The Brisbane Broncos just couldn't get anything going in their first game back after an eight-week lay off due to COVID-19. And to make things worse now, they are set to lose their captain Alex Glenn for an extended period of time.
Glenn, who missed the Broncos' first two games of the season, was finally able to return and make his first appearance as the clubs captain after being named in the off-season.
With the Eels dominating early, Brisbane were in need of things to swing in their direction, but that wasn't to be, with their captain being taken off and rushed to hospital with a serious calf laceration and will require surgery.
When asked why they couldn't just wash out the laceration, Broncos coach Anthony Seibold said: “The depth of the laceration likely makes the risk of infection quite high”.
If the laceration hasn't caused much tendon/ligament damage, Glenn could only be out for 2-4 weeks after surgery.
“Alex is going to have surgery tomorrow morning from what the doctor tells me,” Seibold said in the post-match press conference.
“He’s had a really deep cut so they need to intervene with surgery just to make sure it’s clean and sew it back up and so on, so they’ll do that tomorrow morning.
“But yeah, he did that in the first half and obviously came off at halftime.
“I didn’t actually get an opportunity to talk to Alex, he went straight to the doctor at halftime and I just got a message to say he won’t be coming back on.”
Even with the changes to some of the circumstances due to the coronavirus such as no crowds, Glenn said earlier in the week he was eager and excited to lead his team out no matter what, and this makes the injury all the more tough for the new Broncos captain.
“It’s going to be very different not having anyone there,” Glenn said. “When I pictured the moment, when I was announced captain, it was me running out on the field with both (his children) Miller and Gisele in my arms.
“Obviously with the circumstances that are in play at the moment that can’t happen.”
Glenn also added that never the less with the circumstances, it was a great opportunity to lead the Broncos out in a game most eyes around the league were keen to watch.
“There are still going to be a lot of eyes watching the footy,” he said.
“We are the first sport that is going to be back and televised.
“I think the whole nation, New Zealand and England are going to be watching so it’s still a huge occasion, just the atmosphere won’t be there.”
