NRL transfer news 2023: Josh Reynolds’ selfless Bulldogs act, Wayne Bennett makes call on Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, David Fifita

Canterbury favourite son Josh Reynolds has made one final selfless act for his beloved Bulldogs, which has all but ended his first grade career. See the latest transfer news.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui of the Titans.

Canterbury favourite son Josh Reynolds has delivered one final selfless act for his beloved club, giving up his top 30 spot to enable the Bulldogs the chance to land Toby Sexton.

The move will all but end Reynolds’ first grade career after a fairytale return to the top grade this year. Reynolds is expected to play out the season in NSW Cup but his days of playing in the NRL appear over. His body has struggled with day to day training with the top squad.

Sexton mid-week arrival from Gold Coast meant the Bulldogs had to shed a player to accommodate Sexton and allow for the NRL to register his contract. NRL rosters are capped at 30 and Canterbury had already filled out their available spots.

Bulldogs boss Aaron Warburton confirmed Reynolds had put the club ahead of his own ambitions.

Canterbury star Josh Reynolds has made one final selfless act for his beloved Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images.

“Josh has always acted with the club’s best interest at heart,” Warburton said. “This decision is yet another example of this.”

Reynolds’ decision to terminate his top 30 spot allowed Sexton to play for the Bulldogs against South Sydney on Saturday night. Sexton is signed on until the end of next year with the hopes he will become Canterbury’s long-term half.

Reynolds was one of the feel good stories heading into 2023. He returned to Canterbury after a five year absence with stints for Wests Tigers and Hull FC before making his comeback to the Bulldogs. He did so with no promises. Reynolds was given a train and trial contract during the summer period with no guarantee of a full-time deal.

Reynolds’ decision to terminate his top 30 roster spot allowed the Bulldogs to snare former Titans playmaker Toby Sexton. Picture: Supplied.

He worked his way into the top 30 and eventually returned to the NRL. He played seven games for Canterbury this year from round five to 11. Reynolds started in his final three games including a 18-16 win against St George Illawarra in round nine.

Reynolds won’t be lost to the club with the Bulldogs. The club wants to keep him in an off-field role while potentially playing out the season in reserve grade.

Despite not having a huge amount of success on the field this year, he has contributed to helping guide the next generation of Bulldogs stars.

Reynolds will go down as one of Canterbury’s all-time favourite sons after progressing from a Bulldogs junior to the top grade.

Reynolds had been named to play for Canterbury’s NSW Cup side on Saturday afternoon but was a late withdrawal.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘DESPERATE’: MILLION-DOLLAR MISTAKE ON FIFITA, TINO

—Peter Badel and Travis Meyn

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has ruled out signing David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui as the Titans confront a potential million-dollar mistake with their big-name free agents.

The Titans face being forced back to the negotiating table to retain the Queensland Origin stars as Bennett warned Gold Coast could come under attack from “desperate” rival clubs.

Fifita and Fa’asuamaleaui are effectively free agents after the Titans agreed to bizarre get-out clauses relating to the sacking of Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook.

Why Titans hierarchy agreed to such clauses relating to an unproven NRL coach in Holbrook – leaving the club open to losing its two best players – is a million-dollar question in itself.

The Raiders have already made a $4 million four-year approach to Fifita, with Canberra bosses contacting Titans management to confirm the Maroons back-rower is on the open market.

In a perfect world for the Titans, Fifita and Fa’asuamaleaui will not enact the clauses and simply continue with their current contracts.

However they now have the power to force the Titans back to the negotiating table, with both players in hot form and in positions to demand more money.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is officially a free agent. Picture: Getty

The Raiders’ offer to Fifita is one year longer than the deal he agreed to in March and worth in excess of $1 million more.

On the eve of Sunday’s Titans-Dolphins clash at Cbus Super Stadium, Bennett insists he will not be renewing his pursuit of Fa’asuamaleaui after trying to poach the Gold Coast enforcer for the new franchise’s foundation season.

Bennett has also coached Fifita – he gave him his NRL debut at the Broncos in 2018 – but the Dolphins mentor is adamant the Titans duo will not be moving to Redcliffe next season.

“We won’t be trying to sign Tino or Dave,” Bennett said.

“We could have afforded Tino when we started up as a club, and we did try to get him, but we can’t do it now.

“We tried to get Tino last time and he chose to stay, so we have moved on from that.

“I think Dave is a wonderful player, I coached him and he is playing as good a football now as he has ever played, but we haven’t got $1 million for each of those two guys.

“With the salary cap, you are restricted on how much you can pay and it’s now late in the season.

“I’m not going to get sucked into that.”

David Fifita is attracting plenty of interest.

The Titans agreed to have a clause inserted that Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita would become free agents in the event their coach, Holbrook, was terminated.

Holbrook’s dismissal last month has opened the door for a Titanic defection, with the Origin big guns having a three-month period to entertain rival offers.

Incoming Titans coach Des Hasler is understood to have already made moves to retain the club’s top two players and Bennett said they should forget about coaching politics and get on with winning games for the Titans.

“They might not agree with the decision (to sack Holbrook) but as players it’s not their issue. Just do your job and play football,” he said.

“I don’t believe in those clauses. I have seen too many situations over the years where players say if the coach goes, we won’t be there … but they end up staying.

“How many other clubs out there can pay the type of money those two boys are on anyway?

“There might be one or two desperate clubs, but I think the clause is a furphy to be honest.

“That clause is put in to make everyone feel good at the time of signing the deal, but I haven’t seen any player leave just because a coach is sacked.

“The whole thing is a myth. I don’t believe they will leave the Titans.”

The Greatest State of Origin Editions

Along with Gold Coast teammates AJ Brimson and Moeaki Fotuaika, Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita will not play in Sunday’s Titans-Dolphins clash as they prepare for Wednesday night’s Origin series finale in Sydney.

Interim Titans coach Jim Lenihan said the duo were happy on the Gold Coast and he didn’t think they would look to exit.

“At this point in time they’re contracted to the Titans,” he said.

“They’re two blokes that are very happy. When you’re happy and playing good football you’re not necessarily looking to leave anywhere.

“Right now, those two boys are with us and we’re very happy with them. We’re glad they’re here.

“They’ve got a job to do with State of Origin and that’s going to take precedence over everything for them. I’m sure they’re keen on getting a whitewash against NSW. They’re contracted here at the Titans and happy here. We’re happy that they’re here.”

Originally published as NRL transfer news 2023: Josh Reynolds’ selfless Bulldogs act, Wayne Bennett makes call on Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, David Fifita