Adam Reynolds said if it wasn’t for a former premiership-winning South Sydney teammate, he probably wouldn’t be celebrating 300 NRL games on Saturday night.
So it was only fitting that Issac Luke was brought into the Brisbane Broncos’ inner sanctum on Friday morning to present Reynolds with his milestone jersey.
Luke and Reynolds became friends a couple of years before Reynolds debuted in 2012, largely because they were both teenage fathers. Their partners, Tallara and Mickayela, were also close.
“Issac is someone who took me under his wing when I came into first grade. We had kids around the same age, I was shy, but he opened his arms and made me feel really comfortable around the group,” Reynolds said.
“Had he not sheltered me and taken me under his wing, I don’t know if I would have been the player I was early on. I certainly wouldn’t have progressed to where I am today had it not been for ‘Bully’.
“I’ve always said [fellow Souths premiership winner] Sam Burgess was the toughest player I had ever come across. He was on another level, physically and mentally, to everyone else. Bully was about 20kg lighter, but you could throw him into that same category when it comes to toughness. He would have fought anyone. I owe him a lot.”
Issac Luke and Adam Reynolds.Credit: Tom Cossens
The Broncos held a luncheon for Reynolds, 34, on Tuesday at the Jubilee Hotel where Luke spoke, as did Brisbane coach Michael Maguire and head of performance Troy Thomson – two men who were at Souths when Reynolds debuted in round one of the 2012 season.
Luke spoke at Reynolds’ 18th birthday, nearly two years before his NRL debut, and was grateful to feature in the 300th celebrations ahead of Saturday’s game against the Gold Coast.
The relationship between Luke and Reynolds provided one of the few times the former has been reduced to tears.
That came last year when Reynolds handed him his playing jersey from the Broncos’ game against the Warriors in Napier, the town that was battered by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. The storm claimed the life of Luke’s father.
George Luke – who battled chronic asthma and diabetes – was stranded for two days before he died from pneumonia after his car was struck by a landslide.
“I’m so proud of Reyno for reaching 300 games, but last year hit me even harder after last year’s game in Napier and dad,” Luke said.
“He told me to come around and gave [me] his jersey. I had a little cry in the car on the way home. My son [Adaquix] was with me and said, ‘you two are like little school kids when you’re together. You act like idiots’.
“It’s not just what he’s done on the field, but how he’s presented himself off it. Reyno will play this milestone game not just for him, but for all of us, his family, friends – we’re all on this ride with him together.
Adam Reynolds and Issac Luke in 2014.Credit: Fiona Morris
“We always spoke about growing old together. Now we’re both in Brisbane, it might pan out that way.
“I still remind him I could have been the one that finished with 2000 career points had he not taken the goal-kicking duties off me.”
The Broncos haven’t had much to celebrate of late, losing six of their past seven games. Reynolds was forced to make a career-high 39 tackles against the Sea Eagles last Saturday.
Mr 300: Adam ReynoldsCredit: Getty Images
While he would love to play on another year, and is expected to remain with the Broncos once a third-party deal is rubber-stamped, the halfback’s only focus is getting a much-needed victory.
“I love this game, and I especially love the downtimes because those are the moments that shape you into a better athlete and make you more resilient,” Reynolds said.
“We’re probably in one of those moments right now.
“We’ve shown glimpses in games of how good we can be. We just need to do it for 80 minutes. I maintain when we put it all together, we’re better than most teams, if not all of them. I can tell you ‘Madge’ [Maguire] hasn’t lost dressing room. We’re trying extremely hard, he’s working hard, and it’s always an easy headline about the coach when we’re losing. I’m used to it. It couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Souths legend Craig Coleman presented Reynolds with his debut jersey. The 300th game for John Sutton, who remains the only player to do it for Souths, was a standout memory for Reynolds, even though ‘Sutto’ was relieved once the week was over.
South Sydney won for Sutton on that day. If the Broncos get their way on Saturday, they’ll win for Reynolds.
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