NRL 2022: Broncos star Herbie Farnworth’s season all but over; Reynolds, Haas prepare for Storm
The Broncos have taken a huge hit on the eve of their clash with arch rival Melbourne, but there is a key factor at Red Hill which will do wonders for their confidence.
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Boom centre Herbie Farnworth is likely to miss the season but a group of senior Broncos are bracing themselves to crash through the pain barrier this week against arch rival Melbourne.
Farnworth is off for surgery on a ruptured biceps muscle and while there is no date set for his return his season could be over with the recovery period tipped at three to four months.
“Herbie has sustained a ruptured biceps and will undergo surgery and be out for an extended period,’’ said Broncos head of performance Dave Ballard.
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“The club will provide all the help and support he needs in that period.’’
Farnworth’s absence during the State of Origin period is a double blow because his English heritage means he would not be part of the series and be available each week for the Broncos.
Hooker Cory Paix copped the next most serious injury in the Broncos bruising win over Canberra on Saturday with a strained knee ligament that will sideline him for 4-6 weeks.
But, in more positive news, several other key players were cleared of major damage and their progress will be monitored at training before a side is named to face the Storm in Melbourne on Friday.
Alarm bells were ringing in the Broncos camp after the brutal encounter with Canberra but the injury toll may not be as disruptive as first feared and the depth in the squad is greater than in previous seasons.
“Payne Haas had an x-ray on his shoulder which came back clear and we will assess him over the coming days before making a decision. It’s a similar situation for Adam Reynolds who has sustained an injury to his rib and will prepare to take on the Storm.
“Te Maire Martin and Corey Oates both had clear scans and will report for training on Monday. Kotoni Stagg has been cleared of any major damage after he sustained a corked shoulder in Wednesday night’s Origin and will continue his rehab in preparation to play on Friday.’’
The Broncos have displayed exceptional form and class to conjure a seven match winning streak and coach Kevin Walters now faces a question over whether to prioritise short or long term goals.
With both of his shoulders injured in recent weeks Haas may benefit from a rest but he will also be keen to play to ensure he is available for NSW for the second Origin match in Perth.
Rib injuries can be notoriously painful to play with and the Broncos must decide whether it is worth sending their captain Reynolds into battle with the assistance of pain-killers or rest him to ensure his fitness for the last half of the season.
Origin players Kurt Capewell and Selwyn Cobbo are expected to return against the Storm.
Brisbane lie fourth on the premiership ladder and have firmed into $14 to win the premiership.
The Melbourne match is seen as a litmus test to their progress for the Storm have long been Brisbane’s bogey team.
The Broncos have won just 13 of 50 games against the Storm stretching back to 1998 and lost their last two outings last year 40-12 and 40-6.
The Broncos are, however, a much more formidable foe this season and their defence, so ragged in recent seasons, has improved greatly. Losing to Melbourne on Friday would not be a hammer blow to Brisbane’s season given how much they were softened up by the Canberra assault.
Broncos’ heroic victory soured by savage injury toll
Kevin Walters declared it one of the bravest wins in Broncos’ history but gun centre Herbie Farnworth could miss the remainder of the season following Brisbane’s heroic victory against the Raiders.
The “Braveheart Broncos” overcame an injury triple whammy on Saturday night to down Canberra 24-18 and equal a milestone last achieved in Brisbane’s 2015 grand final season.
On a night of high drama at Suncorp Stadium, the Broncos lost their three best players in Payne Haas (shoulder), Adam Reynolds (ribs) and Farnworth (biceps) but managed to record their seventh straight win.
The Broncos haven’t won so many consecutive games since 2015 – the year they last appeared in the NRL grand final, famously losing to the Cowboys in extra-time.
Finishing the game with no fit players on the bench, the victory was one of the gutsiest in Brisbane’s 34-year history and solidified the Broncos’ top four position after 14 rounds.
But it may have come at a cost. Already missing Origin stars Kotoni Staggs (shoulder) and Selwyn Cobbo (soreness), more injuries have put a dent in coach Kevin Walters’ Red Hill revolution.
“In my time as a player and on the staff, I can’t remember a team that’s had so many injuries,” Walters said. “It was a great effort by everyone. We just ran out of troops at the end.
“There’s a whole host of guys who are really busted. Canberra was physical and we’re wearing the consequences of that now.
“We’ll be doing whatever we can to get them on the field (against Melbourne next week) but there’s going to be four, five or six missing.
“I’m really happy with where we are. Seven in a row is great but we haven’t really won anything yet. We have to keep this club moving forward.”
BRONCOS COP INJURIES
After scoring a double, Farnworth’s season could be over due to a serious biceps injury which saw the in-form centre leave the field with 19 minutes to go.
Haas has been carrying a problem in his left shoulder for weeks but it was the AC joint in his right shoulder that took him out of the game after 28 minutes.
With Origin II a fortnight away, Haas’ fitness could have a major bearing on NSW’s chances of levelling the series in Perth.
Reynolds has suffered groin and hamstring injuries in recent weeks and was left with busted ribs after being crunched numerous times by the Raiders. The brave skipper soldiered on before succumbing in the 59th minute with the Broncos leading 24-18.
Hooker Cory Paix (knee) and fullback Te Maire Martin (ribs) also finished the game busted, but Reynolds is the key man for the Broncos.
“I’m pretty sore,” Reynolds said. “I’ll get scans and see how we go. I think I’ll be fine for next week, the (pain-killing) needles are pretty good.
“We pride ourselves on our performances and we weren’t going to give up. That toughness is what Kev and the coaching staff have been trying to instil in us.
“I didn’t want to come from the field but I was struggling to do my job. I’m glad the boys could hold on and get the job done.”
Lock Pat Carrigan was sensational on the back of his dream Origin debut, registering 15 runs for 159m and 44 tackles in a tireless performance, and was superbly supported by Tom Flegler (17 runs, 168m).
MAM OH MAM
The Broncos have found the Mam to wear the club’s No. 6 jersey for years to come.
Ezra Mam, 19, has the natural spark needed in a five-eighth and has made an impressive start to his NRL career.
His sharp left-footed step to open scoring for the Broncos was all class and Mam has also shown he has the ability to service his backline after a superb offload for Farnworth’s second try.
Mam can spend the next three seasons being mentored by Reynolds in what is the perfect scenario for his development and the Broncos.
RAIDERS MISS A TRICK
Ricky Stuart’s Raiders have found form in the past month with four wins in five matches, but this is a game they should have won.
The Broncos were running on empty with a six-point lead with 15 minutes to go and ripe for the picking.
But Canberra couldn’t land the killer blow despite dominating possession and field position and will remain outside the top eight.
“It was a tough game,” Stuart said. “I’ve been around long enough to know in these tight games you need a little bit of luck and we played without a bit of luck tonight.
“It was a tough effort by the boys to hang in there. It would have been a great win for us if a couple of things went our way.
“We made a couple of silly errors with the footy from trying too hard. They don’t give up.”
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Originally published as NRL 2022: Broncos star Herbie Farnworth’s season all but over; Reynolds, Haas prepare for Storm
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