2026 Brisbane Broncos season
NRL rugby league season
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The 2026 Brisbane Broncos season is the 39th in the club's history. Coached by Michael Maguire and captained by Adam Reynolds, the Broncos competed in the 2026 Australian National Rugby League (NRL)[1] but did not qualify for the finals.[2]
(Hull KR 30-24).
| 2026 Brisbane Broncos season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRL rank | DNQ | |||
| World Club Challenge | Lost (Hull KR 30-24). | |||
| 2026 record | Wins: 7; losses: 16 | |||
| Points scored | For: 417; against: 611 (Rd 25) | |||
| Team information | ||||
| CEO | Dave Donaghy | |||
| Head Coach | Michael Maguire | |||
| Captain | ||||
| Stadium | Suncorp Stadium | |||
| Avg. attendance | 43,764 | |||
| Agg. attendance | 218,820 | |||
| High attendance | 50,188 (Dolphins, 8 August) | |||
| Low attendance | 39,015 (Parramatta Eels, 12 March) | |||
| Top scorers | ||||
| Tries | Kotoni Staggs (7) | |||
| Goals | Adam Reynolds (20) | |||
| Points | Adam Reynolds (45) | |||
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| ||||
As the 2025 NRL premiers, they were defeated 30–24 by Hull Kingston Rovers in England in the 2026 World Club Challenge. In round 18 of the 2026 NRL season, the Broncos lost their eighth consecutive match.[3]
Season summary
Pre-season
During the off-season, the Brisbane Broncos unveiled a new club logo and updated playing kit. In February, team captain Adam Reynolds announced that the 2026 season would be his last in the NRL. Separately, forward Payne Haas informed the club of his intention to leave at the end of the season.
World Club Challenge
In February, Brisbane travelled to England to face Hull Kingston Rovers in the 2026 World Club Challenge. In a competitive match played at MKM Stadium, the Broncos were defeated 30–24, falling short in their attempt to claim the title for the first time since 2000.
Early season (Rounds 1–7)
The Broncos began their premiership defence with a heavy 26–0 loss to the Penrith Panthers in Round 1, before suffering a second consecutive defeat in a high-scoring match against the Parramatta Eels. They responded with back-to-back victories over the Melbourne Storm and Dolphins, before further wins against the Gold Coast Titans and Wests Tigers lifted their record to four wins from seven matches.
Despite these results, inconsistency remained a feature of Brisbane's early campaign, highlighted by a narrow loss to the North Queensland Cowboys. Injuries to several key players, including Reece Walsh and Payne Haas, disrupted team continuity during this period.
Squad information
- As of Round 11
Squad changes
Transfers in
| Date | Position | Player | From | Year/s | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 June 2025 | Wing | Grant Anderson | Melbourne Storm | 2 Years | [4] |
| 20 August 2025 | Halfback | Tom Duffy | North Queensland Cowboys | 1 Year | [5] |
| 14 October 2025 | Prop | Aublix Tawha | Dolphins | 2 Years | [6] |
Transfers out
| Date | Position | Player | To | Year/s | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 February 2025 | Hooker | Tyson Smoothy | Wakefield Trinity | 3 Years | [7] |
| 27 June 2025 | Wing | Selwyn Cobbo | Dolphins | 1 Year | [8] |
| 25 July 2025 | Halfback | Jock Madden | Wests Tigers | 2 Years | [9] |
| 22 September 2025 | Wing | Israel Leota | Moana Pasifika | 2 Years | [10] |
| 9 October 2025 | Lock | Kobe Hetherington | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 4 Years | [11][12] |
| 10 November 2025 | Prop | Fletcher Baker | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 1 Year | [13] |
| 2 December 2025 | Halfback | Coby Black | Canberra Raiders | 3 Years | [14][15] |
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Maguire | Head coach | |
| Matt Ballin | Assistant Coach | |
| Trent Barrett | Assistant Coach | |
| Adam Brideson | Development & Transition | |
| Cameron Smith | Mentor | |
| Dave Ballard | Head of Performance | |
| Mark Henry | Head of Physical Preparation | |
| Nick Murray | Performance & Data Insights Manager | |
| Nicholas Berlin | Performance Dietitian | |
| Troy Thomson | General Manager - Football Operations | |
| Simon Scanlan | General Manager - Recruitment & Pathways | |
World Club Challenge
Brisbane lost 24-30 to the 2025 Super League champions Hull Kingston Rovers in the 2026 World Club Challenge at MKM Stadium, England.
