The Crawley Files: New arrival makes Reynolds a happy Bunny, but Wests Tigers can’t be tamed
THE Crawley Files: A new arrival has finally made Adam Reynolds a happy Bunny, but those wild Wests Tigers just won't be tamed.
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TIMING is everything, in league and in life. A week ago people were saying Adam Reynolds’ future was on shaky ground at South Sydney following the emergence of Luke Keary.
Now Reynolds is the man the Bunnies will have to pin their hopes on as we head towards the final rounds of the regular season following the injury to John Sutton that will keep the skipper sidelined until the finals.
But while the league world has been caught up with the rumour in recent months that Reynolds was on the outer at Souths, in the real world the little halfback has had other priorities to keep him busy.
Just a few weeks back, only four days after he turned 24 himself, Reynolds was in hospital with his partner Tallara awaiting the birth of their third child.
Little Kobe arrived the weekend Reynolds had off when the Rabbitohs had the bye.
“It was good timing,” Reynolds joked this week.
He is Adam and Tallara’s first son, joining sisters Nakylah (4) and Aaliyah (3) in a family in which a simple smile tells the real story of where their lives are at.
FINALS RACE: WHO’LL FINISH WHERE?
You ask Reynolds how hard it gets having three children under the age of five and he laughs from the heart.
“It is hard work but I enjoy it,” he said. “You have a bad day at footy and you go home and they take all those problems away. They just make life so much better.
“You go home and see them smiling and it just changes my day.”
And on the field things have also changed quickly this past week, following the knee injury Sutton suffered in the opening minutes of the 34-18 win over Canberra on Monday night.
Reynolds crossed for two of his team’s seven tries in a man-of-the- match performance that answered a lot of questions about where Reynolds’ mind was. Many experts feared the pressure surrounding his future was starting to affect his form.
BURGESS HAILS BUNNIES’ COOL HAND LUKE
As a kid, Reynolds grew up just down the road from the Rabbitohs’ spiritual home at Redfern Oval, and now with Sutton sidelined for up to six weeks, the opportunity is there for Reynolds to secure his long-term future at the club by taking his game to the next level when they need him most.
From here the Rabbitohs are well placed for a top-four finish and Reynolds knows the next challenge will be for him to take the dominant role in Sutton’s absence.
This Sunday they take on the Knights in Cairns and after that Reynolds’ individual match-ups over the final five weeks of the season will be against Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly), Ben Hunt (Brisbane), Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys), Trent Hodkinson (Canterbury) and Mitchell Pearce (Roosters).
How he performs will go a long way to determining if the Rabbitohs can finally break their 43-year premiership drought that stretches back to 1971.
Asked if he was looking forward to the challenge of guiding the team in Sutton’s absence, Reynolds said: “That is something I enjoy.
“No doubt these next few weeks are going to be a challenge for the team but it is good to find out where we are at.”
This is only Reynolds’ third season in the NRL and with two finals campaigns now behind him the expectation this year will be bigger than ever on the No.7. In his rookie year, Reynolds was being talked up as the next NSW halfback.
But the disappointment of last year’s finals exit after surrendering a 14-point lead in the grand final qualifier against Manly has left behind lingering questions.
However, Reynolds says right now he has never felt more comfortable on a field and the support of his coach and captain have been instrumental in his continued development.
“The more experience you get the more you learn and it becomes easier,” he said.
“And I have learnt a lot from John Sutton and Madge (Maguire) too.
“I have a lot of respect for Madge.
“He is very dedicated and he is also someone who cares about you.
CASUALTY WARD: BIG GUNS STRUCK DOWN
“He is very clear and direct in what needs to happen and he has certainly brought the best out in me and a lot of blokes.
“You see all the younger blokes this year who have come along, Alex Johnston, Dylan Walker, Kyle Turner, they have been shining lights for us this year. They have taken us to a new level and all the hard work Madge puts in makes it possible.”
And as for his future at the club, it is crystal clear from where Reynolds is sitting.
“I sat down with Madge and he discussed everything with me,” he said. “He told me it was all a load of rubbish. I have never had a problem.
“I still have a year to go here and they are talking about (an extension) now. It is just about turning up each week to play footy.”
And when he gets home each evening these little smiling faces put all the pressure in perspective.
