Harry Grant in positive news as Broncos rocked by Brendan Piakura blow in State of Origin camp

The injury crisis at the Brisbane Broncos has gone from bad to worse after back-rower Brendan Piakura went down with an ankle complaint at Maroons camp on Thursday. The news was better for Queensland hooker Harry Grant, who was seen sporting some new-look headgear at Maroons training but came through Thursday's session unscathed and has been cleared for the State of Origin decider after missing the last two NRL games for the Melbourne Storm with a sternum injury.

Piakura was named in Billy Slater's extended Queensland squad ahead of Origin Game 3 at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday night but was set to rejoin his Broncos teammates and play in Saturday night’s NRL showdown with the Dragons. However, he looks set to miss the crucial clash for Kevin Walters' Broncos side after being brought down awkwardly and injuring his ankle in a tackle from a Maroons teammate during an opposed session in Origin camp.

The Brisbane back-rower was assessed by Queensland medical staff and left the training paddock to ice his ankle, but took no further part in the session. Barring an incredibly swift recovery, Piakura will almost certainly be ruled out of Brisbane's match against the Dragons as they look to snap a five-game losing streak.

Brisbane are already without injured skipper Adam Reynolds, Jock Madden and Fletcher Baker, with Origin quartet Pat Carrigan, Reece Walsh, Selwyn Cobbo and Payne Haas also missing for the Dragons clash. And Piakura's latest injury is the last thing Walters needs as the Broncos try and get their stuttering season back on track. Walters was only able to name a 20-man squad for the Dragons game, with young prop Va’a Semu a strong chance to be elevated from 18th man into Brisbane's 17-man squad.

Harry Grant cleared for Maroons after sternum injury

Piakura's injury came on a mixed day in Maroons camp, with Storm hooker Grant cleared to play in the Origin decider after showing encouraging signs during training. Grant sat out Melbourne's last two NRL games to nurse a sternum injury but got through the Maroons' session on Thursday without incident and is set to take his place on the interchange for the Maroons on Wednesday night.

Grant has been used in a hooker rotation with Ben Hunt to brilliant effect in recent years for the Maroons, who also have Bulldogs No.9 Reed Mahoney in camp as a back-up option. But Grant's Queensland teammate Valentine Holmes said the Storm skipper put in a solid session on Thursday and backed Grant to bring his big-game experience to the Maroons side for the Suncorp Stadium decider.

"He probably trained a bit more than he'd have liked, but he didn't complain, didn't look out of shape," Holmes said of Grant. "It's probably just the headgear that looks a bit different on him... maybe he wants to be like KP (Kalyn Ponga). Dozer (Hunt) comes with the experience when he starts, then Harry comes on; his craftiness around the ruck, his deception either side of the play the ball is second to none. He's probably the best hooker in the game, I reckon."

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Holmes is set to play left wing outside Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, in a much-changed Maroons backline following the injuries to Xavier Coates and Murray Taulagi. Veteran Knights centre Dane Gagai comes in at right centre where he'll look to link up with with Selwyn on the other wing. Ponga joins the Maroons bench and will add some serious X-factor to the Maroons. But Holmes says Queensland have to put in a much improved performance from Game 2, where they were blown off the park by the Blues.

"Across the park it wasn't our standard, especially the first half and we've spoken about that and it's time to put into action," Holmes said. "You'll see a different team Wednesday, I can tell you that now."