LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Brisbane's NRL finals aspirations have taken a significant hit with the revelation that captain Adam Reynolds has re-injured his hamstring, potentially ending his season early. In contrasting news, Melbourne Storm's Will Warbrick is set to make his long-awaited return to the field after being sidelined since April due to lingering concussion issues.
Reynolds was included in Brisbane's extended squad for their match against North Queensland this Saturday and was anticipated to travel with the team to Townsville. However, according to a report from The Courier Mail, the Broncos captain will remain in Brisbane after re-aggravating a grade-two hamstring injury during training on Wednesday.
The report indicates that the experienced halfback experienced soreness following the training session and will undergo additional scans on Friday. He is racing against time to be fit for the first week of the finals. Brisbane's medical staff are optimistic about Reynolds' recovery for the playoffs, but it seems unlikely he will return before the regular season concludes.
This development severely impacts Brisbane's quest for a crucial top-four finish this season, as they are currently two points behind the fourth-placed Warriors. The Broncos still have matches against both the Cowboys and Storm, while the Warriors are set to face the Eels at home before concluding their season against Manly next week.
The potential absence of Reynolds in the knockout stages would be a heavy blow, especially if Brisbane ends up playing elimination matches. The team had already been cautious with Reynolds' injury status; coach Michael Maguire had previously indicated that the veteran was unlikely to play against the Cowboys, prior to this latest setback.
"I have named Adam in the squad, he did some running (on Tuesday) but I'm not going to chance it knowing what's ahead," Maguire said on Wednesday. "I won't say right now, 'No, he's not playing', but ideally, I imagine it will be next week." Unfortunately for both Reynolds and the Broncos, the uncertainty regarding his return has increased once more.
On the other hand, Storm winger Warbrick is expected to make his long-awaited comeback in the highly anticipated match against the Roosters this Friday night in Melbourne. The Kiwi international has only played twice in the NRL this year and has not seen action since April's round four game against the Dragons due to prolonged concussion symptoms. However, he successfully participated in the Storm's captain's run on Thursday and is viewed as a strong candidate to feature against the Roosters after being listed in the extended squad.