The Brisbane Broncos are on the board in 2024, after suffering a disappointing loss in round one. But their gritty victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Thursday night wasn’t without a price, as Adam Reynolds suffered yet another injury. With the pivotal halfback leaving the field in the second half, what does this mean for the Broncos?
We look at how Brisbane got over the line against South Sydney, who starred in the win, and what we know about Reynold’s injury so far.
Broncos on the Board in 2024
Heading into the season, the Brisbane Broncos were neck-and-neck with the Penrith Panthers at betting sites for who would win the 2024 Grand Final. When they lost their first match against the Sydney Roosters, it was something of an anti-climax.
Now, the Broncos have lived up to their pre-season hype, delivering a strong performance to defeat the South Sydney Rabbitohs 28-18. It was a match that the home side dominated from start to finish, with the exception of a brief lull following half time. Oh and by the way, we picked it.
Brisbane opening their account through Deine Marnier, who chased down a well-weighed grubber from Adam Reynolds at the 18-minute mark. The Broncos quickly followed up with a second, which was one of the tries of the match. Reece Walsh beat not one, not two, but three defenders in impressive fashion, scoring underneath the posts.
With the score 12-0 at oranges, it looked like this could be a one-sided affair. The Rabbitohs did well to come back into the match, however, racking up two converted ties in the space of a few minutes after half time. Locked at 12-12, Brisbane took control once more, running in three tries to put the match beyond South Sydney’s reach, though they did grab a consolation try on full time.
The Rabbitohs will rue their errors in the first half, completing only half of their sets thanks to 11 errors before the break. They also missed an alarming 24 tackles across the opening 40.
Reece Walsh Star of the Show at Suncorp
Ahead of this clash, the battle between fullbacks Reece Walsh and Latrell Mitchell was being highly rated. Bookmaker bet365 had them both at low odds to score, and score they did, with three tries between them.
It was Walsh who stole the show though, outclassing his opposite on several occasions. None were more overt than when he wove his way past Mitchell to score under the posts in the first half. Walsh ended the match with two tries, a line break, two line break assists and five tackle busts.
“He is a genius... Walsh is destroying them,” said Michael Ennis of Fox League in his analysis of the match. “He looks dangerous with every touch… In the fullback showdown it’s been Reece Walsh that’s dominated.”
“Speed, footwork and an enormous amount of confidence, Reece Walsh is just slicing through South Sydney.”
Adam Reynolds Reaggravates Knee Injury
Despite the delight of seeing Walsh fire on all cylinders, there’s plenty for Brisbane to be concerned about as well. In round one, Adam Reynolds suffered a knee injury against the Roosters. The halfback was cleared to play in this match, but evidently, all was not well.
Part way through the second half, Reynolds was seen clutching his knee and was forced to leave the field. He did manage to play all but 10 minutes of the clash but received attention on several occasions from on-field medical staff before finally leaving the field.
Reynolds is a key component of the Broncos attack, and while teammates have joked that the 33-year-old is “a fossil”, there’s a strong chance Brisbane will be without him next round. Expect Reynolds to take some time to recover from this injury, in a setback for the Broncos who face two-time defending champions the Penrith Panthers next week.
Broncos’ fans will have mixed feelings about their sides clash against the Rabbitohs on Thursday night. They’re on the board in 2024 with their first two points secured thanks to a 28-18 victory, and Reece Walsh is looking sharp. Trouble is, star halfback Adam Reynolds is looking unlikely to participate next week, with a knee injury reaggravated late in the game.
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