Reynolds lifts lid on ‘honest conversations’ after Broncos hit ‘bottom’
Broncos captain Adam Reynolds has admitted the team hit “ground zero” after the shock loss to the last-placed Dragons but said it forced them to have “honest conversations”.
And coach Michael Maguire said his decision to axe star five-eighth Ezra Mam for Saturday night’s clash with the Titans was purely down to form, rather than attitude.
Adam Reynolds and Patrick Carrigan. Getty
The Broncos are desperate to snap a four-game losing streak and revive their stumbling title defence in the local derby at Suncorp Stadium.
They head into the round 14 match sitting 11th on the ladder on 12 points – six points adrift of fourth and four points behind eighth.
“We’ve obviously done a lot of self-reflecting over the few days after the game,” Reynolds said on Triple M’s The Rush Hour with Dobbo & Elliott.
“Obviously not ideal, and not the way we want to be playing our brand of football.
Ezra Mam has been dropped by the Broncos. Getty
“And look, when you hit pretty much ground zero or the bottom, you do a lot of self-reflecting personally about yourself and then about the team, and some honest conversations come out, and I think we’ve reacted in a great way.
“There’s no excuses. Obviously our form hasn’t been where it needs to be, and not only the game on the weekend, but the season.
“We’ve got such high expectations at the club, and expectations on yourself and one another.”
Maguire tore strips off his team in the sheds after the loss to St George Illawarra, who ended a 15-game losing streak spanning this season and last year.
The two-time premiership-winning coach then dropped a major selection statement in shafting Mam to the bench for the Gold Coast clash and recalling nine-game rookie Tom Duffy.
Reynolds admitted Maguire’s ruthless call was a “shock” but said the team must back the coach’s decisions.
Asked after the captain’s run on Friday about his demotion of Mam, Maguire said “you make decisions around what you feel is right”.
“Obviously he’s been going through a bit with his game, and then Tom Duffy’s been playing well,” Maguire said.
“I’ve always been one to, when someone’s performing well, give them an opportunity.
“This is just a moment in time that he [Mam] is going through, and he’s gone back and worked hard at his game. Every player may go through that or will go through that at some stage, so it’s about responding.
“Tommy’s come in and we know what he’s capable of and he brings a lot of energy to the team, so that’s something there that I felt was needed this week.”
Asked if the axing of Mam was purely form-related, Maguire said: “Only form, just simple, straight form.”
