Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has publicly addressed the week-long controversy surrounding captain Adam Reynolds’ rib injury and the subsequent criticism from club legend Gorden Tallis. The drama unfolded after Reynolds exited last week’s match against Parramatta with a rib complaint, then traveled to Sydney for a media engagement—a move Tallis described as creating “not great optics” for the injured halfback.
Speaking from Melbourne ahead of Friday’s grand final rematch against the Storm, Maguire asserted the external criticism hasn’t affected his focus. “Not at all,” Maguire stated. “At the end of the day, I look after my players and my captain. That’s my viewpoint, and everyone else has their viewpoint as well.”
The coach revealed he initially believed Reynolds would be available for the crucial match, but the skipper ultimately couldn’t make the trip. Veteran Ben Hunt is expected to start at halfback in Reynolds’ absence, with Maguire expressing confidence about his captain’s return next week.
Maguire also responded to broader criticism of the Broncos’ disappointing 0-2 start to the season, despite ending the club’s premiership drought last year. Storm coach Craig Bellamy had previously called the scrutiny “ridiculous,” a sentiment Maguire echoed while emphasizing his commitment to building sustained success.
Addressing defensive concerns after conceding 66 points in two games, Maguire made significant lineup changes, most notably dropping strike centre Gehamat Shibasaki to the bench following poor defensive reads. “Everyone plays a part in defense,” Maguire explained. “The whole game cycles on itself, so we’ve got to be better in areas to be able to help our edges.”