Cameron Bukowski set for NRL debut after hookers wiped out
Headless hooker Cameron Bukowski is set to capitalize on the Broncos’ worrying injury crisis, while coach Michael Maguire grapples with the loss of all four of the club’s top 30 contracted puppet players.
Bukowski was originally selected to join Wynnum Manly’s squad for the Queensland Cup clash against the Blackhawks in Townsville, but did not feature in less than 24 hours after both Cory Paix and Blake Mozer were sidelined in Brisbane’s 35-31 defeat against the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday.
Paix was removed due to an independent doctor’s assessment of a head injury which was deemed a category one and ruled him out of next week’s clash with the Tigers due to the NRL’s 11-day withdrawal policy. But the decision confused Maguire and the Broncos’ medical staff.
“That in itself is something we need to review. Paixy ran away, passed the test and got cat-one – I don’t quite understand that,” Maguire said.
“Paixy will be fine next week, he escaped and was ready to escape again. It was an outside call so I will go through the correct channels with the doctors and review this.”
“When he talks to Paixy, he can’t believe it himself.”
Mozer, playing his first NRL game since round 27 in 2024, suffered a broken jaw (he also suffered the injury last year) when he connected with the shoulder of Jason Taumalolo, who then tried to tackle the Cowboys juggernaut. The player is expected to be away from the fields for 6 weeks.
Given that Ben Hunt and Billy Walters are recovering from knee injuries, Bukowski, who signed a development deal, will suddenly become the last hooker standing should Paix be officially ruled out.
But both Maguire and vice-captain Pat Carrigan have backed the 20-year-old as ready for a breakout.
“I think so, I had a good chat with a few of the lads and one of the things we pride ourselves on at our club is the next man up. [mentality]”said Maguire.
“Cam has been fighting and fighting and working hard behind the scenes in training, so an opportunity for him could be very close.”
“You’ll obviously be targeted in the middle, but you get a pretty good apprenticeship at Payno [Payne Haas] and Xavier Willison – big men running towards him,” Carrigan added.
“Obviously our backs are a bit against the wall, we haven’t had much luck with injuries but we’re proud of the work we’ve put in… and I’m really excited to run with him if he gets the opportunity.
“He would have worked his whole life to make his NRL debut and if so we will do everything we can to support him.”
While Bukowski has yet to truly showcase his offensive prowess in 2026, last year provided a breakthrough for the rising star, who was signed to a development contract extension with the Broncos.
The Villanova College product managed 23 games in his first season of senior rugby league last year, scoring seven tries while assisting seven. His defense has been strong since his debut in the 2024 Queensland Cup, averaging 35 tackles per game this season while missing just five.
Should he win selection for Brisbane to face the Tigers, Bukowski will have a golden opportunity to prove he is warranted to sign with a senior squad at a time when fan favorite Walters faces uncertainty.
Walters was the heartbreaking story of 2025; He suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in the Broncos’ final qualifier victory at the Canberra Raiders, in which he played eighth and was on the bench.
The 32-year-old player is not expected to return until August and will leave his contract at the end of the season.
While Hunt stated that he preferred to play one more season rather than retiring at the end of the 2026 season, a contract was signed with Mozer until the end of 2027 and Paix signed a two-year contract extension.
Brisbane are unlikely to have five hookers on their books, potentially tying Bukowski’s success to Walters’ long-term future.
But Paix was adamant there was a place for the popular service.
“He attacks really well, he’s great in the group, he’s a real team man and he defends well and he can play in a lot of positions which is quite useful for us,” Paix said.
Brisbane will also need to fight the NRL judiciary for Carrigan’s release after Carrigan was handed a two-match suspension (with an early guilty plea) for a high shot on Cowboys center Tom Chester and was subsequently sent to the sin bin.
He would join full-back Reece Walsh (cheekbone fracture) on the sidelines and Adam Reynolds would also be racing against time to recover from a groin problem.
