Flegler waits for his NRL breakthrough
Broncos’ Tully product looks to injury-free season as chances open up
AFTER claiming a spot in the Brisbane Broncos’ top-30 squad for 2019 earlier this week, former Northern Pride and Tully Tigers junior Thomas Flegler is hoping his call-up to the country’s top grade is a sign his luck is finally turning around.
The 19-year-old, who grew up on his family’s Tully banana farm, lamented that he “hasn’t had a very good run” since moving to the Queensland capital in 2017 to chase his NRL dreams, with a seemingly never-ending line of injuries making it difficult for him to amass any consistent game time.
It only makes his inclusion in the Broncos’ top-30 squad more impressive as, despite an unfortunate injury-ridden couple of years, Flegler has been able to make the most of his on-field moments at the (now-defunct) Broncos NYC team in 2017 and, last year, Souths Logan Magpies, to establish himself as part of the Broncos’ coterie of emerging forwards, alongside Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs and Patrick Carrigan.
“It’s been a bit of a rough trot — a very rough trot,” said the 190cm, 105kg prop.
“Last year I was only able to play six games for the Broncos’ NYC team before I had to end my season in June.
“I had to have two shoulder reconstructions, one on each shoulder.
“That was really frustrating.”
Coming back from a threemonth rehabilitation, Flegler earned a starting spot in the South Logan forward pack and played 15 games for the Magpies this season, while gaining a reputation as one of the strongest forwards in the Intrust Super Cup.
A telling stat was Flegler’s ability to put up more than 40 post-contact metres in four of those games, including a whopping 70 post-contact metres in Souths’ round six outing against the Capras — a game in which he racked up 195 total run metres.
It was around this time that Flegler was declared hot property on the player market, with every NRL club reportedly expressing interest in signing the tough-as-nails front-rower.
The Broncos, as expected, were quick to act, snapping up Flegler on a contract until the end of 2020.
He was also part of the Queensland Under-20s squad, coached by former Cairns Kangaroos junior Justin Hodges and was selected in the Junior Kangaroos squad.
Coming off the bench against the Junior Kiwis last month, Flegler made the most of his 20-minute stint, running for more than 80m and scoring a try, before succumbing to yet NIGHTMARE SEASON: Brisbane Broncos forward Thomas Flegler. another injury — this time, his syndesmosis.
“I had surgery on it a couple of weeks ago,” he said.
“I’ll get the moonboot off in three to four weeks and then should be getting back into contact sessions around midJanuary.”
The exuberant front-rower said he is hoping for a “better 2019”.
“I will hopefully have the chance to play NRL — that’s what it’s all about — but I am mainly looking to just get through the season injuryfree,” he said.
With big-name departures in the Broncos’ forwards ranks this offseason, including Sam Thaiday (retired), Korbin Sims (Dragons) and Sam Tagataese (released), 2019 could be the year Flegler gets his chance.
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