He could miss the World Club Challenge in February.
Brisbane Broncos lock Pat Carrigan has sparked concern among fans after he was seen wearing a wrist brace while attending the second Ashes Test at the Gabba over the weekend.
Carrigan, who enjoyed a monster season in 2025, winning the NRL premiership with the Broncos, the State of Origin series with the Queensland Maroons, and the Ashes with Australia, appeared in the crowd with a cast on his left wrist.
The Broncos forward had strapping on the same wrist late in the NRL season and again during the Ashes series in England, prompting speculation he has undergone post-season surgery.
Images captured over the weekend showed Carrigan wearing a firm brace, with NRL Physio’s Brien Seeney later commenting that the type of cast typically indicates a thumb or wrist injury, potentially involving the scaphoid.
“This type of brace would often indicate a thumb or wrist (e.g., scaphoid) injury or surgery,” Seeney said on social media.
“These situations are common in the offseason.”
There has been no official comment from the Broncos at this stage, but despite the chatter, Carrigan is not expected to miss Round 1 in 2026.
Seeney estimated a recovery window of 6–12 weeks, well within the timeframe for Carrigan to be cleared for the start of Brisbane’s title defence.
“Even with the likelihood of recent surgery, he should be fully cleared for Round 1 2026,” Seeney said.
The only potential complication is Brisbane’s World Club Challenge showdown with Hull KR on February 19 in the UK.
The match is roughly 10 weeks away, meaning Carrigan’s availability will depend on which end of the recovery range he falls into.
If the star lock requires closer to 8–12 weeks of rehabilitation, the Broncos may opt to rest him from the early-season showpiece event against the Super League champions.
While Carrigan’s brace drew attention online, the broader view is that it forms part of a routine off-season cleanup after a punishing year in both NRL and representative arenas.
Barring setbacks, the Broncos’ inspirational forward leader is expected to be fit and firing for Round 1, with the Broncos again entering 2026 as one of the competition’s premiership heavyweights.
