Broncos won’t shut door on Adam Reynolds playing on in 2026

Broncos coach Michael Maguire has launched a stout defence of Brisbane skipper Adam Reynolds, insisting his star playmaker has a role at the club beyond 2025.

Michael Maguire says he won’t force Adam Reynolds into retirement, with the Broncos coach addressing speculation about the champion playmaker’s future at the Broncos, revealing he will do everything possible under the salary cap to keep his halfback at Red Hill in 2026.

When he inked a 12-month extension last year, it was viewed as Reynolds’ final NRL contract before the 34-year-old transitioned into an assistant coach’s role working with Brisbane’s emerging playmakers.

But Reynolds is so content at the Broncos the premiership playmaker is keen to soldier on in 2026, throwing a potential spanner in the works for Brisbane’s salary cap.

Broncos coach Michael Maguire (L) has backed Adam Reynolds to play beyond 2025.

‘IF YOU ARE PLAYING WELL, YOU KEEP ON GOING’

The Broncos purchased Hunt on a two-year deal as a contingency to succeed Reynolds in the No.7 jumper.

The former NSW Origin schemer has been linked with a swan song in the English Super League, but Maguire says Brisbane are open to crunching the salary-cap numbers to ensure Reynolds is not lost to the Broncos.

Manly and Queensland Origin skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, who turns 37 next February, is evidence that Reynolds, who is 35 in July, is far from finished.

“It has never been my case of thinking that he retires,” Maguire said.

“If you are playing well, you keep on going.

“He is well experienced at this sort of stuff. He has been around long enough to know that when you are having conversations with an organisation they are ongoing.

“The game has shown that the older boys are still doing great things.

“They have all the experience.”

MAGUIRE THE MYTHBUSTER

Often labelled injury prone, the tough-as-nails Reynolds has played more than 20 games in a season on 10 occasions in his 13-year career, underlining his durability.

“You are definitely right about Reyno with the myth,” Maguire said.

“Some time ago people thought he was finished and he has definitely proved that is not the case.

“Last year he obviously faced a bit of adversity (Reynolds tore his bicep) but every player goes through injury at some stage.

“He is getting close to his 300 games in the next months so that says a lot about where Reyno is at.

“I have known Reyno a long time.

“I want (to keep) everyone that is here and we have got to work around that. That’s happening with every club. Every club is going through various salary cap decisions and we are no different.”

The Broncos routed the Roosters 50-14 in round 1 but Maguire is wary of a Bondi ambush.

“This is one of the hardest games we will play,” he said. “After we beat the Roosters in round 1, they went into round 2 and beat the four-time premiers (Penrith) so every game you have to turn up each week and that is right in front of us now.

“We have to turn up at our best.

“To progress to where we want to get to and identify the team we want to be, we have a lot of improvement in us.”

Originally published as Broncos won’t shut door on Adam Reynolds playing on in 2026