NRL sanctions Josiah Karapani to miss first games of 2027

Premiership winger Josiah Karapani will miss the first two matches of the 2027 NRL season following a league-imposed two-game ban for drink driving. The Broncos spared him from termination after he pleaded guilty, but imposed an additional fine that was suspended and required mandatory education. Police detected his vehicle speeding by nearly 20km/h on the Pacific Motorway in June; breathalysing revealed a blood alcohol reading of 0.037, exceeding limits for provisional licence holders. Karapani received multiple infringement notices including driving an unregistered vehicle, which led to club intervention and subsequent investigation by the Rugby League Players Association regarding his involvement with feeder clubs.