Adam Reynolds turns down lucrative offer from Wests Tigers to stay loyal to Brisbane Broncos
Broncos veteran Adam Reynolds has taken the extraordinary step of giving up almost $1 million by knocking back a lucrative offer from the Wests Tigers to remain in Brisbane.
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Adam Reynolds has taken the extraordinary step of giving up almost $1 million by knocking back a lucrative offer from the Wests Tigers and staying loyal to Brisbane.
This masthead can reveal the battle for Reynolds’ signature is over with the Broncos skipper ending months of speculation over his future by rejecting the Tigers to finish his decorated NRL career at Red Hill.
Reynolds will stay at Brisbane in 2026 – pending the Broncos clearing one final negotiating hurdle with his management.
Wests Tigers chiefs are aware of Brisbane’s position. The Reynolds camp advised the Tigers on Saturday night of his decision.
But Reynolds’ loyalty will come at a cost, with the champion halfback to walk away from a near seven-figure sum to finish his career at the Broncos in a remarkable show of commitment to the club.
Tigers bosses held a fresh round of talks with Reynolds in recent days, attempting to lure the former Rabbitohs schemer back to Sydney with a two-year package worth around $1.5 million.
The Broncos could not compete with the Tigers’ offer due to salary-cap pressures and made it clear they would not budge on a 12-month contract.
Despite the massive financial chasm, Tigers hierarchy have failed in convincing Reynolds to quit the Broncos to join forces with Jarome Luai, believing the 34-year-old wants to remain in Brisbane for family reasons.
The Broncos and Reynolds’ manager Steve Gillis will now move to finalise his last NRL contract, which is likely to include post-football opportunities for the premiership-winning playmaker.
If that aspect of the deal is satisfied, Reynolds will stay a Bronco, to be formalised in coming days.
One huge consideration for Reynolds was the family implications of joining the Tigers.
With Reynolds’ wife and four kids happily settled in Brisbane, he would have had to relocate to Sydney alone to play for the Tigers, something the 300-game veteran was reluctant to do.
“Adam wants to finish his career at Brisbane,” Gillis said. “His family is settled there, so that’s what we are working towards.”
Reynolds is also hellbent on finishing what he set out to achieve at Brisbane when he quit South Sydney in 2021 – steering the Broncos to a seventh title and breaking a 19-year premiership drought.
The Broncos are poised to make a number of retention announcements.
Centre Kotoni Staggs is expected to formally ink an extension with the Broncos before next Sunday’s clash against Cronulla, while Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy lauded Reynolds’ influence at Red Hill.
“I’d love nothing more than to see Adam finish his career at the Broncos,” Donaghy said.
“I’m sure when he first started, he probably would have thought he was going to be a one-club player at Souths.
“That didn’t eventuate, but we’d love him to finish a two-club player.
“Adam has been great for us.
“When we first signed him, people were saying we wouldn’t get two years out of him. It’s been four now and if he goes around with us next year, that’s five seasons.
“Adam has a role to play on the field, but he’s got a leadership role to play as well in terms of leading our young guys off the field.”
Tigers legend Benny Elias said it was a risk for his club to offer Reynolds, who turns 35 next month, a two-year deal.
“Adam Reynolds is a bloody champion but to be honest I would like to see him finish his career at the Broncos,” Elias said.
“I think a two-year offer is a worry.
“Look at ‘DCE’ (36-year-old Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans) … there is a stage where Father Time catches up with you and we would all love to play forever, but it’s simply not possible.
“Reynolds has been wonderful for Brisbane. He has been a great fit for that club and if he likes living in Brisbane with his kids, then go out respectfully and be a Broncos legend.
“He can have a long career at the Broncos post-football as a coach or an ambassador.”
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