Adam Reynolds has revealed the moment he knew his time was up with South Sydney and his hopes of being a one-club player were over.
Reynolds will take on South Sydney this Thursday for the first time since leaving the Rabbitohs, in a much anticipated clash that was supposed to take place in round one but was nixed due to the premiership winner’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
Reynolds was only offered a one-year extension to stay at Souths, instead accepting a three-year $2.4m deal to link with Brisbane.
The halfback, who grew up in Redfern, has now found a home in Brisbane with the view of taking up a coaching role at Red Hill once his career has finished. While he’s well and truly moved on, Reynolds told The Sydney Morning Herald, the time he was told by Souths they no longer viewed him as a long-term option is something he won’t forget.
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“I can still remember having a chat with someone at the club, they basically tried to get me to sign a one-year deal and then find me another club for the following year,” Reynolds said.
“That was the moment I knew I had to get out and look at finding some security for my family.
“It was about a month before Magic Round. We were only a couple of months into the negotiations. I remember saying that that was me done. I had four young kids and my salary was about to be cut in half. We never got to a figure, but that was ballpark. I was fine with that, but I wanted two years.
“After being told they wanted to find me another club, I knew I had to go elsewhere.
“I have no ill feeling towards anyone at the club, I’ve made some friends for life and I will forever cherish the opportunity that I had to wear the red and green.”
Reynolds said Wayne Bennett played a huge role in his decision to move north after attracting some interest from Cronulla.
“I didn’t really know anyone or have any relationships with anybody at the Broncos, but it was mainly Wayne who talked the club up,” he said.
“He had his dramas here, but he didn’t have a bad word to say about the place. I have a lot of respect for Wayne, and when he says nice stuff about a place, I had to listen.”
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