Savelio out for year with ACL in bitter Broncos blow

The Brisbane Broncos' worst fears have been confirmed by scans with back-rower Andre Savelio ruled out for the season with an ACL injury sustained in the club’s opening trial.

The 22-year-old English recruit injured his right knee in the 14^th minute of the 16-6 trial win over CQ Capras in Theodore on Saturday night.

Brisbane high performance manager Jeremy Hickmans has confirmed Savelio will require a knee reconstruction.

It is a bitter blow for Savelio who told NRL.com just last week of how he had high hopes of forcing his way into the top 17 this year and realising his long-held dream of playing in the Telstra Premiership.

The Broncos will play their second trial on Saturday night against the Titans in Toowoomba with several of their stars still unavailable.

New recruit Jack Bird left training early on Monday morning after re-injuring his sternum.

Bird had ice on the injury and was off to get some pain-killing injections.

The injury is one he carried last year and is different to the issue which led to him having shoulder surgery.

Bird’s shoulder rehabilitation is on track and he is expected to return in round four or five of the regular NRL season.

Captain Darius Boyd did not train with the main group on Monday but was back at the club’s Red Hill base working on his injured hamstring.

Boyd should be right for a round one return against St George Illawarra where he is hoped to be joined by hooker Andrew McCullough who continues to train strongly after his own recovery from an ACL injury.