Asked if he would one day like to see little Kobe pull on the boots and play for the Bunnies, Reynolds said: “I’d love for him to play footy but that is his choice. I will leave it in his hands. If he loves it he does, if he doesn’t, doesn’t matter.
“I am not going to force him into something he doesn’t want to do. My parents never forced me into anything. I just want him to be happy and get the most out of life.”
His dad is certainly setting a good example in that respect.
RAIDERS A TRICKY TASK FOR RICKY
To understand the Raiders’ plight as they fight to avoid the wooden spoon remember this. Last year the Raiders only won one game without either Josh Dugan or Blake Ferguson in their team.
This year they have won five games so far — and have had to contend with the ongoing saga surrounding Anthony Milford’s future, and Milford was going to the Broncos long before Stuart arrived.
RICKY: RAIDERS NOT FIRST GRADE STANDARD
Plenty of critics are quick to pin the blame on Canberra’s failure in 2014 at the feet of the current coach but Stuart took over a team who sacked Dave Furner last year after he lost the support of the senior players.
Previous to that when Stuart was at Parramatta he took over from a team that also finished last under Stephen Kearney, who was also sacked.
Brad Arthur has done a wonderful job this year at Parra but he has also benefitted from the tough calls Stuart made last year when he put a broom through the joint.
Rosters win comps and you can’t build them, or buy them, overnight.
Look at the players Penrith have let go and recruited under Ivan Cleary. This is Cleary’s third year at Penrith — and he has recruited extensively with the likes of Peter Wallace, Jamie Soward, James Segeyaro, Elijah Taylor, Dean Whare, Lewis Brown, Brent Kite, Jamal Idris, Tyrone Peachey, as well as having the best breeding ground in the game at his disposal.
Right now Stuart is an easy target but it is important to remember where Canberra were at before he arrived.
THEY SAID IT
“Robbie Farah told me to my face. I don’t go on anybody else. When I was at Triple M last year on the Saturday show. He told me Mick Potter can’t coach. He told me. I don’t go on Chinese whispers. The facts came out of his mouth.” Gorden Tallis reveals a private conversation he had with Robbie Farah last April on Triple M.
“That was correct last year but his opinion has changed. That was 12 months ago.” Farah’s manager Sam Ayoub responds.
“He knows I’m not happy about it. It’s completely false. I don’t have to sit here and justify myself and Mick’s relationship. We have a job to lead this club and we are doing the best we can. Some people out there need to go and get their facts right before they run their mouth.” Farah responds to Tallis’ claim, and denies he has a problem with Mick Potter.
FARAH IN COLD WAR WITH TIGERS MANAGEMENT
“They were trying to discredit me. They insinuated that I was telling lies. I had to defend my integrity and defend my honour. I drew a line in the sand. What irked me was when Sam Ayoub came on and insinuated that I was making it all up. Then I had Robbie Farah saying I should get my facts right and that I wasn’t telling the truth. I had to say what I said.” Tallis defends his decision.
“The big thing is that the conversation Gorden was referring to happened 15 months ago, when the team was struggling. That hasn’t been made clear and it needs to be made clear. What people also don’t know is that Robbie and Mick have always been upfront with each other, going back that far.” Ayoub on Potter and Farah’s relationship as it stands today.
RUMBLINGS FOLLOWED BY A HOWLING FAIL
As Wests Tigers chairman, Mike Bailey made a great weatherman.
He used to be able to predict when the storms were coming, but last Sunday the Tigers’ board was caught unprepared for the turbulence they created with the failed assassination of Mick Potter.
POTTER STILL STUCK IN EYE OF THE TIGER DRAMA
Fancy calling a board meeting to decide the coach’s future on the same day the Tigers were taking on St George Illawarra with a spot in the top eight on the line.
And there is something else that has me confused this week.
Three weeks ago Tigers chief executive Grant Mayer told me that Potter had a clause in his contract that his job would be safe if the Tigers made the finals this year.
Asked directly if Potter’s future hinged on making the playoffs, Mayer said: “Mick has included in his contract a trigger for an extension of one year based upon a top-eight finish.”
But this week it seems someone at the club has gone back on that statement, with reports there is now no guarantee Potter will keep his job if they make the finals.
No wonder the rest of us are confused when management continue to contradict themselves.
Originally published as The Crawley Files: New arrival makes Reynolds a happy Bunny, but Wests Tigers can’t be tamed
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