LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
New information has emerged regarding Gehamat Shibasaki's exclusion from the Round 27 match, revealing that he violated a team alcohol ban by socializing with Dolphins players before the game.
This season, Shibasaki has been considered a positive development for the Broncos. He began his journey on a train and trial deal and surprisingly earned a spot in Michael Maguire's starting lineup for Round 1. Since then, he has established himself as a regular member of the team, even receiving an unexpected call-up for Game 3 of the State of Origin series with Billy Slater's Queensland Maroons. With his contract set to expire at the end of 2026, he is expected to attract significant interest come November 1.
However, his sudden removal from the Broncos' final match against the Melbourne Storm raised concerns. The club announced a "breach of team standards," mentioning that the situation had been "dealt with internally."
Reports from News Corp have since clarified that Shibasaki's breach involved not just the alcohol policy, but also interactions with Dolphins players early on Sunday morning before he reported to training on Monday. The player had been out with friends in Townsville, his hometown, following the Broncos' victory over the North Queensland Cowboys the previous night. After returning to Brisbane on Sunday, he continued socializing at a pub with family and friends.
Interestingly, it seems he was still at the pub when Dolphins players showed up following their significant win over the Gold Coast Titans, which kept their slim hopes for finals contention alive.