Adam Reynolds Broncos contract: Rabbitohs playmaker says he wants club points record

Adam Reynolds has just four months left at South Sydney, and the Broncos-bound playmaker is keen to take an impressive club record with him when he leaves.

Adam Reynolds is off to Brisbane. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Adam Reynolds now has just four-and-a-months remaining at Redfern and says he wants to leave with an individual accolade and then a team title.

Legendary Souths fullback Eric Simms holds the club’s point scoring record with 1841 compiled over 11 seasons between 1965 and 1975.

Through his 10 seasons at Souths, Reynolds has posted 1724 points — just 117 behind Simms.

Provided he remains injury-free for the remainder of this season, Reynolds should pass Simms to become the greatest point scorer in the club’s 113-year history.

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And Reynolds wants to pass Simms on his way to a fairytale grand final win with Souths.

“Adam is 100 per cent focused on winning a premiership with Souths for this year, and being captain for it,” Reynolds’ manager Steve Gillis said.

“And the other thing is he is only 100-odd points behind Eric Simms’ all-time point scoring record. He wants to break that record, too, before he leaves.

“They are two goals he wants to achieve before he leaves Souths.

“While disappointed his career at Souths will conclude at the end of the year, Adam will always hold the club dear to his heart and consider himself a Rabbitoh for life.

“This process hasn’t affected him in any way. His form has been good and he’s comfortable at how everything has unfolded.”

Reynolds is reportedly keen on a new challenge.

Reynolds and his South Sydney side will fly to Brisbane on Thursday for a Saturday match against Cronulla in the NRL’s Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium.

The Rabbitohs will have a fan day in Brisbane on Thursday where Reynolds is expected to be inundated by local Brisbane media.

“It looks like his deal with Brisbane will be completed in the next few days,” Gillis said.

“We notified Cronulla late (Wednesday) of his decision to pursue Brisbane.”

News Corp has been told by a well-placed source that Reynolds joined Brisbane “for a new challenge, a new adventure and a fresh start in a new city.”

Gillis, meanwhile, denied Reynolds claimed he never wanted to leave Sydney.

There was unfounded speculation Reynolds would remain in Sydney because he did not want to uproot four young kids.

Asked why Reynolds chose Brisbane, Gillis said: “He’d have to answer that – I can’t answer that for him. Adam will talk for himself.”

Reynolds drops Broncos bomb on Souths teammates

– Paul Kent and Peter Badel

South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds is set to reject a massive offer from Cronulla and will sign with Brisbane by the end of the week.

Reynolds has told teammates he is definitely leaving Redfern, having accepted Brisbane’s terms for a three-year deal worth $2.25 million — or $200,000 less than what the Sharks tabled in a last-bid offer on Monday night.

All that remains before Reynolds puts his signature on the contract is to pass a medical exam with Brisbane’s doctors, but that is considered a fait accompli.

Adam Reynolds has told teammates he’s leaving Souths. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

He has already passed a medical with the Cronulla doctors, at his own instigation, with the Brisbane lifestyle believed to have been the key in swaying the South Sydney playmaker to head north and take up the challenge of resurrecting the struggling Broncos juggernaut.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Reynolds has consulted Souths coach and former Brisbane mentor Wayne Bennett on the appeal of playing for the Broncos as he mulls over the final contract of his NRL career.

The off-contract Reynolds will arrive in Brisbane on Friday for the Rabbitohs’ Magic Round clash against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, but is expected to sign his contract when he meets with Broncos officials.

New Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon was confident of signing the halfback. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

Reynolds’ opponents this week, the Sharks, were hopeful of snaring the premiership playmaker with incoming Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon having outlined his plan to bring the Rabbitohs ace to the Shire.

The Sharks gave Reynolds a deadline of 5pm Wednesday to make his decision, but it was too late. He has instead made Brisbane his preference as they possess one of the most talented packs in the NRL but are rudderless as they struggle through numerous combinations in the halves hoping to get it right.

It is the first major coup for rookie Brisbane coach Kevin Walters and chief executive Dave Donaghy, who began at the club a fortnight ago and flew to Sydney last Sunday week for talks with Reynolds.

Reynolds has spoken to Wayne Bennett about moving to Brisbane. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Reynolds has privately told a handful of his closest Souths teammates in recent days he will not be at the club next year, despite suggestions Rabbitohs bosses could table an 11th-hour upgrade to keep him at Redfern.

It will come as a bitter blow to Cronulla who, at one point, were a firm favourite to secure his signature.

The Sharks sacked John Morris last month with one reason offered being his inability to attract toppling talent to the club.

Fitzgibbon, currently an assistant at the Sydney Roosters, was championed as a coach rival players “would play for”, will be disappointed to learn he has missed Reynolds’ signature.

Adam Reynolds turned to mentor Wayne Bennett. Picture: Phil Hillyard

As will Cronulla officials who will have to address their own failings in what was an at times bumbling negotiation process.

Reynolds met with Fitzgibbon and was highly impressed with his thoughts on how he planned to resurrect the Sharks and his football acumen and at one point looked to be heading to the shire.

However they will now have to look elsewhere.

Chad Townsend has signed to play for North Queensland next season and Shaun Johnson has not risen as a priority for the Sharks.

Reynolds is so genuine about playing for the Broncos he has sought the counsel of Bennett, who told The Courier-Mail last week the 30-year-old would fit in perfectly at Red Hill.

Brisbane coach Walters, off-contract next year, is desperate for a senior playmaker to engineer his Red Hill rebuild and has offered Reynolds the Broncos captaincy to stave off the Sharks.

Reynolds has asked the Broncos for a four-year deal worth $2.8 million. It is understood Brisbane will not offer four years, but are amenable to a three-year package worth around $800,000 annually.

Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has got his man. Picture: Liam Kidston

Reynolds was the halfback who broke Souths’ 43-year title drought in 2014 — and the Broncos believe he can also snap their 15-year premiership hoodoo.

Reynolds’ manager Steve Gillis said the former NSW Origin halfback, who turns 31 in July, would have no issue relocating his partner and their four children to Brisbane.

“Not once has Adam said to me I don’t want to move to Queensland, it’s not a barrier at all for him,” Gillis said.

“People just assume because he has four kids, he won’t want to move, but Adam is open to moving.

“Adam wants the security of a longer-term deal certainly. There’s no point signing one-year deals if you plan on playing for three or four more years.

“He will get a three-year deal wherever he chooses to go, he is 30 years of age and Benji Marshall (Souths teammate) has shown playmakers can play until their mid-30s.”

Walters was sweating on a decision from Reynolds, who is set to return from a thumb injury against the Sharks.

“We haven’t heard anything,” he said. “Adam is waiting to get back playing. If I was to put a time frame on it, I would say sometime in the next few weeks he will make a decision I would have thought.”

Broncos prop Payne Haas said the signing of Reynolds would represent the final piece in Brisbane’s premiership fightback.

“It would be a massive signing for our club if we got Adam Reynolds,” he said.

“You can see his kicking game is the best of any half in the comp with Nathan Cleary (Panthers No. 7) and his game-management would be perfect for our young team.

“We have a really good forward pack, but we just need that senior game manager to take us to the next level.””

Originally published as Adam Reynolds Broncos contract: Rabbitohs playmaker says he wants club points record