As speculation swirls around Brisbane's horror run of form, skipper Adam Reynolds has come out swinging in defence of head coach Michael Maguire, dismissing claims of player unrest and over-training as “external noise.”
The Broncos have won just once in their last seven outings, with their 34–6 collapse to Manly fuelling criticism that the squad has lost its spark under Maguire’s tough approach.
But according to Reynolds and teammate Kotoni Staggs, the mood in camp tells a different story.
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“He’s passionate. He’s loyal.”
“It’s easy to write headlines when you are not winning games,” Reynolds told reporters ahead of his 300th NRL appearance. “It’s external and doesn’t mean anything to us. The conversations we are having in these four walls are the important ones. If you listen to people on the outside, you end up on the outside.”
Having won a premiership under Maguire at South Sydney, Reynolds vouched for his coach’s drive and dedication. “I know how hard he works and what it means to him. He’s passionate. He’s loyal. He has seen success and knows what success takes. It hasn’t been smooth sailing, but we are working hard to turn that around.”
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Staggs echoed the sentiment, brushing off any notion that Maguire’s methods are behind their slump. “That’s a load of crap, I say,” the Broncos centre said. “You’ve got to train hard. It’s a very tough sport. I think it’s just excuses from outside noise that we can’t control.”
While Reynolds conceded the on-field performances have fallen short, he insisted the players, not the coach, must be held accountable.
“We get prepared extremely well, and as players, we have to take the blame. The only people that are going to get us out of this are ourselves.”