Not surprisingly, it was denied by all. Reynolds, those close to him insisted, would exhaust his options with Souths before he looked elsewhere.
Parramatta, meanwhile, has tabled an extension to Mitchell Moses that would tie him to the club until the end of 2023 — he has an option his way for next season.
It appears the rumour was off the mark. Nevertheless, the Eels are playing a dangerous game with Moses. They have assured him they want to keep him, but their faith only extends for one more season beyond his existing deal.
It’s hardly an overwhelming vote of confidence. Moses has the option of heading to open market if he so chooses, although you get the sense that would only be a last resort if he can’t find a palatable deal with the Eels.
His future is not the only tightrope that Parramatta is walking. Lock Nathan Brown has been sitting on a contract extension for weeks without providing a response to the club. Weekend Read revealed some weeks ago the extension was worth $600,000 a season to Brown, effectively a pay rise on his existing contract once the cut in the salary cap is factored in.
At some point, if Brown won’t make a call, surely the Eels will. His agents are new to the management game and they are in serious jeopardy of embarrassing themselves.
Brown went with coach whisperer Joe Wehbe when he formed his management group but he isn’t accredited. His nephew Jonathan and former Parramatta official Anthony Field are wet behind the ears when it comes to player management and they have already been exposed amid claims they suggested St George Illawarra had an interest in Brown, which the Dragons denied.
Now they are testing Parramatta’s patience and if they aren’t careful, it might cost their client his deal. The Eels find themselves in an intriguing position. They are a powerful club in a big market with genuine premiership aspirations.
Yet two of their best players are vacillating over their futures. That’s not to mention Blake Ferguson, Maika Sivo and Ryan Matterson, all of whom have the capacity to go to market if they so choose.
Moses would be a devastating loss, although there are quality halfbacks and lots of them on the open market — Brisbane pair Anthony Milford and Tom Dearden are among those being actively shopped at the moment. Yet the Eels have invested time and energy into Moses.
At the same time, his past suggests he isn’t afraid to make a big move if he thinks it is in the best interests of his career. It is understood his contract talks have been parked for the time being, which allowed both parties to focus on Friday night’s season opener.
The difficulty the Eels have is that Moses has an option in his contract for next season. He could sit on that and postpone a decision for weeks, during which time the other halfback options would be signed by their existing clubs or snapped up elsewhere.
It is a matter that clearly needs to be resolved. Parramatta has left itself in a vulnerable position and with speculation also over the future of coach Brad Arthur, it has the potential to derail their season.
Fisher-Harris set for $5m payday
James Fisher-Harris is coming off his best season in first grade and Penrith quite rightly want to tie him down to a long-term deal.
He has another year beyond this one and there is talk of a five-year extension after that. All up, including this season, we are likely talking a seven-year term worth around $5 million.
It is a long-term investment in a player but few would argue with it given Fisher-Harris is entering his prime as a front rower.
He was the cornerstone of their forward pack last season and will take on even more important this year as Penrith braces for the absence of James Tamou.
If there is a question mark over the Panthers, it is their front row. Fisher-Harris is arguably the best prop in the competition and the Panthers have already lost Tamou and Jack Hetherington.
Their depth has been eroded. It makes it even more important that they tie up Fisher-Harris before he is able to talk to rival clubs from November 1.
Penrith officials have confirmed a long-term deal is in the works, allaying suggestions that they were a thing of the past.
Where good players are concerned, long-term deals will always be made. And Fisher-Harris is a good player. A very good one.
Smith’s Origin honours and Suncorp statue
Queensland coach Paul Green is in the final throes of piecing together his coaching staff for the upcoming State of Origin series,
It seems certain his former star player Johnathan Thurston will be among them. What price Cameron Smith as well?
Smith’s retirement has opened up a host of opportunities across the game, most notably in clubland with Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
The Storm want Smith to stay involved with them but he lives on the Gold Coast these days and the Titans are keen to have him if Smith is open to the idea.
The club has already enjoyed success with the appointment of Mal Meninga as its head of performance and culture. Smith would give them more gravitas.
