Adam Reynolds and Patrick Carrigan have fronted media to “get on the front foot and own” their actions after vision emerged of the pair in a push and shove after a night out.
The Broncos skipper was captured clashing with Carrigan in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley on Sunday, with the incident taking place just hours after the club’s annual fan day.
“I just want to take full responsibility for my actions,” Carrigan said on Tuesday morning.
“It’s obviously not ideal behaviour that I’m proud of but as a club we’re moving forward and standing side-by-side with Adam.”
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Reports on Monday suggested that Reynolds had told an intoxicated Carrigan to head home in a cab, which triggered the altercation.
Carrigan conceded on Tuesday that it “clearly was time” for him to “go home” when the pair were asked whether they were intoxicated.
“I won’t get into the ins and outs of it but Adam had my best interests at heart and it was clearly time for me to go home,” Carrigan said.
“We’re embarrassed,” Reynolds added.
“We fully take ownership for what happened. We’re a really tight group. We understand it’s not a good look but we were there as mates.
“It started out as a playful fight and a little bit of wrestle that got a little bit heated but there was no one injured. We understand it’s not a good look in the public eye and we take ownership.”
The Courier Mail reports that Reynolds and Carrigan are set to be fined by the NRL but are unlikely to be stood down from Brisbane’s season opener against the Roosters.
Broncos coach Kevin Walters confirmed the club would not be suspending the pair but added on Tuesday morning that the NRL’s integrity unit had the final say.
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“We won’t be suspending them. The NRL integrity unit is now looking at all the vision and they’ll be doing some interviews so it is sort of out of our hands now and into theirs,” Walters said.
“Whatever it [the punishment] is, we’re more than happy to wear it,” Reynolds added.
“We put our hand up. We accept full responsibility for what happened and whatever happens happens.”
It is not the first time Carrigan has been involved in an alcohol-related incident, having broken the team rules in 2022 after he was spotted drinking just hours after injuring his MCL.
Walters said at the time that Carrigan’s actions were “not acceptable” and that the matter had been dealt with “internally”.
When it was pointed out to Carrigan on Tuesday that this was not an isolated incident, he once again reiterated he had “made a mistake” and was looking to “move forward”.
“I’m looking to just accept this one on the weekend and move forward,” he said.
“Obviously I’ve got a huge amount of respect for Kevvie. There’s no other coach I want to play for. I have to be better [in] both circumstances and I own that.”
Some NRL players have taken on self-imposed booze bans and Carrigan conceded that could be a solution in the future.
“I don’t know. In due time, maybe that could be a thing… I’m just looking to move forward,” he added.
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