LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Brisbane Broncos may have seen their season unravel on Thursday night as both Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam suffered hamstring injuries during a single play in their loss to Melbourne. In a shocking turn of events, both players fell to the ground, clutching their hamstrings while trying to catch Xavier Coates in the first half.
Coates intercepted a pass from Mam, eluding multiple Broncos players. Mam went down after attempting a tackle, while Reynolds lunged at Coates but immediately halted his pursuit. The situation worsened when Selwyn Cobbo also injured his hamstring later in the match.
Despite making an outstanding tackle on Coates, Cobbo was later seen gripping his hamstring, which raises concerns about his availability moving forward.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire remarked that he had never witnessed such bizarre circumstances in his coaching history, stating, "It was crazy to be honest." When asked how the team could cope without both halves against the Melbourne Storm, Maguire admitted he hadn't yet contemplated the implications. "I'll talk to the players and we'll go through that," he said. "I haven't even thought about that to be honest. I'm just sort of more concerned about the boys [injuries]."
The injuries to their key playmakers, especially veteran halfback Reynolds, have led the NRL community to question the Broncos' ability to contend for the premiership. A further loss for the Broncos could jeopardize their position in the top eight.
Reynolds' injury is a significant setback for both the players and the club, as he had recently re-signed for another year. Unfortunately, at 35 years old, he has struggled with injuries as he approaches the end of his playing career.