After a disappointing year for the Brisbane Broncos on all fronts, could Michael Maguire not have offered one interchange player to allow Adam Reynolds a brief appearance against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday night?
The NRL has even taken the opportunity of this match to trial the new kick-off rule due to the game's low stakes.
Yet, the Broncos failed to devise a way to honor their retiring captain with a proper send-off he rightfully deserves.
While Reyno mentioned on Tuesday that it was his choice to sit out because of his calf strain, he seemed genuinely sympathetic toward Madge.
But I'm not buying that explanation.
Reyno previously stated on Monday that he was fit to play, but Madge and the medical team decided otherwise.
I admired the courage and sincerity of the little guy when he appeared on NRL 360 and expressed his disappointment about missing his last home game.
At no point did he criticize Madge or anyone associated with the Broncos during that interview.
However, he was candid, and I still believe that part of this week's events was genuine.
The remainder just reinforced my belief that neither Madge nor anyone in the Broncos leadership is in touch with the situation.