Rugby league great Matty Johns believes newly minted Bronco Adam Reynolds is the player under the most pressure heading into the 2022 season.
While Reynolds is a highly-regarded halfback, Johns believes he’ll feel the heat as his arrival has lifted expectations around the Broncos.
Although Johns expects Reynolds to play well himself, he believes the pressure comes from the reality that Broncos fans expect the number seven to increase the standards of all the players around him.
“The player (who’ll be under most pressure) in my opinion, is Adam Reynolds,” Johns said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“It’s a good kind of pressure, because he’s gone up there, he’s captain, he’s the guy that’s going to lead them around the park.
“There’s a lot of pressure on him, huge amount of pressure, because they’re expected to improve dramatically.
“But, I didn’t like what I saw with the trial games from Brisbane.”
Johns compared Reynolds’ situation to that of Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga, with both of their club’s seasons riding on their shoulders.
“As far as Adam Reynolds is concerned, it’s not the sort of pressure that’s on a Luke Brooks, but it’s the sort of pressure that’s on a Kalyn Ponga,” Johns explained.
“If they’re going to do anything the Broncos, Adam Reynolds has to have a huge season.
“If you look at the quality that was around him at South Sydney and the dynamics around that side is dramatically different than the Broncos.
“Many hands make light work at the Rabbitohs … whereas the Broncos, I’m not saying it’s a one-man team, but there’s huge responsibility there, a hell of a lot.”
Reynolds will make his Brisbane debut when the Broncos host his former club the Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium in Round 1.