Rugby League

Reynolds makes masterful return as Broncos down Wests Tigers

April 28, 2024 4:46 am

[Source: NRL]

Adam Reynolds made a masterful return for the Broncos to oversee a clinical 34-10 defeat of Wests Tigers before hobbling from Campbelltown Stadium in the dying minutes.

Reynolds turned on a kicking masterclass to lay on tries for Reece Walsh and Jock Madden but he was one of four stars who failed to finish the match, along with Walsh, Madden and Wests Tiger captain Api Koroisau.

The veteran playmaker was in everything and set up Walsh’s second try, while he even managed an intercept as he sat on the ground before coming from the field in the 78th minute, leaving the Broncos to finish the match with 12 men.

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Both Reynolds and Walsh insisted after the match that they had succumbed to cramps, but there were concerns that Madden had suffered a pectoral muscle injury.

Koroisau was reportedly in pain from a cork to his back.

Wests Tigers overcame a horror start after fullback Jahream Bula fumbled an Adam Reynolds kick and winger Charlie Stains was unable to clean up, but Broncos winger Deine Mariner spilled a Reece Walsh pass with the line open.

However, Mariner quickly made amends after Walsh again chimed into the backline and unleashed the speedster towards the tryline before crossing with a spectacular dive to score in the corner.

The sinbinning of second-rower Samuela Fainu for a professional foul after he tackled Corey Oates as the Broncos winger caught an Aidan Sezer kick in-goal and tried to race to the 20m line for a quick tap was a blow for Wests Tigers.

Broncos five-eighth Jock Madden made his former Wests Tigers team-mates pay almost immediately after he raced through to snatch a Reynolds kick intended for Walsh.

Wests Tigers captain Api Koroisau had a try disallowed in the 25th minute after the Bunker ruled that he had lost the ball reaching out to score and that was as close as the home team got to scoring in the first half.

Walsh inflicted a bigger blow to Wests Tigers when he backed up a break from Mariner, who fielded a kick from Reynolds, to score on the stroke of halftime to give the Broncos a 16-0 lead at the interval.

Madden scored his second try five minutes into the second half after Reynolds opted not to kick on the last tackle and instead sent second-rower Brendan Piakura racing through a gap before passing to the five-eighth.

Walsh then grabbed a double of his own after Reynolds turned the ball inside for the flying fullback to weave his way over to score in the 55th minute and put the result beyond doubt.

Payne Haas capped his return from injury by crashing over to score in the 65th minute before Wests Tigers winger Charlie Staines scored two late consolation tries.