Souths great says Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds can go far in rugby league

THE last time Craig Coleman made a bold prediction about a South Sydney halfback, he declared Willie Peters would be "the next Peter Sterling".

THE last time Craig Coleman made a bold prediction about a South Sydney halfback, he declared Willie Peters would be "the next Peter Sterling".

Peters never scaled those lofty expectations but it has not prevented Coleman from talking up Adam Reynolds as the playmaker who can help deliver a premiership for his beloved team.

"I don't want him to get too far ahead of himself, but he is the full package," said Coleman, one of the Rabbitohs' favourite sons. "He can be as good as he wants to be.

"The best is yet to come from this kid."

Asked if his infamous prediction about Peters more than a decade ago made him wary about praising Reynolds, Coleman replied: "No, not at all. He'll just be Adam Reynolds, that's all he'll be. But I'm not reluctant to put some wraps on him at all." They may as well give Reynolds the Rookie of the Year award now.

Stop the fight.

During the off-season, Souths officials were eyeing off Peter Wallace as their future halfback before he re-signed with the Broncos.

Then they went hard for Cooper Cronk before he re-signed with the Storm. In Reynolds, they have a halfback who plays well beyond his years. Coleman isn't surprised, having coached the unassuming 21-year-old for two seasons for Souths' SG Ball side.

'In his first year, he was 12 months younger than the rest of them but he was already thinking a couple of plays ahead of the rest," said Coleman, who played 216 for the Rabbitohs.

"He was only tiny when I had him, but you knew he was going to play first grade. It was just a matter of when, but it's come sooner than I expected.

"The more publicity, the more pressure. But he will handle it."

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