NRL 2024: Va’a Semu on cusp of Broncos debut following Brendan Piakura’s Maroons training mishap

The Broncos may have to turn to a teen clone of Payne Haas after Brendan Piakura became the latest player to join Brisbane’s bursting casualty ward. See the exclusive picture.

Brendan Piakura.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters may have to turn to a teen clone of Blues star Payne Haas after Brendan Piakura became the latest player to join Brisbane’s bursting casualty ward.

Young gun Va’a Semu is on the cusp of making his NRL debut after Piakura sustained an ankle injury during a physical Queensland Origin training session in Camp Maroon on Thursday.

The Broncos back-rower has been part of Queensland’s extended squad and was running with the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls during an opposed session when he was brought down awkwardly by a Maroons teammate and immediately clutched at his troublesome right ankle.

After being assessed by Queensland medical staff, Piakura left the field and had ice applied to the ankle, taking no further part in the session.

Piakura was set to be released from Camp Maroon to take part in Brisbane’s captain’s run on Friday ahead of Saturday night’s clash with the Dragons at Suncorp Stadium.

Brendan Piakura’s right ankle is heavily strapped.

However he now looks set to miss the game, giving Walters another headache as he searches for ways to snap Brisbane’s five-game losing streak.

Already missing a string of players including captain Adam Reynolds, Jock Madden and Fletcher Baker – along with Origin quartet Pat Carrigan, Reece Walsh, Selwyn Cobbo and Haas – an injury to Piakura is far from ideal for the Broncos.

Walters, spectating from the sideline when Piakura went down, was only able to name a squad of 20 players for the Dragons game, which could now see 18th man Semu elevated to make his NRL debut.

A 194cm, 110kg prop, the Broncos have high hopes for Semu after handing him a development contract following 14 games in the Hostplus Cup this year.

And he could be fast-tracked into the top grade this weekend after Walters assesses his options on Friday morning at Red Hill.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters with Payne Haas clone, Va’a Semu. Picture: Supplied.

Semu’s coach at Souths Logan Karmichael Hunt, himself a former Broncos teenage star, is a huge fan of the Magpies monster.

Semu has been handed a development deal by the Broncos and Hunt says the 194cm, 110kg front-rower has a big future in the game.

“He’s a promising young front-rower,” Hunt said of Semu.

“He is a big, strong ball-carrier with a good engine. He is pretty sound defensively for a big guy.

“There’s still plenty of growth in his game to come and he is also a really great humble kid.”

The Maroons continued their first opposed session after Piakura left the field and winger Valentine Holmes said it didn’t look good for the Broncos forward.

“I saw him hobbling when he played the ball,” he said.

“It looked like he hurt his ankle a bit.”