NRL Injury Hub: Two long-term injuries out of All Stars games

With the NRL season nearly upon us, all 17 teams are hoping for a clean bill of health.

But already, there are several stars who are battling injuries that could impact their team's performance in 2026.

Warriors' halfback Te Maire Martin suffered a broken leg in the All-Stars clash, ruling him out for an extended period.

Martin will miss the next 10 weeks, compounding the Warriors' halves issue with Luke Metcalf not expected back until Round 7.

Chanel Harris-Tavita has also been hampered with a calf issue that puts him in doubt for Round 1.

Martin was injured in the 45th minute of the All-Stars game after colliding with teammate Briton Nikora.

It leaves Tanah Boyd as the likely option to step up into the Warriors' halves for Round 1, with Luke Hanson, Jye Linnane or Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad an option to move into the halves.

Another All-Stars injury was Bulldogs prop Leo Thompson. Having withdrawn from the NRL All-Stars match, the Kiwi international reported general tightness in his calf.

Since then, Thompson has had scans on his calf with the NRL Physio reporting that those scans show that he has suffered a Grade 3 calf strain.

Those reports where then confirmed by Bulldogs' GM of Football Phil Gould.

"Not good news for Leo Thompson. MRK reveals Grade 3 calf tear. 10 weeks return to play at this stage," he said on X.

"It is what it is. We move on. Tough game rugby league."

See your club's injury list below.

Billy Walters will miss most of 2026 as he recovers from his ACL reconstruction following the Broncos' qualifying final win. With this year being the last year of his contract, the pressure will be on the five-eighth to hit the ground running for a contract renewal. Second-rower Brendan Piakura is expected to be fit by the Broncos’ Round 3 clash against the Storm following his meniscus tear, which required surgery. Hayze Perham is also likely to be available for selection in 2026. The utility missed the entire 2025 season following his ACL injury during a pre-season match against the Gold Coast Titans.

Injury List

• Billy Walters (ACL)
• Brendan Piakura (knee)
• Hayze Perham (ACL)

The only lowlight from the ‘Miracle in Mudgee’ for Raiders fans was the fact that it saw Xavier Savage play his last game of 2025. The winger, who scored 12 tries from 21 games last year, had his season cut short after a scan revealed he had fractured his shoulder. He’s expected to make a return for their Round 1 clash against the Sea Eagles.

Injury List

• Xavier Savage (shoulder)

Bulldogs’ fans were fearing the worst when they saw footage of Matt Burton grabbing at his hamstring during their pre-season match against the Knights. But those concerns were quickly relieved as scans have since confirmed that the utility did not tear it. It’s now up to the club whether they decide to play him in Las Vegas against the Cowboys.

New signing Leo Thompson is set to be out for 10 weeks with a Grade 3 calf strain according to the NRL Physio.

19-year-old Mitch Woods will become available from Round 4 at the earliest after picking up a minor hamstring injury in late January.

After signing with the club in August, Kade Dykes will have to wait until April (Round 5 at the earliest) before he’s available for selection with his new club. The former Cronulla fullback has been suffering from a ruptured patellar tendon.

Jethro Rinakama will likely miss the start of the season as he still recovers from his shoulder reconstruction. The winger suffered the injury while representing Fiji during the Pacific Championship. His return date will be between April and May, as per GM of Football, Phil Gould.

Marcelo Montoya is also expected to play in Round One after sustaining an ankle injury during the last game of the Bulldogs’ home and away season against the Sharks.

Injury List

• Matt Burton (hamstring)
• Leo Thompson (calf)
• Mitchell Woods (hamstring
• Kade Dykes (knee)
• Jethro Rinakama (shoulder)
• Marcelo Montoya (ankle)

Sustaining an ACL injury during Cronulla’s hot finish to the home and away season, club captain Cam McInnes is doing all that he can to get back on the park. With his recovery going smoothly, a return date of May (Round 9 at the soonest) is on track. Ronaldo Mulitalo will also miss most of the season as he also recovers from his ruptured ACL, which he sustained during the Pacific Championships for New Zealand. Having missed the vast majority of the 2025 season, fullback Liam Ison rounds out Cronulla’s ACL trio. The 20-year-old has spent all of last year going through rehab, which sees him raring to go for the upcoming season.

Injury List

• Cameron McInnes (ACL)
• Ronaldo Mulitalo (ACL)
• Liam Ison (ACL)

Having come oh so close to making the finals in the last two seasons, Kristan Woolf will be hoping for a much kinder injury run in 2026 to help get them into the top eight. The former St Helens coach will be expecting to have prop Daniel Saifiti ready for their season opener against South Sydney after not playing a game since his shoulder injury against the Raiders back in Round 8. The depth in their forward pack will continue to build as the season progresses, with Max Plath, Jeremy Marshall-King and Jack Bostock all expected to return from knee injuries in the first half of the season. While 20-year-old LJ Nonu is on track to be available for selection from Round 4 after a PCL injury during the pre-season.

