Cody Walker has criticized Brisbane's "highly disappointing" choice to bench his close friend Adam Reynolds for the last two games, as the retiring Broncos captain tried to clarify comments regarding his calf injury.
On Tuesday, Reynolds claimed it was his decision to be ruled out for the final matches against Melbourne and Canterbury, despite earlier suggesting the coaching staff had made that choice.
Reynolds stated on Monday that he felt fine during training and completed the session, but coach Michael Maguire and the medical team had concerns about insufficient load. This raised significant backlash against Maguire and the Broncos, who are no longer in finals contention, as the premiership-winning captain could potentially have played from the bench.
Walker questioned the decision on Tuesday, noting he lacked full details about Reynolds' situation. The duo played 126 matches together and helped South Sydney reach the grand final in 2021.
"I'm not entirely sure what's happened up there, but for him not to be able to have his own farewell and go out on his own terms is highly disappointing," Walker said. "I just hope he's doing all right."
Walker expressed his concerns just before Reynolds held a short press conference at Broncos HQ, stating that his comments had been "blown out of proportion."
"I feel it's unfair to blame Madge (Maguire) in the situation," Reynolds said. "It was my choice to call time. It's been perceived as Madge's call. He's given me the opportunity to get back out on the field."
Reynolds emphasized his strong relationship with Maguire, forged over time at two clubs.
Teammates, including Ben Hunt, were surprised by the news of Reynolds' retirement, with Hunt telling radio station 4BC the Broncos were "pretty shocked" he wouldn't play again.
Reynolds explained that he had spoken on Triple M shortly after discussing the matter with Maguire and hadn't fully processed the emotional situation.
The 36-year-old clarified he didn't want a token farewell of 20 minutes while mostly sitting on the bench.
"That wouldn't have satisfied me," Reynolds stated. "I want to play 80 minutes; unfortunately, I am not at 100 percent, and I don't want to go out there and let my teammates down. There is still a farewell. It was my call."
Reynolds' comments have added to the confusion surrounding his calf injury. After suffering a concussion in round 22, Maguire later announced Reynolds couldn't train due to a calf issue.
However, Reynolds insisted hours later that his absence was unrelated to injury. Footage released by the Broncos later showed him running in a closed session before he experienced another calf injury, ultimately ending his 323-game career.