Premiership winning Brisbane forward Brendan Piakura will miss the upcoming World Club Challenge in England and the opening rounds of the 2026 NRL season.
Broncos officials confirmed the Cook Islands international has undergone surgery to repair a meniscus tear suffered during pre-season training and is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks.
Still just 23, Piakura has become a mainstay of the Brisbane pack in the past two NRL seasons and featured in 21 matches under Michael Maguire in 2025, including the 26-22 victory over Melbourne in last year’s grand final.
While no setback is ever welcome, the latest knee injury marks something of a change for the hugely talented second rower following a torrid run in 2025 that saw Piakura miss multiple weeks through NRL concussion protocols, including the Round 23 match-up with the Storm after suffering a head knock at training.
The Piakura-less Broncos travel to England to meet Hull KR in the World Club Challenge on Friday 20 February (Australian time), before returning to face Penrith in their NRL season opener on Friday 6 March.
All going well, Piakura should be available for the Broncos’ Round 4 match with the Dolphins on 27 March.