| Date & time | Opponent | H/A | Venue | Result | BRI | OPP | Tries | Goals | Attendance | TV | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 February, 5:30 (AEST) |  Hull Kingston Rovers |
A | MKM Stadium | Lost | 24 | 30 | Gehamat Shibasaki (2), Patrick Carrigan, Deine Mariner, Kotoni Staggs | Adam Reynolds (2/5) | 24,600 | Fox League | [16][17] |
Brisbane did not participate in the 2026 NRL Pre-season Challenge as they were in the United Kingdom contesting the 2026 World Club Challenge.[18]
Regular season
Ladder
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New Zealand Warriors (Q) |
22 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 651 | 356 | +295 | 38 | Advance to finals series |
| 2 |  Penrith Panthers (Q) |
22 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 621 | 327 | +294 | 38 | |
| 3 |  Sydney Roosters (Q) |
22 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 587 | 425 | +162 | 38 | |
| 4 |  Dolphins (Q) |
22 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 612 | 474 | +138 | 36 | |
| 5 |  Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Q) |
22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 634 | 461 | +173 | 34 | |
| 6 |  Newcastle Knights (Q) |
23 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 601 | 545 | +56 | 32 | |
| 7 |  South Sydney Rabbitohs |
22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 602 | 539 | +63 | 30 | |
| 8 |  North Queensland Cowboys |
22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 514 | 592 | −78 | 30 | |
| 9 |  Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |
22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 446 | 478 | −32 | 28 | |
| 10 |  Manly Warringah Sea Eagles |
22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 549 | 483 | +66 | 26 | |
| 11 |  Melbourne Storm (X) |
22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 524 | 536 | −12 | 24 | |
| 12 |  Canberra Raiders (X) |
23 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 531 | 596 | −65 | 24 | |
| 13 |  Parramatta Eels (X) |
22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 437 | 636 | −199 | 22 | |
| 14 |  Wests Tigers (X) |
22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 425 | 637 | −212 | 22 | |
| 15 |  Brisbane Broncos (X) |
22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 417 | 611 | −194 | 20 | |
| 16 |  Gold Coast Titans (X) |
22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 435 | 597 | −162 | 18 | |
| 17 |  St. George Illawarra Dragons (X) |
22 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 358 | 651 | −293 | 14 |
(Q) Qualified for finals series; (X) Cannot qualify for finals
Result by round
Matches
- As of Round 22
NRL Judiciary
- As of Round 9
List of all charges from the NRL Judiciary.
| Round | Player | Charge | Record | Plea | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Aublix Tawha | Dangerous Contact (Grade 1) | 2nd Offence | Guilty - early plea | $1800 fine | [30] |
| Round 3 | Kotoni Staggs | Careless High Tackle (Grade 1) | 1st Offence | Guilty - early plea | $1000 fine | |
| Round 6 | Patrick Carrigan | Careless High Tackle (Grade 2) | 2nd Offence | Guilty - early plea | 2 game suspension[31] | |
| Round 7 | Brendan Piakura | Crusher Tackle (Grade 1) | 2nd Offence | Guilty - early plea | $3000 fine | |
| Round 8 | Preston Riki | Careless High Tackle (Grade 2) | 1st Offence | Guilty - early plea | 1 game suspension[32] | |
| Round 8 | Ezra Mam | Dangerous Contact [Tripping] (Grade 1) | 1st Offence | Guilty - early plea | $1000 fine[32] | |
| Round 9 | Kotoni Staggs | Dangerous Contact (Grade 2) | 2nd Offence | Guilty - early plea | 2 game suspension[33] | |
Injuries
- As of Round 13
List of all injuries sustained during the 2026 season.
