Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has responded to the rumours circulating about Adam Reynolds potentially not being at the club as part of the staff next season.
Reynolds quickly backtracked on his comments last week, saying it was his own decision to not play in the final two matches of this season.
According to Reynolds, the situation had been "blown out of proportion", and the criticism towards Maguire wasn't justified.
Prior to the club's match against Melbourne Storm, it was confirmed that the veteran halfback would not play in the last two matches of the season as he has been battling a calf injury.
The 2025 premiership-winning halfback spoke on NRL 360, claiming he could play and that it wasn't his decision, saying it was "news to him".
A media circus was created with the Reynolds news and the different answers they had provided to the media.
On Wednesday, Maguire confirmed Reynolds would be part of the Broncos staff next season.
However, he did not reveal what Reynolds' exact role would be.
“We're working through what his role will be. He'll be around the club for sure. Where that's going to land, we're still working our way through that,” Maguire said.
“It would be crazy not to use Reyno. He's going to be a big part, he always will be. The legacy that he's been able to leave here is pretty special.
“He's going to have many roles here.”
According to reports from The Courier Mail, Reynolds would be a halves coach and mentor to the young halves, Thomas Duffy and Jonah Pezet, who will join next season from the Parramatta Eels.
Brisbane recently underwent an internal review.
14 changes have been emphasised by the club to make ahead of the 2027 season, and Maguire himself would stay as the Broncos head coach.
The club plans to hire a cultural mentor to improve the support for the Broncos' Polynesian players.
Maguire responded calculatedly after the details of the review were leaked to the media.
“How that comes out, welcome to the Broncos,” he said.
“I don't really need to talk about the review because honestly, we review every day and every week. So it's a fascination that I guess everyone goes through, but what we're going through now is no different than what we've been through every single week.
“We're always looking to improve what we do. I have heard about a few of the recommendations, some there that we've spoken about.”
Tensions have been high, as Reece Walsh had liked a clip on Instagram from NRL 360 last week, where Maguire was criticised for the decision to not play Reynolds.
“I'll keep that between us. I mean, a lot of this group have experienced some pretty big moments in their careers. Some people never ever get to go there,” Maguire said.
“A lot of my players know about what it takes, and it's just about dialling back into those things.”
Brisbane's chief executive Dave Dongahy has said the club plans to extend Michael Maguire, although details in August revealed a left-field contract.
Broncos chairman Karl Morris revealed the club is considering placing Maguire on a standard employment contract, potentially eliminating a set expiry date.
The arrangement could also include performance and payout clauses on a year-to-year basis, rather than leaving Maguire to face the media over his contract.
Brisbane Broncos will play their last game of the season against the Canterbury Bulldogs on Thursday night, hoping to finish the season on a somewhat positive note.
Depending on the results of the Titans and Dolphins clash, the Broncos if they were to lose and Gold Coast claim a victory, Brisbane could potentially finish 16th ahead of the St George Illawarra Dragons.
