Reynolds to keep captaincy over Carrigan
ADAM Reynolds has retained the Broncos’ sole captaincy for 2023 as coach Kevin Walters tipped Brisbane’s main man to have an even better season in his second year at Red Hill.
Walters will resist appointing Kangaroos star Pat Carrigan as a co-captain following the Maroons forward’s breakout 2022 campaign.
Carrigan has been tipped as a future skipper and took huge strides forward in his blossoming career this year.
The Brisbane product was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal as the best player in the State of Origin series after helping Queensland clinch victory in his debut campaign.
Carrigan’s Origin efforts, and 14 NRL games for the Broncos, secured him a spot in Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad for the current World Cup in England, where he has played four Tests.
The only Broncos player in the Kangaroos squad, Carrigan is expected to come off the bench for Australia in Sunday morning’s final against Samoa at Old Trafford.
A World Cup victory would cap off a remarkable season for the 24-year-old after playing just eight games in 2021 due to a serious knee injury.
Carrigan will then return to Brisbane for a break before reporting for pre-season training with the Broncos, who are looking to put last season’s disappointing finish behind them.
The emergence of Carrigan this year prompted speculation he could be promoted to a senior leadership role.
But that will not be the case in the short-term.
Reynolds, 32, produced a strong maiden season at the Broncos this year following his move from South Sydney, the club he played 231 games for and won the 2014 NRL premiership with.
“Adam will be the captain – I am a fan of the single captain,” Walters said.
“It was all new for him last year moving up to the Broncos with his family. He didn’t start training with the group on a weekly basis until January.
“We get him back early this time which is a good treat for us heading into Christmas.”