NRL 2022: Adam Reynolds admits Broncos must step up against Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium

Broncos captain Adam Reynolds has delivered a brutal message to his high-flying team ahead of his first Queensland derby.

Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds admits the unbeaten Broncos need to step it up another level when they face a resurgent Cowboys in this weekend’s blockbuster Queensland derby.

The Broncos are brimming with confidence following their 2-0 start from the opening two rounds of the season, with wins over South Sydney and Canterbury.

Now, they face another epic challenge in the form of one of the NRL’s biggest rivalries when they host their North Queensland rivals at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

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Adam Reynolds warns the Broncos must lift against the Cowboys.

Both clubs are coming off the back of strong victories and it’s sparked huge interest from the fans, with more than 500 tickets sold for the Queensland derby, just hours after Brisbane’s win over the Bulldogs.

This weekend’s game will also double as Reynolds first match at Suncorp Stadium in Broncos colours and the first time since 2018 the Brisbane NRLW team will share the same stage as their male counterparts, when they play earlier in the day.

Reynolds said he was aware of the intense rivalry which comes from playing in a Queensland derby and was looking forward to the battle.

“I’ve heard all about it,” Reynolds said.

“I’ve been involved in rivalries before and this one is a little bit different from what I’m used to, but not too much will change, we’ve still got a job to do.

“I’ll prepare well during the week and try and pick up from where we left off yesterday.

Reynolds is ready to step into a new rivalry.

“It was a tough win (against the Bulldogs) and it built a bit of character about the team.

“It’s exciting moving forward.”

Despite their perfect start to the season, the Broncos still have areas to improve on.

They amassed 37 missed tackles against the Bulldogs on Sunday as well as nine handling errors which robbed them of gaining momentum in crucial stages of the game.

Reynolds said the team had to take things up a notch if they are to have any success over the Cowboys – who are coming off a confidence-boosting 26-6 win over Canberra.

“We need to be better across the board,” he said.

“There were areas in (Sunday’s) game we weren’t happy about – too many errors, too many turnovers.

Reynolds says Brisbane must be ‘better across the board’.

“The Cowboys are playing some good footy and they showed on the weekend what a classy outfit they are.

“They’ve got a bit of confidence at the moment but we just have to make sure we get our own game right.”

The Cowboys suffered a devastating blow in the aftermath of their win over Canberra, with backrower Mitchell Dunn tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

The 25-year-old will go under the knife in the coming weeks and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.