‘Team first’: Freddy’s blunt call on Reynolds farewell saga
Updated . First published at
Brad Fittler has denied suggestions Adam Reynolds deserved a farewell game for the Broncos, saying that the team should always come first.
Reynolds was pushing to return from a calf injury for Brisbane’s final two rounds, including Thursday night’s fixture at Suncorp Stadium.
Adam Reynolds has retired from the NRL. Getty Images
The champion halfback was ruled out on Monday, leading to a bizarre 48 hours that saw Reynolds claim the decision was made by Michael Maguire and the club medical staff, before backflipping and saying he made the final call himself.
Maguire fronted media on Wednesday and tried to explain the situation, echoing that it was Reynolds who ultimately pulled the pin on a potential farewell.
That hasn’t stopped the backlash from fans and former players, with many adamant that the 36-year-old should have been afforded the opportunity to run out with his Broncos teammates, even if it was for a short cameo off the bench.
But according to Fittler, that thought process shouldn’t have entered the equation.
“No – team first, always,” he said on Wide World Of Sports’ Six Tackles With Gus.
“The club is always bigger than the player. If the coach feels like he wants to do it, then he’s putting the player before the team.
“At the end of the day, Adam has come out and said it was his decision.
“Our game has become so much about the player ... but the team is always first and it’s jersey before the player.”
Fittler doubled down on his stance on Nine’s Freddy and The Eighth.
“People are trying to find something, all the talk about whether Reyno should have had another game - I don’t care, the team always comes first,” he said.
“No one knows the circumstances, but Reyno came out and said it was his choice.”
His co-host Andrew Johns saw it differently and thought he was entitled to a brief run off the bench and said he “deserves it” after years of service.
“I think he should play, give him five or 10 minutes,” Johns said.
With his career coming to a close, Fittler paid respect to Reynolds, who will hang up the boots with 323 NRL matches and two premierships with the Rabbitohs and Broncos to his name, as well as another two grand final appearances.
Adam Reynolds led Brisbane to a premiership in 2025. Getty Images
“The thing he will be remembered for is he scored the second most points in the game ... that’s unbelievable,” the Roosters legend said.
“You could show videos of Adam Reynolds forever. For a bloke who came through all different stages and changes of the game, with the way we play and the rules, he mastered it all. He’s always just been clever and calm, he was always calm.
“Whenever you watch Adam Reynolds’ face during a game ... he just had this really calm demeanour. He’s been an incredible player.”
The retiring captain won’t be the only high-profile player leaving Red Hill, with superstar prop Payne Haas moving on to join South Sydney.
