Broncos injury crisis: 13 key men missing as Haas suffers Origin blow

The Broncos are scrambling to cover an injury crisis which has claimed 11 victims, with marquee prop Payne Haas set to miss the State of Origin series opener.

Haas is expected to miss six to eight weeks after suffering an MCL issue in Brisbane’s 21-20 triumph of Wests Tigers, a blow which rules him out for New South Wales when they start their campaign on May 27.

Jesse Arthars (leg) and Kotoni Staggs (foot) have also been sent to an overflowing casualty ward, with no timeline given on their returns.

Those setbacks led coach Michael Maguire to declare the Saturday night win was among the finest he had experienced in his career.

“We had so much going on, but the way I’ve seen the group developing through the periods of what they’ve faced over the 16 months I’ve been here, that’s the character I see amongst all the madness that might go on around the team,” Maguire said.

Meanwhile, Haas’ front-row partner Corey Jensen also remains in hospital after scans revealed he had sustained a pulmonary embolism.

Maguire faces one of the most gruelling challenges of his career simply assembling a team for Friday’s clash with the Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium, with Reece Walsh (cheekbone), Ben Hunt, Grant Anderson (MCL), Aublix Tawha (fractured eye socket), Blake Mozer (jaw) and Delouise Hoeter (leg) victims during this injury-plagued period.

Pat Carrigan will also serve the final week of his two-game suspension for a careless high tackle charge, while Billy Walters continues to recover from a ruptured ACL suffered during last year’s finals series. Prop Ben Te Kura has also been released for six-weeks to take up an opportunity with the NFL’s Gold Coast-based academy. 

Even with hooker Cory Paix due to return from a concussion lay-off, it leaves Maguire short on options, presenting opportunities for developing prospects Antonio Verhoeven, VJ Semu and Cameron Bukowski – a trio who combined for just 72 minutes of NRL experience.

Verhoeven, who moved to the Gold Coast’s Palm Beach Currumbin from New Zealand for his final year of school, has impressed as a winger and centre for Wynnum Manly in the Queensland Cup this year – scoring five tries in as many games while making seven linebreaks.

He made his NRL debut off the bench for Brisbane against the Titans, running for 74 metres in a 41-minute stint, and now looms as the last man standing to replace Staggs.

Semu now appears destined to earn his maiden NRL minutes following Haas’ setback, while Bukowski made a 31-minute cameo against the Tigers with hookers Paix, Hunt, Mozer and Walters all injured.

Hayze Perham, who earned his first minutes as a Bronco in the win against the Tigers – running for 58 metres in a 24-minute stint, after missing all of last season with a ruptured ACL – and looms as the likely fullback replacement for Arthars.

Skipper Adam Reynolds stressed the fact his side were able to overcome the injury toll to defeat a high-flying Tigers, who had risen to equal top of the ladder and were playing at home, should encourage the remaining members of the squad they could keep their premiership defence on track.

“It certainly builds belief, it gives a lot of belief to everyone in the squad – it doesn’t matter who’s in a jersey, you’ve got a job to do,” Reynolds said.

“Our depth is being tested at the moment. It sounds like we’re going to need it again, but it builds a lot of belief.”

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