But back to Origin. Green was reluctant to buy into the Smith discussion but Queensland Rugby League chair Bruce Hatcher made it clear he could see the Storm and Maroons icon playing a role in Queensland’s future.
“We respect his right to have a break but whether he initiates it or we do, we would certainly be making sure he is available to us in some capacity moving forward,” Hatcher said.
“I recall that one incident when we lost the unlovable game under Kevvie (Walters) at Lang Park. I hadn’t been in a dressing rom since I played my last game of football a long time ago.
“It was like a morgue. Kevvie made a 20 second speech saying it wasn’t good enough. That is all he said.
“I noticed Cooper Cronk and Cameron walked around and shook everyone’s hands. They took a seat, Cameron took his boots off, got up and picked his fingers to say everyone follow.
“They went into a room for 15 minutes. I wouldn’t have a clue what he said but they then won Origin 2 and 3. You just knew the influence of the guy.”
The QRL is likely to discuss honouring Smith at its next board meeting. What better way than with a statute at Suncorp Stadium? Smith already has one in Melbourne but surely he deserves a place alongside Wally Lewis, Mal Meninga and Allan Langer outside the Cauldron.
“You couldn’t not put one there,” Hatcher said.
“His service to Queensland is unbelievable. Who has done more for Queensland in terms of its rugby league success? He did it so professionally.
“What people don’t see is the Queensland-wide impact of success in Origin. We go out to those country areas, some of them involved in drought, and it is the one thing that lifts them up.
“Once again that has to be a decision of the Queensland Rugby League board but I don’t think there will be any opposition there.
“He has not only given service to the game, he has given superior service.”
The other Smith on the move
Brandon Smith’s manager Stan Martin has sent a proposal to the Melbourne Storm as he looks to prise the New Zealand hooker out of the club at the end of the season.
Martin won’t divulge the details of the proposal, only that he hopes to receive a response from the Storm in the next fortnight. The situation is bizarre to say the least.
Smith has done at least two interviews in recent weeks where he has sung the club’s praises and vowed to fight good mate Harry Grant for the No 9 jersey.
Meanwhile, Martin agitates for a release and has asked the Storm to let Smith go from the final year of his contract with no compensation in return.
Smith was in the shop window in the pre-season and had plenty of bites as he sought a club that would allow him to wear the No 9 jersey.
There are three clear leaders — Canterbury, Brisbane and Gold Coast. The Broncos were initially scared off when the Storm demanded a player in return — Smith has this season and next remaining on his contract.
However, they are back in the frame, their interest confirmed by coach Kevin Walters on Friday. The Titans also have a longstanding interest in Smith while Canterbury desperately need a hooker.
The two south-east Queensland sides would appear to be in the box seat because Smith has family in Brisbane — his two brothers live there and his parents are about to move close by.
It means the Broncos and Gold Coast could be involved in a shootout for another player. The two clubs have waged war in recent months over talent.
The Titans won the day on David Fifita but they are far from finished. It is understood they are in the mix for Kotoni Staggs and teenage back row sensation Brendan Piakura.
The Broncos are fighting hard to keep both and both teams should have an idea about where they sit in coming weeks as Staggs and Piakura brace to make big calls.
“Everyone has seen the talent Kotoni brings to the team,” Broncos captain Alex Glenn said.
“He is a future star — he is a star already. He is going to be a big name played in the next 12 to 24 months.
“Every club wants that strike force. It is going to be huge for us to retain him. The decision comes down to himself.
“I have seen everything in my career so I wouldn’t hold anything against him if he was to move to another club. For us, for our future, for this club’s future, it would be huge to lock him in for the long term.
“I am confident the club is going everything in their power to keep him because they see what he brings to our team. They don’t want t lose him, especially after losing Fifita last year.
“We don’t want to lose another huge strike force.”
readb@newsltd.com.au
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One of the strangest rumours doing the rounds this week was that Parramatta was poised to speak to disgruntled South Sydney halfback and captain Adam Reynolds.