Jamayne Isaako may have played last game for Brisbane Broncos in 2020
The pain of attending his dad’s funeral will be compounded for Jamayne Isaako, with the Brisbane Broncos star to spend Father’s Day in lockdown.
Broncos
Don't miss out on the headlines from Broncos. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Broncos Test star Jamayne Isaako has been left in lockdown limbo with the Brisbane flyer in the dark about whether he will play again in 2020.
Isaako is holed up in a Sydney hotel serving a mandatory two-week quarantine after returning to Australia from New Zealand and will be alone for Father’s Day on Sunday.
The New Zealand international returned to his homeland to grieve the death of his father Taai in July after a battle with cancer.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Watch every game Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Isaako was in quarantine in New Zealand for two weeks before being allowed to attend Taai’s funeral and has been forced to do the same upon returning to Australia.
With no flights available to Brisbane, Isaako returned to Sydney and is now unsure whether he will be allowed to re-enter the Broncos’ “bubble”.
Isaako, 24, has missed Brisbane’s past six games and with only three matches remaining in the 2020 season after Thursday night’s clash against Penrith at Suncorp Stadium, he is no guarantee to pull on a Broncos jersey again this year.
NRL NEWS
Crash: Why Kevvie is for the players, not the board
Broncos worried about Kevvie's horror coaching record
Broncos legends hurting Kevvie’s coaching ambitions
“It’s been a really emotional time for Jamayne,” said his manager Jim Banaghan.
“He has spent four of the past five weeks in self-isolation. He is currently stuck in a hotel in Sydney.
“I’m unsure of the process for him coming back to the Broncos. How does he come back into the bubble? Does he have to do another two weeks in isolation when he comes back to Queensland?
“He wants to go and see his family first, so that might delay him going back into the Broncos bubble.
“He hasn’t seen his wife and child in five weeks. This Sunday is Father’s Day so that will be a difficult day for Jamayne.
“He has been forced into lockdown in Sydney because he couldn’t get a flight from New Zealand to Brisbane, so the next available flight was to Sydney.
“He originally flew to Auckland and spent two weeks in lockdown in a hotel there. Then he flew down to Christchurch to attend the funeral and there was limited access to flights home.
“Jamayne is doing his best to stay positive. Football has been the last thing on his mind but he wants to come back and help the Broncos in any way he can.”
After replacing the injured Jack Bird at fullback, Isaako started the season in sensational touch, but like many Broncos players his form plummeted following the two-month COVID season suspension.
He was demoted to the bench by ex-Broncos coach Anthony Seibold at one point and was also dealing with the mental toll of his terminally ill father’s last days.
Isaako posted an emotional tribute at the time of Taai’s death before embarking on a mission to farewell his father.
“My heart is broken,” Isaako said.
“You are my rock and my hero! No words can express how much this hurts and how I’d give anything to hear your voice once more but God’s army gained another brave and lion-hearted soldier today and I know you’ll always be looking down over us.
“You put up one hell of a fight and fought right to the very end despite what anyone said or thought and now you don’t have to suffer anymore pain.
“Couldn’t have asked for a more loving and caring father. I’m so honoured to have called you my dad.
“I love you more than you’ll ever know. Till we meet again.”
Originally published as Jamayne Isaako may have played last game for Brisbane Broncos in 2020