Adam Reynolds will return from injury alongside all but one of Brisbane’s State of Origin stars as coach Kevin Walters dismissed concerns about the Broncos missing the NRL finals.
The captain will play against Newcastle on Saturday, having trained strongly this week and received medical clearance after an 11-week absence due to a ruptured bicep.
Selwyn Cobbo will not back up from Wednesday’s Origin loss, but Pat Carrigan will play despite leaving Suncorp Stadium in a moon boot to nurse a swollen ankle. Fullback Reece Walsh was in good spirits at Friday’s captain’s run, and victorious NSW Blues prop Payne Haas will also be available as the Broncos aim to end a six-game losing streak.
“It’d be wrong to dump it all on Adam, but he’s the type of player that brings a lot of experience and confidence … it’s certainly a big in for us,” Walters confirmed on Friday.
“I’ve seen him up in the coaches’ box for the last nine, 10 weeks. Hearing him talk about the game … I know if he was on the field he could be helping them, which he’ll do tomorrow night.”
Last year’s beaten grand finalists are 13th with seven wins, one behind the Knights, and two outside the top eight with eight regular-season games remaining. Walters scoffed when asked if he thought his team could still make the finals.
“I’m not going to answer that … that’s a joke mate, of course we are,” he said. “I have utmost faith and belief in these guys. Rugby league’s a funny game. It tests your character … because we’re so strong with our character that’s why I believe we’ll get through the other side.
“Not so much win, we need to play well this week. If we get our team up and about playing the footy they can, look out.”
Walters said Tristan Sailor and Josh Rogers would drop out of the team, while either Blake Mozer or Tyson Smoothy will also be relegated.
The coach said Carrigan was “a little bit wounded” but could start after playing 70 minutes on Wednesday. “He’ll go into battle and we’ll get as much as we can out of him … to help us get back,” Walters said.
“And (Walsh) he’s fine; he’s got the shirt off at training today. That’s always a good indicator that he’s ready to go.
“Most of us have taken a bit of a battering in the last few weeks but I keep saying: they’ve been training well, their attitude has been amazing and that’ll turn. If we keep working hard and supporting each other, good thin
gs are going to happen.”
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