It’s chip and run for Reynolds towards bright future
Joel Gould |
Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds will return to training in December making back-to back titles his focus, but his playing future beyond next year is still undecided.
The 35-year-old halfback is contracted for 2026 and has a lot to consider if he is to play beyond that.
Reynolds, who will play at the Australian PGA Championship Pro-Am on Wednesday with golfing star Cameron Smith, said “Brisbane is home” for him now as he joined the major winner for a chipping competition at Suncorp Stadium to promote the tournament.
The 2027 season could see him play on at the Broncos or move into a coaching role at the club.
A third, and less likely option, is to play elsewhere.
Reynolds released his autobiography last month and a fascinating revelation towards the end of the book outlined how close he was to taking up a two-year offer from Wests Tigers before he elected to extend for 2026 year at the Broncos.
“Some nights I’d go to bed convinced I was going to sign with the Tigers,” the 35-year-old penned.
There have been reports Reynolds may reunite with old coach Wayne Bennett at South Sydney if there is no contract on the table at Brisbane in 2027, but he said no such talks had occurred.
Whether he elects to play beyond next year may give him some more restless nights.
“I am not too sure. I suppose the start of the season will give me an indication of how the body and mind is feeling,” Reynolds said.
“The mind is the most important thing, whether it still wants to go another 12 months. Those questions will answer themselves throughout the season.
“I don’t know if I will be good enough to go around again in another 12 months. I may be. I may not.
“It is always good to be wanted but realistically Brisbane is home for me and it would be tough to leave this place.
“I have a lot of respect for Wayne and love what he is doing. I think he is setting that club up for success and I wish him all the best but I’ve had no conversations.”
One thing that is certain is the two-time premiership winner will be on deck in 2026 at Brisbane. The calf he injured in the 2025 grand-final win is now fully healed.
“I am feeling really good. I have been running a fair bit in the off-season and playing Oztag as well with my daughters which is quite fun,” he said.
“I am back to 100 per cent and ready to get into it. I am back (at training) on December 12.”
He said the Broncos were well-placed to go back-to-back with a settled squad and a coaching staff the players still had a lot to learn from, while acknowledging it would take “a lot of hard work”.
Reynolds said he was glad former Melbourne halfback Jonah Pezet would get a season to learn off Mitchell Moses at Parramatta before joining the Broncos in 2027.
He said no discussions on how he and Pezet would fit into the same team in future had been broached as yet.
Reynolds added it was “not ideal” for Brisbane to lose teenager Coby Black to Canberra as a result of Pezet’s arrival, but understood the youngster’s desire to play first grade was a compelling motivation for the move.
AAP
