NRL 2022: 16 Brisbane Broncos players and three staff members test positive for Covid

The Broncos have been completely decimated by Covid but the playing group has promised the chaos won’t derail the club’s premiership fightback.

Brendan Piakura at Broncos training . Pic Annette Dew

The Broncos have vowed to not let Covid derail their NRL premiership fightback after nearly half of Brisbane’s squad and coach Kevin Walters was banned from pre-season training.

Sixteen of Brisbane’s 38 players, along with three football staff, have tested positive to Covid, leaving a skeleton squad to hit the training paddock at Red Hill on Thursday for the first session of the year.

The NRL has been hit hard by Covid, with more than 100 players across the game testing positive and some clubs having up to 20 currently sidelined.

The Gold Coast Titans have nine infections while the North Queensland Cowboys have 10 players isolating.

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The Broncos had at least four players contract the virus over Christmas, before a full round of testing on Tuesday uncovered 19 infections.

Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said the entire squad and football staff had been double-vaccinated.

“Our main concern is the health, safety and wellbeing of our players and staff, and we are fully focused on ensuring they are looked after while isolating,” he said.

“The Covid testing measures are in place to protect our people and our program and these results show that the system is working.

Brendan Piakura was one of the first Broncos to contract the virus. Picture: Liam Kidston

“These cases have been picked up early, allowing us to deal with them promptly and effectively, and then move forward with our pre-season.

“We’ve taken a proactive approach to managing this challenge, which will have many turns over the coming season. Our goal as a club is to tackle each challenge as they arise.

“As the spread of Covid grows across the community, we will continue to work closely with our players, staff, the NRL and the Queensland Government.”

As per government directions, the players and staff are required to self-isolate for at least seven days before commencing the NRL’s return to play protocols.

Young forward Pat Carrigan tested positive over the break but has already completed his isolation period and was present at training.

Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy. Picture: Zak Simmonds

But the likes of NSW Origin star Payne Haas, Penrith recruit Kurt Capewell, Queensland forward Tom Flegler and centre Herbie Farnworth were absent from training.

After back-to-back bottom four finishes, the Broncos were hoping for a perfect pre-season to launch their 2022 fightback.

But like every other club in the NRL, they are facing a turbulent summer and more uncertainty when the premiership kicks off in March.

Veteran winger Corey Oates said the Broncos had to adapt and deal with any curveballs that come their way this year.

“The world’s changed quickly and we’ve got to adapt now,” he said.

“I love the NFL and have been watching a fair bit of that. They’ve had to adapt really well to it. They test every day, players are in and out, games are moved.

“It’s about adapting. We’ve done it well the last few years. It’s another hurdle to get over.

“We’ve got to work with the governments with the rules and do what we can to keep our game going and everyone safe.

“Last year everyone thought it was getting better and then we’ve just been smacked with another one (variant).

“It’s just all about adapting. Whatever the NRL decides to do, we’ve got to deal with it and move on.

“Everyone is dealing with the same thing. We aren’t special people with special treatment.”

The Broncos players and staff that have tested positive are double-vaccinated and most asymptomatic, with the club confirming none are seriously ill.

Pat Carrigan tested positive for Covid-19. Picture: Annette Dew

But they are still required to follow stringent protocols before returning to the club and will be subjected to daily testing for the foreseeable future.

The likes of star Rabbitohs recruit Adam Reynolds, Kotoni Staggs, Tyson Gamble and Albert Kelly were present at training on Thursday, giving the Broncos time to work on crucial playmaking combinations.

“It’s pretty lucky our halves combinations are still together,” Oates said.

“The blokes that have come in have jelled really well. They fit in straight away.

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“It is unfortunate this has happened and we’ve got a couple out, but they’ve adapted well to the way we play.

“We could lose a half here and there but we’ve got to deal with it. There’s not much we can do.

“If we stick to the same structures and way the coaches want to play, it shouldn’t matter a lot.”

The Broncos have five weeks to get their combinations firing before they begin playing pre-season trials in mid-February.

Covid RUNS RAMPANT ON EVE OF PRE-SEASON

The NRL has been flooded with positive cases on the eve of pre-season training resuming on Thursday, prompting the league to implement new restrictions.

Players and football staff will be subjected to daily rapid Covid tests upon arrival at training, with anyone testing positive to be immediately separated from the group and sent for PCR testing.

Exact figures are unknown but at least 50 players across the code are understood to be currently isolating due to either testing positive or being deemed a close contact of a Covid infection.

The Redcliffe-based Warriors have been severely affected with a number of players currently stranded in NSW and Victoria after travelling over the Christmas break.

The players have either tested positive or been deemed close contacts interstate, meaning they cannot return to Queensland.

The Warriors have reportedly been severely affected.

The NRL’s nine Sydney-based clubs have been hit hard by the NSW Covid outbreak, with one expecting a skeleton crew of less than 20 players to return for the resumption of the pre-season after more than 10 players tested positive.

Almost every Sydney based club has at least one active case and will start the preseason with both players and officials locked away in isolation.

Western Sydney teams have been among the hardest hit with the Eels, Tigers and Panthers registering a significant number of Covid cases or close contacts.

While results are still being returned after players and officials were tested on Tuesday, the Panthers are predicting that up to 25 per cent of their football department will be forced into isolation.

The Tigers have been heavily hit with more than 10 players testing positive since Christmas.

The Panthers have been hit hard.

The Eels are still awaiting full results but there have been suggestions that 10 players could be prevented from returning this week.

The NRL is expected to give the clubs the go-head to return on Thursday despite the spate of positive tests and close contact cases.

“Penrith Panthers can confirm a significant number of the club’s NRL players and staff are currently self-isolating and will not be available for the recommencement of pre-season training this week,” the Panthers said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“The affected players and staff have either tested positive for COVID-19 or been identified as a close contact of a positive case.

“These individuals will only return to training after receiving clearance in accordance with NRL and NSW Government protocols.

“The club respects the privacy of the affected players and staff, and will be making no further comment on the matter at this time.”

The virus has not been restricted to Western Sydney with the Cronulla Sharks reporting up to five cases in the playing group.