The Brisbane Broncos are facing a significant challenge as they head into the final stretch of the NRL season following injuries to key players Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam. Both players sustained hamstring injuries during the team’s heavy loss to the Melbourne Storm on March 15, 2025, raising concerns about their availability for the crucial upcoming matches.
Reynolds and Mam will undergo scans to assess the extent of their injuries after they were injured while pursuing Storm winger Xavier Coates in the 22nd minute of the match. Early indications suggest that Reynolds may be dealing with a more severe injury. Adding to the team’s woes, winger Selwyn Cobbo also limped off the field with a hamstring issue just two minutes before the final whistle, which will necessitate a scan as well.
Despite this setback, the Broncos are in a relatively strong position, thanks to their depth at the halves and hooker positions. Coach Michael Maguire has a wealth of options as he prepares for the final four matches before the playoffs. The 35-year-old hooker, Ben Hunt, boasts extensive experience with 348 NRL games, including 255 as a starting halfback or five-eighth.
In the match against the Storm, the Broncos had to shift bench utility Billy Walters to the No. 9 position when Hunt moved to halfback. Walters, who trained during the pre-season as both a half and hooker, has experience playing five-eighth for the Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers prior to solidifying his role in the dummy-half position.
Maguire could decide to keep Walters at five-eighth or turn to one of his three backup halves: Coby Black, Josh Rogers, or Jock Madden. Additionally, he has the option to replace Hunt by recalling Cory Paix, who started the season as the first-choice hooker. The Broncos also have Blake Mozer and Tyson Smoothy available as potential hooker options.
Former Broncos captain Darren Lockyer weighed in on the situation during an interview with Channel Nine, suggesting that the Walters-Hunt combination in the halves is the most likely scenario for the upcoming matches. Lockyer expressed doubt that Maguire would risk introducing 19-year-old Coby Black at this critical juncture, despite the young player’s potential for a bright future.
“I think bringing Coby in at this point in time is a huge risk in terms of their chances of winning big games, because he’s just a kid,” Lockyer stated. “I think Ben Hunt goes to seven and potentially Billy Walters goes to six, and you bring in Cory Paix and Tyson Smoothy as your combination of hookers.”
The Broncos currently sit on 28 points and will likely need at least one more win to secure their spot in the finals. Their upcoming schedule includes a match against cross-town rivals the Dolphins next week, followed by challenging games against the Newcastle Knights and North Queensland Cowboys away, and a home match against the Melbourne Storm.
Maguire described the night as “crazy” due to the injuries sustained by three key players, but he remains optimistic about the team’s depth. “We’ll be right,” he said. “We’ve got people in the background that can come in. That’s part of the progression. We’ve been able to bring a few people in and change around the team a little bit, so we’ll work through that throughout the week.”
As the Broncos prepare for their final matches, the ability to adapt and make strategic decisions will be crucial for maintaining their push for the finals.
