Michael Maguire has insisted he allowed Adam Reynolds to retire on his own terms before bristling at a question as to whether the saga had hurt his relationship with the Brisbane playing group.
Maguire revealed he had cleared the air with Reece Walsh on Wednesday morning after it came to light the fullback had liked a social media post questioning the Broncos' handling of Reynolds' retirement.
The dual premiership-winning coach became testy when asked whether he was concerned that he was losing the support of his underachieving playing group.
"You ask them," he said.
"I love coaching this team and they know that. We're moving through a time where there's high emotion around the scenarios we're talking about.
"But I know this group is going to rise again."
The Reynolds saga has been yet another blight on a disappointing season for Brisbane, who have slipped from premiers to the bottom four this year.
Their champion halfback has contended with a calf injury towards the end of his final season but had been hoping to play one last game at the Broncos' home ground this Thursday.
Reynolds said in a radio interview on Monday that Maguire and his staff had told him he was not fit enough for a swan song, only to backtrack on that version of events a day later.
Maguire reiterated ahead of the clash with Melbourne that it had been Reynolds' decision to bring his retirement forward a fortnight and miss the club's last two games.
"He basically said to me, 'I think it's time, Madge', and that's how it went, and I respect that. I'd love to see him play," Maguire said.
"To be honest, I was pushing him to try and get him there.
"(But) there comes a time where he just said the body's had its time and he just couldn't get to the end point to have that last little fairytale."
Reynolds' mixed messaging has nevertheless raised eyebrows, so too the reaction to the saga from senior Brisbane players.
Ben Hunt said on radio on Tuesday that the playing group was "pretty shocked" Reynolds would not return to the field and that he "deserved that send-off" against the Storm.
Walsh, meanwhile, liked an Instagram post that referred to the Broncos' handling of the situation as "embarrassing and sad".
Brisbane forward Martin Taupau found himself on the outer last season for liking a post criticising Maguire's coaching and did not play another game for the club thereafter.
But Maguire said Taupau's misstep and the Walsh situation were "two different scenarios".
"(Walsh) realises that social media moves very quickly. They're different circumstances but the same sort of incident," Maguire said.
"I'm not going to go into what's happened, we move forward now. Reece and I have had that conversation."
Coach Maguire and halfback Reynolds memorably partnered to help South Sydney win their first grand final in 43 years during the 2014 season, before each adding another premiership ring last year.
Reynolds is expected to transition into a coaching role under Maguire next year.
"For myself personally, it's been an emotional week because I've had Reyno in my life for the last 14 years," Maguire said.
"He'll now transition into the next part of his life and I'll always be a part of that. He's a great human."