Injury List

• Daniel Saifiti (shoulder)
• LJ Nonu (knee)
• Max Plath (knee)
• Jeremy Marshall-King (knee)
• Jack Bostock (knee)

As they begin a new era under coach Josh Hannay, the Gold Coast Titans are keen on getting to a good start. And while their is plenty of optimism around the squad, they still have some injuries to contend with. Already, they’ve lost prop Jamin Jolliffe for the season from an ACL rupture. Their recently re-signed club captain, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, is tracking to be ready for their season opener against Cronulla after having surgery on his knee during the off-season. As to versatile back AJ Brimson, who sustained an injury to his AC joint while representing England during the Rugby League Ashes. Phil Sami appears ready to go for 2026 after having had his season ended with a groin injury before Round 26. Second rower Brock Gray will likely be available in the early parts of the season after doing his ACL during the 2025 season.

Injury List

• Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (knee)
• AJ Brimson (shoulder)
• Phil Sami (groin)
• Brock Gray (ACL)
• Jaimin Jolliffe (knee)

As the Sea-Eagles enter a post-DCE era, they’ll be doing so with various players sidelined throughout the 2026 season. Caleb Navale will be battling to feature in the maroon and white after sustaining an ACL injury during pre-season. At this stage, the lock is expected to return in the final two rounds. Both Reuben Garrick and Haumole Olakau'atu will be returning from shoulder injuries in 2026 after having their seasons finish early last season. Veteran Nathan Brown is available to play, having recovered from his ruptured bicep. Taniela Paseka will also be ready to go, having fully recovered from his ruptured Achilles tendon. Aaron Schoupp is expected to be fit and firing from April after his ACL injury.  

Injury List

• Aaron Schoupp (ACL)
• Reuben Garrick (shoulder)
• Taniela Paseka (Achilles)
• Nathan Brown (biceps)
• Haumole Olakau'atu (shoulder)
• Caleb Navale (ACL)

Picking up a groin injury during last year’s Grand Final loss, Jack Howarth is likely to play in the early part of the season. He wasn’t the only Storm player who got an injury during that match. Star winger Xavier Coates suffered an Achilles injury, which saw him wear a moon boot after the match. If his recovery went as planned, he’ll be ready for either their pre-season match against the Titans or the season opener against Parramatta. Following his significant concussions against New Zealand while representing Tonga, which resulted in a brain bleed requiring surgery to fix, Eliesa Katoa will not play in the 2026 season.

Injury List

• Eliesa Katoa (concussion)
• Xavier Coates (Achilles)
• Jack Howarth (groin)

Andrew Webster is likely to have three players available for selection for the Round One clash against the Roosters: former Dally M Medallist Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring), Chanel Harris-Tavaita (calf) and Maruta Niukore (calf), who will likely be fit by then.

He’ll also have fullback Taine Tuaupiki at his disposal, with it appearing likely he’ll play in the side’s last pre-season match against the Dolphins after recovering from an ankle injury.

After doing his ACL in Round 13 last season, New South Wales and Australian representative Mitch Barnett is set to provide a massive boost to the side’s forward pack with his expected return for Round 2.

His return is to hopefully be shortly followed by Newcastle junior Jye Linnane, who signed with the Warriors for the next three years. The 20-year-old ruptured his ACL last pre-season and will be raring to go.

Another player raring to go for his return will be Luke Metcalf. The halfback was leading the Dally M Medal before going down with an ACL injury, which saw the Warriors struggle. He is currently on track for a Round 8-10 return.

Centre Rocco Berry is aiming for a return from his shoulder injury halfway through the season.

The club is also awaiting to find out if five-eighth Te Maire Martin will miss any game time after needing help off the field in the NRL All-Stars match after hurting his right ankle.

Injury List

• Te Maire Martin (ankle)
• Taine Tuaupiki (ankle)
• Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring)
• Marata Niukore (calf)
• Chanel Harris-Tavita (calf)
• Mitch Barnett (knee)
• Jye Linnane (knee)
• Luke Metcalf (ACL)
• Rocco Berry (shoulder)

Ahead of his first official match as coach of the Knights, Justin Holbrook will be hoping to bolster his starting team with the star trio of Fletcher Sharpe (hamstring), Dane Gagai (hamstring) and Kalyn Ponga (foot) being free to play against the Dragons for their season opener. All three have been selected in their Vegas squad, making it likely that they feature in Sin City. Cody Hopwood has also been selected for the squad to Las Vegas whilst he deals with a calf injury. Having dislocated his shoulder in his NRL debut during Round 12 last year, Paul Bryan will also be set to add to his NRL appearances in 2026.

