Brendan Piakura

{{short description|Cook Islands international rugby league player}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Brendan Piakura

|fullname =

|image =

|imagesize =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|05|16|df=y}}

|birth_place = Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

|height = 189cm

|weight = {{convert|102|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|position = {{rlp|SR|LK}}

|club1 = Brisbane Broncos

|year1start = 2021

|year1end = present

|appearances1 = 39

|tries1 = 5

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 20

|teamA = Cook Islands

|yearAstart = 2022

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 3

|triesA = 0

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 0

|retired =

|source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/brendan-piakura/summary.html RLP]

|updated = 24 April 2025

}}

Brendan Piakura (born 16 May 2002) is a Cook Islands international rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|sr}} forward for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Background

Piakura was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and raised on the Gold Coast, Queensland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/queensland-young-gun-brendan-piakura-chased-by-seven-rival-nrl-clubs/news-story/dea334f1378526be080cf946439a51fe|title=Queensland young gun Brendan Piakura chased by seven rival NRL clubs|date=28 November 2020|website=The Daily Telegraph}} He is of Cook Islands descent.

He played his junior rugby league for the Helensvale Hornets and attended Coombabah State High School and Palm Beach Currumbin State High School before being signed by the Brisbane Broncos.{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/brendan-piakura-to-play-first-game-for-palm-beach-currumbin-since-switching-from-coombabah/news-story/d33be3aa3127a1ab8508e16faf5976c0|title=Brendan Piakura to play first game for Palm Beach Currumbin since switching from Coombabah|date=17 June 2019|website=Gold Coast Bulletin}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/where-are-they-now-every-gold-coast-product-in-the-nrl/image-gallery/33f691cdc95908f41f07e12c516070de|title=REVEALED: Coast's best NRL breeding grounds|date=1 April 2021|website=Gold Coast Bulletin}}

Playing career

=Early career=

In 2018, Piakura represented the Queensland under-16 team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/20182/07/09/queensland-under-16-team/|title=Queensland Under 16 team|date=9 July 2018|website=QRL}}

In 2019, he played for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the Mal Meninga Cup, starting at second row in their state and national finals wins.{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2019/05/12/red-hot-tweed-seagulls-claim-national-title/|title=Red-hot Tweed Seagulls claim national title|date=12 May 2019|website=QRL}} In June 2019, he represented the Queensland under-18 team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2019/05/26/queensland-under-18-team-named/|title=Queensland Under 18 team named|date=26 May 2019|website=QRL}} In September 2019, he represented the Australian Schoolboys in their 36–20 win over the Junior Kiwis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/09/29/walker-and-howarth-shine-in-australian-schoolboys-big-win/|title=Walker and Howarth shine in Schoolboys big win|date=29 September 2019|website=NRL}}

=2021=

Piakura began the season playing for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2021/04/19/broncos-affiliates-wrap-piakura-stars-as-devils-beat-milfords-magpies/|title=Piakura stars as Devils beat Milford's Magpies|date=19 April 2021|website=Brisbane Broncos}}

On 15 April, he re-signed with the Brisbane club until the end of the 2024 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2021/04/15/exciting-talent-piakura-commits-long-term-to-broncos/|title=Exciting Piakura Commits Long-Term To Broncos|date=15 April 2021|website=Brisbane Broncos}}

In Round 24 of the 2021 NRL season, Piakura made his NRL debut for Brisbane in a loss to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2021/08/28/team-list-update-piakura-to-debut/|title=Team List Update: Piakura To Debut|date=28 August 2021|website=Brisbane Broncos}} He was sin-binned six minutes into his debut for a late tackle on Cronulla halfback Braydon Trindall, and was later suspended for two games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/broncos/nrl-news-brendan-piakura-sinbin-brisbane-broncos-debut-vs-sharks-contract-salary/news-story/063ed812d975a1b5602be45425bcf431|title=Six-minute debut soured as hyped $1.2M Broncos teen binned|date=28 August 2021|website=Fox Sports Australia}}

Piakura, once completing his two match suspension, played for Norths Devils in the Queensland cup finals, playing in wins over Tweed Heads Seagulls and Burleigh Bears. Piakura failed a HIA against Burleigh Bears in the preliminary final five minutes into the game and missed the Grand Final win over Wynnum Manly Seagulls the following week as a result of failing the HIA.

=2022=

Piakura had an injury disrupted season with a calf injury and concussions forcing Piakura to miss games across the year limiting Piakura to one NRL game for the Brisbane Broncos in Round 25 in a 22–12 loss against St. George Illawarra Dragons. Piakura played in Norths Devils 16–10 victory over the Redcliffe Dolphins in the 2022 Queensland Cup Grand Final, starting in the second-row.

=2023=

In round 15 of the 2023 NRL season, Piakura scored his first NRL try in a 24–20 win over the Newcastle Knights. He played a total of 13 games for Brisbane in the 2023 NRL season. He played in Brisbane's 26-24 loss against Penrith in the 2023 NRL Grand Final.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2023/oct/01/nrl-grand-final-2023-penrith-panthers-vs-brisbane-broncos-live-updates-scores-results-teams-squads-kick-off-time-accor-stadium-sydney/|title=NRL grand final 2023: Penrith Panthers defeat Brisbane Broncos – as it happened|website=www.theguardian.com}}

=2024=

Piakura played 18 games for Brisbane in the 2024 NRL season which saw the club miss the finals finishing 12th on the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-daly-cherryevans-and-cameron-munster-support-kevin-walters-facing-the-axe-brisbane-broncos-club-review-news-videos-highlights/news-story/a1e007cfb303202b87ff3a8eafde4060/|title=‘Really can’t hide’: Queensland superstars back under-siege Walters amid Broncos review|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}