Footy fans have declared Broncos great Gorden Tallis the clear cut loser of an explosive argument with journalist Pete Badel after the pair clashed on television over the fitness of Adam Reynolds.
The debate unfolded on NRL360 on Wednesday night, with Tallis highly critical of Reynolds after the Brisbane star flew to Sydney for Fox League media duties last weekend despite suffering a painful rib injury against Parramatta on March 12.
Reynolds was named to play this Friday against the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park – but was ruled out of the Grand Final replay hours later.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire – who is no stranger to pot shots from Tallis and other Brisbane Old Boys – labelled criticism of his skipper ‘the biggest load of garbage’ and ‘laughable’.
After hearing Maguire’s comments from a midweek training session at Red Hill, Tallis again loudly questioned Reynolds’s decision, insisting the halfback should have managed his rib injury at home.
‘It’s the grand final replay and he’s your captain. I will not dodge it, the first 24-28 hours are the most crucial for treating your injuries so maybe if he didn’t fly down here (Sydney) and treated himself at home and rested, then maybe he could have played,’ Tallis began.
Footy fans were left wanting more on Wednesday night after Broncos great Gorden Tallis and journalist Peter Badel clashed on live television over the fitness of Adam Reynolds
The debate unfolded on NRL360, with Tallis highly critical after Reynolds flew to Sydney for Fox League media duties last weekend despite suffering a painful rib injury against Parramatta on March 12
Reynolds was named to play this Friday against the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park – but was ruled out of the Grand Final replay hours later
Badel disagreed with Tallis, with the pair then going toe to toe.
‘Well Gordie you’re actually wrong, and I’ll tell you why. I spoke with Madge and I spoke to a physio about Adam Reynolds and the rib cartilage injury and he said, flying is immaterial. It’s not a soft tissue injury.’
Tallis insisted Reynolds should have played through the pain.
‘That’s what that jersey deserves and you can’t tell me any different. If you don’t think it deserves it, that’s fine but I do… I wore it and you didn’t,’ he snapped.
‘Leaders, that is what they do… they play.’
The pair’s heated clash continued when Badel fired a shot at Tallis for sitting out a season for the St George Dragons in 1996.
‘There’s 25 rounds to go, why risk the season now?’ Badel continued about why Reynolds won’t be on the team sheet against Melbourne.
‘You picked and chose when you played. You sat out a whole season.
Footy fans sided with Badel, with plenty saying Tallis tried to intimidate the News Corp reporter
Another pointed out Tallis loves reminding people he played in the NRL – and those who haven’t seemingly ‘are not entitled to an opinion’
This footy fan said former Broncos stars like Tallis are a ‘cancer to the club’
Another lauded Badel for standing his ground and labelled Tallis an ‘absolute joke’
‘In terms of being judicious over a whole season, why would Reyno play Round 3?
Tallis then claimed the Broncos ‘don’t make the (2025) grand final if (fullback) Reece Walsh doesn’t play’ and that ‘(Reynolds) was off the field when they won’ referencing the halfback’s calf injury against Melbourne in the decider last October.
He wasn’t finished, bluntly telling Badel ‘don’t come here with Madge’s s**t, come here with your own original ideas’, suggesting he had an agenda.
Many supporters on social media sided with Badel, feeling Tallis was disrespectful.
‘Can we please get Tallis off NRL360? We finally had Badel on for insider chat and he gets rant-bullied by Gordy,’ said one.
‘Gordie thinks anyone who didn’t play isn’t entitled to an opinion,’ pointed out another.
‘On ya Pete. Gorden is an absolute joke,’ offered a third.
A fourth weighed in with: ‘The Broncos ex-players are a cancer to the club. They rip into Madge, he won the competition and they don’t praise him… (then) they lose two games and it is back to bashing him.’
