update released by the club on Monday. The defending premiers already entered Saturday’s match with a lengthy injury and suspension list: star fullback Reece Walsh, playmaker Ben Hunt, hooker Blake Mozer, winger Grant Anderson and five-eighth Billy Walters were already sidelined with injuries, while hardworking lock Pat Carrigan is still serving a one-match suspension that will keep him out of Brisbane’s next fixture.
The new round of injuries leaves Brisbane incredibly thin on the ground for their upcoming Friday night showdown against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. In addition to Haas, the club confirmed three more key players have picked up significant injuries in the Campbelltown clash. Center Kotoni Staggs was diagnosed with a plantar fascia strain, while winger Jesse Arthars suffered a tear to his interosseous membrane. Both players are currently working with Brisbane’s medical team to map out their rehabilitation and confirm potential return-to-play timelines, which have not yet been finalized.
The most serious of the new injuries is prop Corey Jensen, who underwent scans after Saturday’s game that detected a pulmonary embolism. Jensen remains hospitalized for treatment, and while his recovery timeline is still unclear at this early stage, the club confirmed he is expected to miss at least several weeks of competition as he recovers.
The full extent of Brisbane’s injury crisis has left the NRL community shocked, with the defending premiers facing one of their most challenging stretches in recent memory as they navigate a stacked schedule without nearly half of their starting side.