NRL Injury Crisis: How the Broncos have put their Las Vegas hangover and injury crisis behind them

The Dolphins have accumulated more weeks injured by players in their starting 13 than any other side, but still side in the top four on the NRL ladder. INTERACTIVE CLUB-BY-CLUB INJURY LIST

NRL 2024 RD09 BRISBANE BRONCOS V SYDNEY ROOSTERS - ADAM REYNOLDS, INJURY

Kevin Walters believes the Broncos were suffering a Las Vegas hangover and has outlined how he plans to overcome the NRL’s injury crisis and ensure Brisbane charges to grand final redemption this year.

The Broncos will be gunning for six wins from their past seven matches when they host the Titans at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

A win could push the Broncos into the NRL’s top four for the first time this season heading into next weekend’s Origin bye.

On the back of last year’s gutting grand final loss to Penrith, the Broncos were slow out of the blocks this season with only two wins from their opening five games.

But they have since kicked into gear, overcoming persistent injuries to key players to rocket to the cusp of the top four nearing the halfway point of the season.

Walters said the Broncos didn’t handle the NRL’s inaugural Vegas venture well and have been fighting to find form since the round 1 loss to the Roosters in the US.

“The NRL is tough and the overseas trip took it out of the four clubs,” he said.

“It was very taxing, but worth the exercise for the NRL.

“We’re starting to get through it now and defending well.

“We’re getting the wins and also doing a lot of good things. There’s a lot of positivity in the group.

“A lot of the time we’ve had to play with different spines and new players coming in and out.

“I’ve been impressed with our grittiness. We’ve just got to get some combinations going.”

A statistical analysis of the NRL’s injury crisis has revealed the Broncos have been one of the hardest hit teams, having lost at least nine of their best starting 13 players for various periods.

Adam Reynolds is just one star Broncos who has been hit by injury this year.

Captain Adam Reynolds has already missed five games and will be out for another two months while Reece Walsh (three games) and Payne Haas (five) have also been sidelined.

Throw Selwyn Cobbo, Jesse Arthars, Ezra Mam, Deine Mariner, Brendan Piakura and Jordan Riki into the mix and consistency has been tough to obtain with 24 games missed between the top-liners.

With the game’s injury problems showing no signs of abating, how Walters manages his squad could be the difference between Brisbane snapping an 18-year title drought this season or falling short again.

The likes of Walsh, Haas, Cobbo and Pat Carrigan are certain Origin selections and Walters said he was hoping to rest his gun players in the back end of the season to ensure they are firing when the finals roll around.

Kotoni Staggs is out this week after fracturing a rib in Round 11. Suffered it in the 1st half but played out the game - tough effort ++

Expected to be available for the Broncos next game in Round 14 & could even be an outside chance at being available for Origin 1 if required. pic.twitter.com/XcNUi3jb5U

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) May 21, 2024

“Everyone has injuries. Some have been hit a bit harder than others but there’s a lot of big names not on the field,” he said.

“The depth of your squad is really important. It is every year, but this year even more.

“It’s up to each week and the individual. I’d be keen to rest them at the back end, more than the front. It will depend how the games go. We will assess each player individually.

“We need to have a smart mindset around the time of the year and not burning our players out.”

Walters rested the bulk of his best team in the final regular season match last year and the Broncos came out sizzling in the play-offs, smashing Melbourne 26-0 and the Warriors 42-12 before surrendering a big lead to the Panthers in the grand final.

Originally published as NRL Injury Crisis: How the Broncos have put their Las Vegas hangover and injury crisis behind them