Brisbane forward Brendan Piakura has come under scrutiny after being placed on report for a crunching tackle that left Warriors playmaker Luke Metcalf with a potentially season-ending knee injury.
The incident occurred in the second half of Brisbane’s win over the Warriors, when Piakura lined up Metcalf moments after the five-eighth had released the ball.
BREAKING: The @NZWarriors are sweating on scans of Luke Metcalf's knee with fears he has suffered a torn ACL after a tackle from Broncos forward Brendan Piakura that will come under the microscope of the NRL match review committee. @telegraph_sport https://t.co/ZWErqPTYzh pic.twitter.com/bRAePJ8NJi
— David Riccio (@DaveRic1) June 28, 2025
While no penalty was awarded, the tackle earned Piakura a spot on report and sparked fierce debate across commentary boxes and social media alike.
"Is he meant to softly tackle him now?"
Fox League’s Dan Ginnane called the moment live: “It’s a brutal shot from 34, on report.” Fellow commentator Michael Ennis speculated that whiplash may have been the concern: “Whiplash, because of the whiplash caused… If a tackle has taken a player out, you think it’s crazy — is it a penalty or not, should that have been a sin bin?”
On social media, fans were bewildered. “How is Piakura on report for that tackle???” one fan asked on X. “It was a microsecond after he passed the ball. That’s a fair tackle.”
Did they say Piakura was on report for whiplash..? Surely not! Metcalf digs to the line & Piakura hits him legally & fucking hard into the ribs. Is he meant to softly tackle him now? #NRLBroncosWarriors
— TheSc_Cheesee (@TheSc_Cheesee) June 28, 2025
Another posted: “Did they say Piakura was on report for whiplash..? Surely not! Metcalf digs to the line & Piakura hits him legally & f---ing hard into the ribs. Is he meant to softly tackle him now?”
Metcalf will undergo scans in Auckland amid fears he’s torn his ACL — an injury he’s suffered once before. “We have to wait for scans for both Luke and Charnze [Nicoll-Klokstad], but they won’t be playing in two weeks, I can tell you that,” Warriors coach Andrew Webster said.
The fallout now shifts to the NRL’s match review committee, as fans await a verdict on a tackle that has divided the game.