Brisbane will have to part ways with a number of players after committing to re-sign their captain and halfback.
The Brisbane Broncos will reportedly have to cut a number of players from their top-30 roster after committing to keep Adam Reynolds at the club for 2026. Board member and Broncos legend Darren Lockyer admitted last month that the club had been planning for Reynolds to retire at the end of 2025, which would have solved some of their salary cap issues.
But the veteran halfback is keen to keep playing next season, meaning the Broncos have had to find the money they’d planned to use elsewhere. The Brisbane club had been hoping to re-sign the 34-year-old on a cut-price deal in the vicinity of $300,000, but it’s believed the NRL will insist he’s paid more like $500,000.
Because he’s not a one-club player, the NRL won’t give the Broncos much salary cap dispensation to keep Reynolds – like they did with Lockyer at the end of his career. But the Courier Mail reported on Wednesday night that Brisbane have begun negotiations with Reynolds for a new contract and are “prepared to offload several off-contract top-liners to table a new deal for their skipper.”
The Broncos have 13 players coming off contract at the end of 2025, including big names like Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs. It’s believed a new deal for Staggs is all-but done, but Cobbo’s future is still up in the air. A popular theory is that Cobbo will sign a short-term extension to remain in Brisbane before chasing the riches on offer in either Perth or PNG.
It’s unlikely the club will want to lose a talented youngster like Cobbo for one extra year of Reynolds. It’s more likely the Broncos will be willing to part ways with players like Kobe Hetherington, Cory Paix and Delouise Hoeter to free up the cash to keep Reynolds.
Gorden Tallis warns Broncos against Adam Reynolds move
Coach Michael Maguire said on Wednesday: “I would love to see ‘Reyno’ go on. I don’t see any reason why he can’t keep going on next season and I’m confident we will find a way to keep him.
“Everyone has salary-cap challenges but we have to be diligent to look at the space we’re in (with their roster). I get that finances play a part but it’s also what the team means and what we achieve together. That’s the job of everyone here, to build the environment and Reyno is a huge part of that. Culture is a big part of every NRL club and Reyno is a crucial part of this organisation.”
Discussing the situation on NRL 360 on Wednesday night, Broncos legend Gorden Tallis urged the club not to lose any talented youngsters just to keep Reynolds for one more year. With Ben Hunt and Ezra Mam under contract, the club can fill the void if the halfback leaves.
“I think Cobbo is the one that they keep… every day of the week, twice on Sunday,” Tallis said. “Who is going to win more competitions for them? If Reece Walsh doesn’t come back and be Reece Walsh, who is fullback for the Broncos?”