Uncapped hooker Cameron Bukowski is poised to be the beneficiary of an alarming Broncos injury crisis, as coach Michael Maguire grapples with the loss of all four of the club’s top 30 contracted dummy-halves.
Bukowski was initially named to line up for Wynnum Manly in their Queensland Cup clash with the Blackhawks in Townsville, but did not feature less than 24 hours after both Cory Paix and Blake Mozer were sidelined in Brisbane’s 35-31 defeat to the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday.
Paix was removed for a head injury assessment, one which was deemed category one by the independent doctor and rules him out of next week’s clash with the Tigers due to the NRL’s 11-day stand down policy. But the decision left Maguire and Broncos medical staff perplexed.
“That in itself is something we’re going to have to review. Paixy ran off, passed the test and got a cat-one – I don’t quite get that,” Maguire said.
“Paixy will be fine for next week, he ran off and was ready to run back out again. It was an external call, so I’ll go through the right channels with the doctors and review that one.
“Talking to Paixy, he can’t believe it himself.”
Mozer, playing his first NRL game since round 27 in 2024, then suffered a broken jaw – an injury he also sustained last year – when he connected with Jason Taumalolo’s shoulder attempting to tackle the Cowboys juggernaut. He is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.
Given Ben Hunt and Billy Walters are both recovering from knee injuries already, Bukowski – signed on a development deal – would suddenly become the last hooker standing should Paix be officially ruled out.
But both Maguire and vice-captain Pat Carrigan backed the 20-year-old as ready to debut.
“I think so, I’ve had a good conversation with a few of the boys, and one thing at our club that we’re pretty proud of is the next man up [mentality],” Maguire said.
“Cam’s been battling away and fighting and working hard in the background at training, so an opportunity might be around the corner for him.”
“In the middle you’re obviously going to get targeted, but he gets a pretty good apprenticeship with Payno [Payne Haas] and Xavier Willison – big boys who are running at him,” Carrigan added.
“Obviously, our backs are against the wall a little bit, we’re not getting much luck in terms of injuries, but we pride ourselves on the work we put in … and if he gets an opportunity I’m really excited to get to run out with him.
“He would’ve worked his whole life to get an NRL debut, and if that’s to be we’ll do our best to support him.”
While Bukowski is yet to truly show off his attacking guile in 2026, last year proved a breakout campaign for the rising star, who was extended on a development contract by the Broncos.
The Villanova College product managed 23 games in his first full season of senior rugby league last year, scoring seven tries while coming up with seven try assists. His defence has been strong since his 2024 Queensland Cup debut, averaging 35 tackles a game this season while missing just five.
Should he garner selection for Brisbane’s clash with the Tigers, Bukowski will receive a golden opportunity to prove he warrants a top-squad deal, at a time when fan favourite Walters faces uncertainty.
Walters was the heartbreak story of 2025, starring for the Broncos at five-eighth and off the bench only to suffer a ruptured ACL in their qualifying final triumph of the Canberra Raiders.
The 32-year-old is not expected to return until around August, and comes off contract at the end of the campaign.
Hunt has indicated he is leaning towards playing for another season, rather than retiring at the end of the 2026 campaign, while Mozer is signed until the end of 2027 and Paix inked a two-year contract extension.
Brisbane would be unlikely to field five hookers on their books, potentially linking any success Bukowski has to the long-term future of Walters.
However, Paix was adamant there was a place for the popular utility.
“He attacks really well, he’s great around the group, he’s a real team man, and he defends well, and he can play a number of positions which is pretty handy for us,” Paix said.
Brisbane will also need to fight at the NRL judiciary for Carrigan to be made available, after he was dealt a two-game suspension (with an early guilty plea) for a high shot on Cowboys centre Tom Chester that resulted in him being sent to the sin bin.
He would join fullback Reece Walsh (fractured cheekbone) on the sidelines, with Adam Reynolds also racing the clock to recover from a groin issue.
Sydney Morning Herald
