Bronco Reynolds on the mend as Mariner’s ship comes in
Joel Gould |
Brisbane have received a huge boost ahead of Magic Round clash with Penrith with the skipper on track to play in the 2023 NRL grand final rematch.
The 34-year-old played one of the best matches of his 295-game career in the 42-18 wn over Canterbury before leaving the field late with a shoulder injury.
There were concerns post-match for Reynolds but he did not require a scan and trained on Tuesday with the side in a no-contact red bib. He will be monitored during the week ahead of Sunday’s game.
The Broncos have also been buoyed by the return to form of strike winger Deine Mariner who scored two tries in a quality display against the Bulldogs after being left out of the team for a month.
The 22-year-old had been challenged by coach Michael Maguire not to rely on his natural gifts and the advice sunk in.
“I saw the four weeks I had off as an opportunity to go back and work on the things I was lacking the first three weeks I played,” Mariner said.
“Although it always sucks not to be playing I had to take it as a positive thing.
“(Maguire) is real big on being tough and playing tough. He has always told me I have got the talent but it’s the ones that work hard that last longer.
“Those were the things I was focusing on, the little things around the game like effort areas and I am still going to work on them.”
Mariner’s two tries came off the back of deft chips from Reynolds that were not premeditated.
“It wasn’t a play,” he said.
“It was just something he saw and I saw it as well. We looked at each other and I knew he was going to kick it because he is the best at those little kicks.”
Reynolds revealed after the match that he had played through a staph infection that had left him with dizzy spells and in doubt during the day of the game.
“I didn’t even know he was sick until game day and he told me I was probably going to make more tackles for him because he had an infection,” Mariner said.
“When you see your leader do something like that it motivates you to put your best foot forward for the team.”
Winger Jesse Arthars said Reynolds was his usual self at training on Tuesday.
“Reyno was good. He did all the training and we were just running through our shapes today, so it was good to have him out there,” he said.
“I hope he plays. He’s skipper and whenever he’s playing the boys get up for it.”
AAP
