Brisbane giant Ben Te Kura has been given permission to take a break from NRL training to attend a six-week NFL training camp.
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Te Kura, who is 205cm tall, has previously expressed a desire to try his hand at American Football after watching former South Sydney-contracted Jordan Mailata become a superstar of the NFL and win the Super Bowl with Philadelphia last year.
Meanwhile another Broncos forward, Aublix Tawha, has fractured an eye socket while playing for Souths-Logan in the Hostplus Cup.
Benjamin Te Kura runs during a Brisbane Broncos NRL training session. Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
Tawha was concussed in the incident and went to hospital after the 36-12 loss to Tweed Heads Seagulls on Saturday.
Broncos head of football Troy Thomson confirmed the bad news to AAP.
“Aublix went to hospital for scans, which confirmed the fracture. He will get surgery on Monday,” Thomson said.
Te Kura, 22, has had limited NRL opportunities with the Broncos due to the strength of the forward pack and injuries, playing just five games since making his debut in 2023.
The Broncos put out a statement on Sunday morning and are supporting Te Kura’s attempt to gain an NFL contract.
“The Broncos have approved Te Kura’s attendance at a six-week NFL training camp, which is currently underway,” the club said.
“At the conclusion of the six-week period, Te Kura will either return to Broncos’ training or the club will extend his absence to facilitate further steps towards a possible NFL opportunity in the United States.”
Mailata entered the NFL after gaining a spot in its international pathway program (IPP) in 2017.
Current St George Illawarra centre Valentine Holmes also went through the IPP in 2019 and secured a position with the New York Jets before returning to the NRL with North Queensland the following season.
Te Kura’s absence from training is the least of the Broncos’ worries ahead of Saturday night’s away clash with Wests Tigers.
Fullback Reece Walsh (fractured eye socket) and half/hooker Ben Hunt (MCL) are both out of action while captain Adam Reynolds (groin) is hopeful of playing.
On top of the Tawha blow, the Broncos lost hooker Blake Mozer for six weeks after he broke his jaw in the 35-31 loss to North Queensland on Friday night.
Lock Pat Carrigan was slapped with a two-week suspension, with an early guilty plea, for a high shot on Cowboys centre Tom Chester.
On Sunday the Broncos were scouring vision of the incident to determine if they would fight the charge.
The club is in the process of trying to get the category one concussion of hooker Cory Paix overturned from Friday night’s clash so he can play the Tigers.
The Broncos believe Paix should have been given a category two. He passed his HIA test and coach Michael Maguire said he was right to go back on.
“That is something we are going to have to review,” Maguire said.
