Brisbane Broncos team news: Adam Reynolds declared fully fit, Corey Oates dropped

Brisbane’s title hopes have received a massive boost with their captain revealing he is at full fitness. Follow all the Broncos selection news.

Corey Oates is set to be dropped for Brisbane’s opening finals match. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

Adam Reynolds has declared himself a certain starter for Friday night’s finals blockbuster against Melbourne and outlined his final frontier in rugby league - to captain the Broncos to a drought-breaking premiership.

Brisbane’s title hopes have received a massive boost with their most important player Reynolds confirming he has overcome a calf injury to lead the Broncos in their finals opener against bogey side Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium.

Reynolds sent a scare through the Broncos when he suffered a minor calf tear in a training mishap a fortnight ago, putting him in doubt for the opening week of the finals.

But the champion halfback has been given the green light by medicos, as has star lock Pat Carrigan (foot) as the Broncos look to atone for last week’s 32-22 loss to the Storm in the final round of the season.

Australia’s women’s World Cup football team recently rode the wave of star striker Sam Kerr’s calf injury, but Reynolds says the same ailment will not be a problem during Brisbane’s finals charge.

Adam Reynolds (C) returns against the Storm. Picture: Liam Kidston

“I’m definitely playing, 100 per cent,” said Reynolds, Brisbane’s representative at the official NRL finals launch on Monday.

“I’m feeling really good, the body is feeling good.

“I’ve had a couple of weeks off and it’s given me time to get through a load of rehab with the physios and do a bit of strength work in the gym.

“My calf feels fine, I haven’t noticed it all since I had the incident.

“If it was a semi-final last week I would have played. The circumstances were a bit different, but I’m confident of getting out there and doing my job for the team.

“I’ve had no issues. The calf has responded really well.”

Just turned 33, Reynolds is mindful of his ageing body and says he will do specific lower-leg work for the rest of his career to avoid constant breakdowns.

“I’ve been doing change of direction, acceleration, deceleration and some higher-speed running to test it out,” he said.

Adam Reynolds, Brisbane Broncos training, Red Hill. Picture: Liam Kidston

“I’m confident I have done enough to be ready for this game.

“I will continue to do the rehab daily (on his calves) and I will do it until I’m no longer playing this year.

“It will just become a part of my routine now.

“I’m extremely confident of getting through this game and the rest of the finals.”

Reynolds and vice-captain Kurt Capewell are the only two players at Brisbane with premiership experience and the reality is the Broncos need their classy No.7 to stay fit to have any hope of winning their first title since 2006.

For Reynolds, Brisbane’s return to the finals is the platform to ice a decorated career.

In 2014, he was the young playmaker who helped Souths break their 43-year premiership drought in 2014, but, almost a decade on, he is Brisbane’s talismanic main man as captain.

Darren Lockyer was the last Broncos captain to hoist the NRL trophy 17 years ago. Now Reynolds craves his crowning moment.

“It would be pretty much everything I would want in my NRL career,” Reynolds said.

“I tasted the premiership once (at Souths) and I’d love to do it again as captain.

Walshy and a fan 🥲 pic.twitter.com/jyXtATVpNv

— Brisbane Broncos (@brisbanebroncos) August 31, 2023

“They are extremely hard to get to and win. I have been fortunate enough to play in two grand finals (losing with Souths in 2021) and I’ve experienced both sides of it.

“To do it with Brisbane would be special. It’s a real goal of mine to achieve it.

“It takes a lot of hard work and dedication and you need a little bit of luck, but fingers crossed we’ve given ourselves the best chance possible of playing our best football.

“We definitely have the team to win it.”

200-GAME HERO SET FOR FINALS AXE

Broncos coach Kevin Walters is poised to drop a selection bombshell by axing veteran winger Corey Oates for Brisbane’s finals blockbuster against the Storm.

Walters has made the first big call of the 2023 NRL finals series, officially launched on Monday, with Oates set to be dumped in favour of Jesse Arthars for Brisbane’s first semi-final at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Arthars spent the entire training session on Sunday on the left wing usually occupied by Oates, who wore the No.2 jumper last Friday night in Brisbane’s 32-22 final-round loss to the Storm.

Oates, Brisbane’s No.1 left winger for the best part of a decade, was seen running with the second-string Renegades squad at the opposed session - the most definitive sign he is facing relegation.

In other major selection news, star duo Adam Reynolds (calf) and Pat Carrigan (foot) had brief stints at training and look certain to be given the green light in a huge boost for the Broncos.

The axing of Oates would come as a crushing blow for the former Queensland Origin star, who is the sole survivor of Brisbane’s 2015 grand-final team.

Corey Oates is set to be dropped for Brisbane’s opening finals match. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

Just three days ago, Oates was Brisbane’s first-choice left winger against the Storm, while Arthars started at centre after Walters opted to rest 11 top-liners, including backline quartet Reece Walsh, Kotoni Staggs, Herbie Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo.

Given his experience as a 201-game legend, Oates was regarded as a selection certainty for Brisbane’s finals clash against bogey team the Storm, who have won their past 14 games over the Broncos.

But it is understood there are concerns over Oates’ form and confidence levels, opening the door for Arthars to partner Cobbo on the flanks for the crucial finals encounter at Suncorp Stadium.

Arthars has been Brisbane’s Mr Reliable this season and his career-best form saw the Maori All Stars representative clinch a three-year contract extension in April.

The 25-year-old has a history with the Storm _ he played two seasons with Melbourne’s under-20s in 2016-17 before moving to South Sydney and eventually the Titans, where he made his NRL debut in 2019.

Meanwhile, Oates has had an injury-ravaged campaign, with a broken jaw and two knee problems restricting him to just nine games.

Walters has shown he is not afraid to make the tough selection calls and he believes Arthars’ speed, finishing ability and fearless kick returns can trouble the Storm defence.

The Oates development comes at a time when the popular stalwart is fighting for his future at the Broncos.

The 28-year-old is the only big-name Bronco who remains off-contract going into the finals and Oates admits he is prepared to take a pay cut in pursuit of a maiden premiership ring at Red Hill.

“It’s been a s*** year for me,” Oates said in the wake of Friday night’s loss to the Storm.

“Those are the things you have to do (cop a pay cut) when you are an older player and you have been here for long enough.

“I’ve always known that, but that’s the way it happens when you want to keep a great team together.

“You know what needs to happen and we will see what comes in the next few weeks.

“Hopefully things can get sorted, but I am just happy to be playing footy again.”

Corey Oates has been linked to rival NRL clubs. Picture: NRL Imagery

Walters must also finalise his bench, with Brendan Piakura, Kobe Hetherington, Corey Jensen and Martin Taupau to wage a four-way battle for three interchange spots.

Tyson Smoothy is locked in as Brisbane’s No.14. Piakura, Hetherington and Jensen all had stints running with the top squad on Sunday, suggesting Taupau could be relegated to 18th man duties.

Jensen has impressed Brisbane’s coaching staff with his carries this season and his midfield workrate could see the Cowboys’ 2017 grand-final prop oust Taupau.

Carrigan and Reynolds did not train in full - they spent time training away from the main side on light duties - but coach Walters is confident two of Brisbane’s most important players will be cleared to play.

While Brisbane’s cavalry is charging back, the Storm will reply in kind with Cameron Munster, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Xavier Coates and Nick Meaney to return after sitting out last week’s clash.

In an ominous statistic, the Broncos have not beaten the Storm at Suncorp since 2009, a drought now spanning a whopping 5284 days.

Originally published as Brisbane Broncos team news: Adam Reynolds declared fully fit, Corey Oates dropped