Star recruit Adam Reynolds will miss Brisbane's NRL season-opener against South Sydney after testing positive to COVID-19.
Captain Reynolds as well as young hooker Kobe Hetherington were sent home from training after reporting minor flu-like symptoms and returning positive Rapid Antigen Tests, the club said on Thursday.
A subsequent PCR test also returned a positive result, requiring the pair to isolate for a seven-day period and return a negative test before returning to the club.
The Broncos said the result ruled them out of the round-one match against the Rabbitohs in Brisbane next Friday night, "in line with return-to-play protocols once players come out of isolation".
Reynolds was already in doubt for the clash with his former club with a hamstring tightness which kept him out of their final match trial against North Queensland last Saturday night.
Brisbane coach Kevin Walter will be forced to choose a new halves combination to meet the 2021 grand finalists, with Albert Kelly, Tyson Gamble and Billy Walters all in the mix.