| Round | Player | Injury | Length | Status | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 2 | Jack Gosiewski | Concussion (Category 1) | 17 days | Recovered | |
| Adam Reynolds | Rib Cartilage | 15 days | Recovered | ||
| Round 3 | Payne Haas | Shoulder | 15 days | Recovered | [34] |
| Round 3 (QLD Cup) | Delouise Hoeter | Broken Fibula, Syndesmosis | 10-12 weeks | Active | [35] |
| Round 4 | Grant Anderson | MCL (Grade 3), Fractured Tibial Plateau | 71 days | Recovered | [36] |
| Round 5 | Reece Walsh | Fractured Cheekbone | 28 days | Recovered | [37] |
| Ben Hunt | MCL (Grade 3) | 35 days | Recovered | [38] | |
| Adam Reynolds | Adductor Longus strain (Grade 2) | 14 days | Recovered | [38] | |
| Round 5 (QLD Cup) | Aublix Tawha | Broken Eye Socket | 22 days | Recovered | [39] |
| Round 6 | Blake Mozer | Broken Jaw | 50 days | Recovered | [40] |
| Cory Paix | Concussion (Category 1) | 14 days | Recovered | [41] | |
| Round 7 | Payne Haas | MCL (Grade 3) | 43 days | Recovered | [42] |
| Kotoni Staggs | Plantar Fascia strain | 6 days | Recovered | [42] | |
| Jesse Arthars | Interosseous Membrane tear | 14 days | Recovered | [42] | |
| Corey Jensen | Pulmonary Embolism | Unknown | Active | [42] | |
| Round 8 | Brendan Piakura | LCL | 37 days | Recovered | [43] |
| Round 9 | Deine Mariner | Acute Compartment Syndrome (right thigh) | Unknown | Active | [44] |
| Round 9 | Adam Reynolds | Concussion (Category 1) | 15 days | Recovered | |
| Round 11 | Jordan Riki | Plantar Fascia | 25 days | Recovered | [45] |
| Round 13 | Pat Carrigan | Syndesmosis | 6 weeks | Active | [46] |
| Round 13 | Gehamat Shibasaki | MCL (Grade 2) | 5-6 weeks | Active | [47] |
Jerseys
          Home |
     Away |
In July 2025, Brisbane Broncos extended its ASICS footwear and apparel partnership agreement.[48]
In November 2025, the Broncos announced a logo change, to take immediate effect.[49] The modern new logo features the iconic Bronco, forward-facing, at its heart, a shield nodding to the original 1988 logo, and the Brisbane River flowing through the mark.
- Home
Launched alongside a club-wide logo change, the 2026 home jersey features the modernized forward-facing Bronco emblem inside a shield that pays homage to the original 1988 design. The jersey maintains the traditional deep maroon base with gold accents, produced by ASICS following a partnership extension in July 2025.
- Away
Launched alongside the home strip and logo change, the 2026 away jersey is a jersey dedicated to club icon Cyril Connell Jr..
- Heritage
The 2026 heritage jersey is a throwback to the 2006 season, marking the 20th anniversary of the club's sixth premiership. The design replicates the aesthetic worn during the 2006 Grand Final.
- WCC
Created for the club's return to the world stage against Hull KR, the 2026 World Club Challenge jersey is a celebratory "Clash of Champions" strip. It features a unique pattern of chevrons inspired by the 1997 World Club Challenge winning jersey and includes a seventh premiership mark on the back of the neck to commemorate the 2025 title. The traditional Broncos maroon and gold is reimagined with Premiers Gold befitting of champions. The white as well as the inclusion of a collar are subtle nods to the away jersey worn in the 2025 NRL Grand Final.
Milestone games
- As of Round 10
| Round | Player | Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| World Club Challenge | Aublix Tawha | Broncos Debut |
| Round 1 | Aublix Tawha | Broncos NRL Debut |
| Round 3 | Grant Anderson | Broncos Debut |
| Round 4 | Corey Jensen | 150 NRL Games |
| Deine Mariner | 50 NRL Games | |
| Round 5 | Kotoni Staggs | 150 NRL Games |
| Reece Walsh | 100 NRL Games | |
| Antonio Verhoeven | NRL Debut | |
| Round 6 | Jesse Arthars | 100 NRL Games |
| Tom Duffy | Broncos Debut, 1st NRL Field Goal | |
| Round 7 | Cameron Bukowski | NRL Debut |
| Hayze Perham | Broncos Debut | |
| Round 8 | Preston Riki | Broncos Debut |
| Va'a Semu | NRL Debut | |
| Round 10 | Antonio Verhoeven | 1st NRL Try |
Player statistics
- As of Round 9
Players with no appearances are not included on the list.
