‘Big worry’ for Broncos as legends split over ‘embarrassing’ Reynolds saga
Updated . First published at
Andrew Johns admits the Broncos are facing a “big worry” moving into next season, as the fallout to the Adam Reynolds farewell saga continues.
Reynolds was rubbed out of Brisbane’s final two matches, denying him the chance to farewell the fans at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.
Adam Reynolds has played his last NRL game. Getty Images
The retiring halfback had been sidelined with a calf injury, but was hopeful of returning for the Broncos to end what has been a difficult season.
Instead, the 36-year-old’s swansong turned into a nightmare, with Reynolds backflipping on his initial comments about why he wasn’t named to play, before rumours of rift with Michael Maguire intensified after his farewell speech.
The club also bungled his farewell moment by playing a KIA advertisement on the big screen as Reynolds and some of his departing Broncos teammates completed a lap of honour at the home ground.
Reynolds has since denied there is any bad blood between himself and Maguire, despite failing to mention the coach in his post-game speech.
The back-and-forth saga was another in a series of negatives in an ugly premiership defence. has continued an ugly campaign and while many believe Reynolds should have been allowed to play, Brad Fittler saw it differently.
“If he wasn’t ready, I think it would have been more embarrassing watching him run out there,” Fittler said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“If you look at the way they [Melbourne] scored their tries, they ran through the middle of them. I just think it would have been embarrassing.
“I’m happy the way he’s finished.”
Johns said the two-time premiership winner deserved to soak in the love from the Brisbane faithful, even if his calf failed to hold up and Reynolds needed to come from the field after 10 minutes against the Storm.
Billy Slater agreed and thought the No.7 should have taken the field.
“Yeah, absolutely,” the former Maroons coach said.
“If he came to me and said he was right to play, he deserved to play. I definitely would have played him. He was over it, he’d trained all week and he knows his body better than anyone. I just feel that he deserved some time on the field.”
Attention will now turn to how the Broncos rectify their problems next year and whether Maguire is the man to lead them moving forward.
Michael Maguire and Adam Reynolds. NRL Imagery
Fittler conceded that the coach might not be safe for long.
“What has gone on in the last couple of weeks is just a joke,” he said.
“Whoever does their review, that would be unreal to sit in that room – so much has gone wrong. They have got big questions to answer, whether Madge is there ... he’s got the support of the board, but we know how fickle that can be.
“They will do the review of why it’s so bad and that will go up through the coaching department and the board as well, some of the decisions they have made.”
Johns raised alarm bells over the lack of quality middle forwards at the club with Payne Haas departing to sign with South Sydney for 2027.
“Geez it’s a big off-season for the Broncos – they need to get in the room and have some honesty sessions, maybe go to marriage counselling,” he said.
“Who is gonna replace Payne? [Xavier] Willison is on the market, he’s looking to move, and Corey Jensen retired. Where’s their front-row stock? It’s a worry.”
Brisbane will meet the Bulldogs in the final round of the season.
