NRL 2024: Brisbane Broncos players leap to defence of captain Adam Reynolds and hit back at the club’s Old Boys

Broncos players have leapt to the defence of under-pressure halfback Adam Reynolds and fired back at the club’s Old Boys who have called for the axing of the captain.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 14: Adam Reynolds of the Broncos passes during the round two NRL match between Brisbane Broncos and South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, on March 14, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Broncos players have leapt to the defence of under-siege skipper Adam Reynolds and hit back at the club’s Old Boys that have turned on battling Brisbane again.

Reynolds’ leadership has come under scrutiny after Broncos great Gorden Tallis called for the halfback to be stripped of the captaincy and replaced by Maroons star Pat Carrigan.

A defiant Reynolds has refused to stand down and will lead the Broncos into Saturday’s must-win clash with the Titans on the Gold Coast.

The Broncos have lost seven of their past eight games and a loss to the Titans will end Brisbane’s faint hopes of playing finals football in 2024.

It has been a dramatic crash for the Broncos on the back of last year’s grand final season in which they went within minutes of winning the club’s first NRL premiership since 2006.

The Broncos were widely tipped to be title contenders again this year, but a six-game mid-season losing streak saw them plummet to 13th before a shocking 41-16 loss to Canterbury last weekend ramped up the pressure.

Gorden Tallis called for Adam Reynolds to be stripped of Broncos captaincy earlier in the week.

Former captain Tallis and club legend Chris Johns have come out swinging this week, targeting Brisbane’s playing squad while defending coach Kevin Walters.

In-form centre Kotoni Staggs said the attacks from ex-players reminded him of Brisbane’s 2020 wooden spoon season which lead to the sacking of former coach Anthony Seibold.

“It has been like that in the past,” he said.

“I was here in 2020 when we hit rock bottom and it is just the same old thing coming back out.

“We have a great bunch of boys here we have to stay at strong with and have each other’s backs. That noise doesn’t get in these doors here and we just brush it off.

“I don’t bother with that stuff. I am here to do my part with the Broncos and play my best footy.

“I don’t watch media and don’t go much on people saying stuff like that about our team.”

Kotoni Staggs likened the current Broncos criticism from ex-players to 2020 wooden spoon season. NRL Photos

The Broncos held a “soul searching” honesty session on Monday and trained with intensity on Wednesday in preparation for the sudden death derby with the Titans, who beat Brisbane in round 12 and have won four of their past five matches.

Staggs said it was unfair for Reynolds’ leadership to come under question after he piloted Brisbane to last year’s grand final and missed eight games this season following biceps surgery.

“He has just come back from being injured and you can’t blame him for what we have been doing,” he said.

“They (critics) will pick out anything they can and we just ignore it.

“One hundred per cent he is (the right captain). He has done it for the last two years and led us to a grand final last year.

“It is not just on Adam. There are 13 guys on the footy field to play their part.

“Adam can do so much but if we are not on the back of it with him he can’t do what he can. I still believe he can lead us to a grand final.”

The Broncos must win their five remaining matches to finish in the top eight and anything less would be considered a failure following last year’s rise.

Staggs said the NRL glamour club would always have critics and Brisbane’s playing group had to rise to the challenge.

“That is just the outside noise and we don’t let that get into the doors here,” he said.

“There is going to be pressure on the Broncos. We are a big organisation. Whether we are winning or losing there are still people hating us.

“They don’t like to see the Broncos win. We know what we have got to do and we will do it.”