See why a footy legend has torn strips off one of the NRL’s biggest stars for simply appearing on a TV show
Adam Reynolds has found himself under fire from a Broncos legend for appearing on Fox League just one day after suffering a rib injury during Brisbane’s loss to Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium.
The veteran halfback travelled to Sydney to take part in coverage of the Warriors v Raiders and Roosters v Rabbitohs double-header, which included the night Alex Johnston broke the Australian rugby league all-time try-scoring record.
Former Broncos enforcer Gorden Tallis questioned how the appearance would be viewed by fans, arguing an injured captain should not be travelling for television duties while the team struggles early in the season.
‘It’s not great optics when if he’s really that sore, and I’ve done rib cartilage, you don’t go to the press conference and you don’t jump on a plane and fly to Sydney to do Fox Sports,’ Tallis said on Triple M’s Sunday Sin Bin.
‘You get yourself right [fit to play]. When you’re down two [losses] and your club’s under fire and you’re the leader … there’s a reason why Cameron Smith got brought to the club – lack of leadership.
‘That’s the leadership there where you would look [and hope] he’s going to give himself every opportunity to pull this club back to where it is. That’s not picking on him.’
Adam Reynolds appeared on Fox Sports’ NRL coverage on Friday in Sydney, just one day after the Broncos’ defeat at the hands of Parramatta in Brisbane
Reynolds suffered suspected rib cartilage damage in the loss and is racing the clock to be fit for the club’s round three showdown with Melbourne
Former Bronco Gorden Tallis called out Reynolds’ decision to fly to Sydney for media commitments while injured
Tallis has been a regular critic of his former side and coach Michael Maguire on Fox League’s panel show NRL 360 including rumours of pre-season unrest and the departure of star prop Payne Haas.
‘I don’t know, because I don’t pay too much attention to it, you can probably tell me more about that … they should come to training and have a look, simple as that,’ Maguire said when asked about Tallis’s comments.
Meanwhile Reynolds faces a tough fitness battle as the Brisbane Broncos attempt to end their miserable record against the Melbourne Storm.
But he remains optimistic he will be available for the grand final rematch with the Broncos desperate to avoid slipping to a 0-3 start to the NRL season.
‘I had scans [Friday] and they’re all positive signs, there’s no break there,’ Reynolds told Fox League.
‘Fingers crossed I get through the week. We’ll pad it up and see how we go at training. I’ll get some big boys running at me.’
The veteran halfback will undergo another fitness test at Red Hill on Tuesday as he tries to prove he can play in Friday night’s grand final rematch.
Coach Michael Maguire has already torn up Brisbane’s usual travel routine in a bid to change the club’s fortunes in Melbourne.
Maguire is under the pump despite the Broncos winning the 2025 NRL Grand Final after the club lost its first three matches for 2026 including the World Club Challenge
Instead of flying south the day before the match, the Broncos will travel on Wednesday and complete their captain’s run at AAMI Park on Thursday.
The shift comes after last year’s trip to Melbourne ended disastrously when Brisbane lost several players to injury during the clash.
Reynolds trained with heavily strapped ribs and managed most of Monday’s session despite lingering pain.
Maguire is also considering changes to his line-up, with winger Deine Mariner under pressure and forward Brendan Piakura pushing to return from injury.
If Reynolds is unable to prove his fitness, Ben Hunt is likely to return to the starting team to partner Ezra Mam in the halves.
Jack Gosiewski is expected to be ruled out with concussion.