Injury List

• Cody Hopwood (calf)
• Fletcher Sharpe (hamstring)
• Dane Gagai (hamstring)
• Kalyn Ponga (foot)
• Paul Bryan (shoulder)

With Todd Payten firmly in the hot seat for 2026, the pressure is on the Cowboys to make the most of a very talented list. English international John Bateman was initially named to take on the Panthers, but would be a late out with a minor wrist injury. He is still likely to play for North Queensland in their Las Vegas season opener against the Knights. Prop Griffin Neame will likely miss the Vegas match with his rehab from his shoulder reconstruction taking longer than expected. Second rower and Queensland representative Jeremiah Nanai will follow suit with his own shoulder injury. His return to the team will be in April. Tom Chester appears all set to make his return in Round One with a spot opening up following Zac Laybutt's suspension. Chester has dealt with an ruptered ACL in 2025 alongside having had a knee injury in the pre-season.

Injury List

• John Bateman (wrist)
• Griffin Neame (shoulder)
• Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder)
• Tom Chester (ACL)

Following a strong finish to Jason Ryles’ first season in charge, the Eels will be hoping to build upon their 2025 foundation this season. After a calf tear in their Round 24 loss to South Sydney, Luca Moretti is set to play in 2026, having featured in the club’s pre-season prep. Arthur Miller-Stephen will also hopefully be in contention for a spot in 2026 after having torn his ACL last April.

Injury List

• Luca Moretti (calf)
• Arthur Miller-Stephen (ACL)

For the first time since 2021, the Panthers enter the pre-season without the label of reigning premiers. And with no injuries on their list, they are certainly starting the season in far better fashion compared to last year.

Injury List

• N/A

Despite a positive start to the season, the Bunnies were quickly ravaged by injuries throughout 2025. And in the first pre-season game, those injuries would continue to come. Having yet to make his NRL debut, 23-year-old five-eighth/halfback Jonah Glover will now need surgery on his jaw, which was broken whilst trying to tackle Luciano Leilua. The former Dragon will now be sidelined for eight weeks. Talanoa Penitani will also be out for eight weeks. The centre would tear his right ACL during their win against St George Illawarra. After only playing 11 games in 2025, Campbell Graham appears set to make his return to the NRL field in Round 1 following his back injury. Centre Isaiah Tass is likely to miss most of the 2026 season after rupturing his ACL during the off-season while playing in the Murri Carnival.

Injury List

• Jonah Glover (jaw)
• Isaiah Tass (ACL)
• Campbell Graham (back)
• Talanoa Penitani (ACL)

Forward Hame Sele suffered a Category One concussion during the first two minutes of their pre-season match against his former South Sydney and played no further part. Valentine Holmes will be ready to go for Las Vegas, with the club deciding not to play him in the Charity Shield to ensure he has fully recovered from his hamstring injury during the pre-season.

After pulling out of the NRL All Stars match with an ankle injury, Josh Kerr is still expected to play in the season opener against the Bulldogs. Second-rower Dylan Egan should be back playing in the Red V by Round 10 after his hamstring injury.

St George Illawarra have also confirmed that Jacob Liddle will not play in Round One to have him ready for their Round Two clash against the Storm. Wing/centre Nathan Lawson is still on the mend after sustaining a foot injury.

The club are yet to announce a timeline on when Connor Muhleisen will return after the hooker ruptured his ACL in the club’s NSW Cup grand final last year.

Injury List

• Hame Sele (concussion)
• Josh Kerr (ankle)
• Valentine Holmes (hamstring)
• Jacob Liddle (hamstring)
• Nathan Lawson (foot)
• Dylan Egan (ACL)
• Connor Muhleisen (ACL)

Looking to make their 10th finals series in a row, the Tricolours will mostly have a full and healthy list to do so. Following a strong 2025, which saw him make his Origin debut, Robert Toia would sustain a foot injury while playing for Tonga in the Pacific Championships. He is likely to either feature in their last pre-season match or in Round One. For emerging five-eighth Jake Elliott, his season has reportedly already come to an end following a shoulder injury during their first pre-season game of the year against the Wests Tigers.

Injury List

• Rob Toia (foot)
• Jake Elliott (shoulder)

After a tumultuous off-season, which saw fans protest the actions of the Holman Barnes Group, the club will be hoping that it can be placed in the rearview mirror with a good start. It’s a mostly healthy list for the Tigers, with Latu Fainu being the only player to be sidelined. After injuring his shoulder in the Tigers’ final game of the season against the Titans, the talented 20-year-old required a full reconstruction in the off-season, which will see him miss the early rounds of the season.

Injury List

• Latu Fainu (shoulder)