Brisbane Broncos suffer major injury blow

The Brisbane Broncos have suffered a significant blow to their outside backs ahead of Round 1 of the 2025 NRL season.

After picking up a quad injury in their final pre-season match against the Canterbury Bulldogs, the Broncos have confirmed that Kotoni Staggs will spend the opening rounds on the sidelines and could spend up to six weeks out with injury.

Leaving the field early in the match, Staggs was always racing the clock to be fit for the opening round, but scans have revealed a more significant problem than what was initially thought.

"Kotoni has picked up a quad injury and had a scan yesterday - he'll spend the next 4-6 weeks with our rehab staff," Broncos Head of Performance Dave Ballard said on Tuesday.

"We know he'll be doing everything he can to get back on the paddock and has already begun that rehab program today."

A former representative of the NSW Blues, Staggs' absence is set to see Deine Mariner and Gehamat Shibasaki form the centre's pairing. The latter has been a bolter for the squad and impressed Michael Maguire during the pre-season.

"I said it was about performing at training and Gem has done a great job. He has been around first grade before and is not a pup," Maguire said per AAP on Shibasaki.

"He's got a bit of game experience under his belt and credit to him he has got himself really fit and performing at training so I've given him an opportunity."

Playmaker Jock Madden has also been ruled out of selection for Round 1 against the Sydney Roosters, but in some good news, star front-rower Payne Haas remains on track for the opening match and is set to play.

Former North Queensland Cowboys back-rower Jack Gosiewski remains in NRL concussion protocols.