A masterclass kicking presentation by Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds has motivated a 38-12 win over an inefficient North Queensland.
The 33-year-old half had the ball on a string with his brief and long kicking diversion before a swarm of 45,793 at Suncorp Stadium.
Reynolds threatened the Cowboys’ back three within the first half to fire his side to a 20-12 lead at the break.
Fullback Scott Drinkwater and wingers Kyle Feldt and Murray Taulagi dropped drifting bombs by the Broncos captain that were driven to focus.
Reynolds was returning from a medial collateral ligament strain that led to his missing last week’s loss to Penrith.
His return gave the Broncos direction and belief in a vital second win for the season.
“You can build pressure on the back of Adam’s kicking. That is one of the reasons we went to Sydney three years ago (to sign him),” coach Kevin Walters said. “On these occasions, he knows which kicks to put up and how to put people under pressure with his kicking game.”
The Broncos had previously won only seven of 20 games without representative prop Payne Haas since 2019.
In Haas’s absence with a knee injury, lock Pat Carrigan had his best game of the season and won the Carl Webb Medal as player of the match.
Star fullback Reece Walsh was also unavailable, along with second-rower Brendan Piakura, but Tristan Sailor and Jaiyden Hunt stepped up admirably.
“I got really inspired by Penrith last night (in their win over the Roosters) and their attitude,” Walters said.
“Some of their key players were not playing and they rolled Penrith out.