| Player | Games | Tries | Goals | Field goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Anderson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jesse Arthars | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Cameron Bukowski | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Patrick Carrigan |
8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Tom Duffy | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 19 |
| Jack Gosiewski | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Payne Haas |
7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Ben Hunt |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaiyden Hunt | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey Jensen | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Karapani | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Ezra Mam | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Deine Mariner |
10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Blake Mozer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cory Paix | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Hayze Perham | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Brendan Piakura |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adam Reynolds | 8 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 45 |
 Jordan Riki |
10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Preston Riki | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Rogers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gehamat Shibasaki |
9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Va'a Semu | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kotoni Staggs |
10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 30 |
| Ben Talty | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Aublix Tawha | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antonio Verhoeven | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reece Walsh |
7 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 28 |
| Xavier Willison |
10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 29 players used | 10 | 41 | 34 | 2 | 234 |
Representative honours
This table lists all players who have played a representative match in 2026.
| Player | All Stars[50] | State of Origin 1 | State of Origin 2 | State of Origin 3 | Internationals/World Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse Arthars | Māori | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a |
| Preston Riki | Māori | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a |
Timeline
Pre-season
- 6 November 2025 - Broncos confirm the 2026 World Club Challenge against Hull KR, to be played at MKM Stadium.[51]
- 11 November 2025 - Broncos confirm Coby Black will depart the club at the end of the 2026 season.[52]
- 25 November 2025 - Broncos announce a new club logo, replacing the old logo effective immediately.[49]
- 25 November 2025 - Broncos announce their 2026 Away jersey, in a design in honour of Cyril Connell Jr..[53]
- 2 December 2025 - Broncos release Black effective immediately, to join Canberra Raiders.[14]
- 13 December 2025 - it was reported the following players would join the NRL squad during the preseason on train and trial contracts: Jamal Shibasaki, Preston Riki, Mason Teague, Luke Gale, Kane Bradley.[54]
- 20 January 2026 - Brendan Piakura suffers a meniscus tear at training, with an 8 week return expected.[55]
- 5 February 2026 - Broncos announce 20-man squad to travel to England for WCC, featuring recruits Aublix Tawha and Grant Anderson. Blake Mozer and Jack Gosiewski return from injury.[56]
- 8 February 2026 - Payne Haas and his management advise the Broncos that he will depart the club at the end of 2026.[57]
- 9 February 2026 - Broncos announce their 2026 WCC jersey.[58]
- 9 February 2026 - 2025 Premiership winning captain Adam Reynolds announces he will retire at the end of the 2026 season.[59]
Season
- 16 March 2026 - Broncos launch 2026 Heritage jersey.[60]
- 17 March 2026 - Broncos name Piakura to return from injury and Anderson to make his club debut in Round 3.[61]
- 24 March 2026 - Broncos announce assistant coach Ben Te'o has resigned from his position.[62]
- 28 March 2026 - Broncos confirm Josiah Karapani received a Queensland Police Service infringement notice for the offence of ‘Public Nuisance’ and a banning notice in Fortitude Valley.[63]
- 31 March 2026 - Broncos re-sign Cory Paix until the end of the 2028 season.[64]
- 31 March 2026 - Broncos extend Antonio Verhoeven to a 3-year contract from 2027.[65]
- 31 March 2026 - Broncos stand Josiah Karapani down for one match.[66]
- 12 April 2026 - Broncos grant Ben Te Kura a six-week absence, to undertake NFL training.[67]
- 15 April 2026 - Off-contract Ben Hunt's management advise the club of his desire to play on in 2027.[68]
- 16 April 2026 - Broncos sign New Zealand Warriors captain Mitch Barnett for 2027 on a 3-year deal and agree to release Anderson to the Warriors from 2027.[69]
- 17 April 2026 - Broncos re-sign Phillip Coates for the 2027 season.[70]
NRLQ (Under 21's)
NRLQ is an Under 21's competition for the 4 Queensland based NRL sides, launched by the NRL in partnership with the Queensland Rugby League.[71] This year, the format has been expanded to be a 12-round home-and-away round robin competition with the top 2 teams to compete as the Grand Final.[72]
Former Broncos NRL captain Darius Boyd is the side's NRLQ Head Coach in 2026.[73]
| First team squad | Coaching staff | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manager
Head coach
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