Adam Reynolds accepted Brisbane’s decision to deny him a farewell appearance, but his teammates and former halves partner believe he deserved one final game.
The 36-year-old had hoped to make one last appearance at Suncorp Stadium against Melbourne after announcing earlier this year that 2026 would be his final NRL season.
Reynolds completed a training session and told coach Michael Maguire he was prepared to play a limited role, potentially from the interchange bench.
However, Brisbane’s medical staff remained concerned about his persistent calf problems and the limited training he had completed over recent weeks.
Maguire ultimately decided Reynolds would not face Melbourne or Canterbury, bringing his 323-game career to an immediate end.
Broncos Players Stunned by Decision
Ben Hunt revealed the playing group expected Reynolds to be selected after watching their captain complete training.
“We’re all pretty shocked, to be fair,” Hunt told 4BC.
“We knew how hard he’s been pushing the last few weeks and seeing him train out there and get through that full session, we thought for sure he was going to get another run around.
“We were excited to have one of the best players to play our game come back and our captain and play his final game at Suncorp.”
Hunt contacted Reynolds after learning of the decision and said the veteran halfback was understandably disappointed.
“We thought he deserved that send-off,” Hunt said.
“Most of the players are pretty disappointed too.”
Hunt acknowledged that the players had not been given every detail from the discussions involving Reynolds, Maguire and Brisbane’s medical department.
That qualification is important because completing a training session does not necessarily mean a player is physically capable of safely handling an NRL match.
Cody Walker Calls Decision “Highly Disappointing”
South Sydney five-eighth Cody Walker played 126 matches in the halves alongside Reynolds before his former teammate moved to Brisbane in 2022.
Walker said watching Reynolds confirm his immediate retirement was difficult.
“It was a tough watch watching him have that interview and have him choking up on Triple M,” Walker said.
“I’m quite disappointed and sad that he’s not going to get the send-off that he probably deserves.
“I think that it’s disappointing that he won’t get to go out on his own shield and in his own way.”
Walker suggested Reynolds could have been used from the bench, pointing to South Sydney’s management of his own workload during the previous season.
“For him not to be able to have his own farewell and go out on his own terms is highly disappointing,” Walker said.
“I just hope he’s doing all right.”
Like Hunt, Walker conceded he did not know the complete circumstances behind Brisbane’s decision and was relying upon information from outside the club.
Reynolds Had Two Separate Calf Problems
Brisbane’s caution was not based upon one minor complaint.
“The left calf was giving me nerve issues, and then I had a little grade one strain in the right calf which has not bounced back as quickly as I would’ve liked,” Reynolds said in the Broncos’ official statement.
“I trained today and thought I would be a chance to play one last home game, but it’s not to be.
“I felt pretty good out there, but I had some conversations with Madge and the medical staff and they were quite concerned with the limited training I’ve done in the past couple of weeks.”
Reynolds said Maguire did not want his final image to be another physical breakdown.
Although disappointed, the halfback praised Brisbane for prioritising his welfare.
“They put the person before the player and the care factor is there,” Reynolds said.
That response makes it difficult to portray the decision as disrespectful, even if the club’s communication with the wider playing group could have been handled better.
Arrow Decision Creates Unavoidable Comparison
The controversy intensified when the NRL approved special arrangements allowing Jai Arrow to make two ceremonial appearances for South Sydney.
Arrow, who was forced to retire following a motor neurone disease diagnosis, will lead the Rabbitohs onto the field before becoming their first interchange within seconds of the opening whistle.
Those appearances will take Arrow from 98 to 100 games for South Sydney.
It creates an uncomfortable contrast: the NRL has found a way to give Arrow a ceremonial milestone while Reynolds has been denied a final appearance despite completing training.
However, the circumstances are not identical.
Arrow will be added to South Sydney’s team list as an additional player and will not participate in a play. The NRL has approved extra interchange allowances so the gesture does not disadvantage the Rabbitohs.
Reynolds was attempting to return as an active player who could potentially spend 20 or 30 minutes on the field. That would carry substantially greater physical risk and affect Brisbane’s normal team selection.
Could the Broncos have requested a similar exemption? Possibly.
But there is no confirmation that Reynolds wanted a purely ceremonial appearance in which he left the field immediately without touching the ball.
Maguire Made the Hard but Defensible Call
The emotional argument for selecting Reynolds is overwhelming.
Brisbane is out of finals contention, the match is at Suncorp Stadium and few recruits have transformed the Broncos as profoundly as the former Rabbitohs captain.
Reynolds guided the club to the 2023 grand final before captaining Brisbane to its first premiership in 19 years in 2025.
He deserved the opportunity to farewell supporters on the field.
Yet Maguire’s responsibility was not to manufacture a perfect ending. It was to determine whether Reynolds could safely contribute without exposing himself or the team to unnecessary risk.
If Brisbane’s medical staff believed there was a serious chance he would break down, selecting him for sentimental reasons would have been irresponsible.
The decision can be medically correct and still feel brutally unfair.
Cherry-Evans Says Career Was the Fairytale
Daly Cherry-Evans offered the clearest perspective on the disappointing ending.
“He doesn’t get his fairytale as such, but I reckon if you asked him, his career is the fairytale,” Cherry-Evans said.
“He doesn’t get one last game, but he’s had a hell of a career and he’s been an elite playmaker for a long time.”
Reynolds retires with 323 NRL appearances across 15 seasons, premierships with South Sydney in 2014 and Brisbane in 2025, and more than 2,500 career points.
He leaves as the second-highest scorer in NRL history and one of the most influential recruits Brisbane has signed.
The farewell was taken away from him.
The legacy was not.
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