Tigers utility Josh Reynolds fails initial roadside drug test, passes second

Josh Reynolds can’t take a trick and found himself at the centre of a bizarre chain of events over the weekend.

Wests Tigers utility Josh Reynolds, right, is confident a third drug test taken after he was pulled over by police late on Sunday night will confirm the negative reading of his second test. Picture: AAP

Josh Reynolds can’t take a trick. The Wests Tigers utility, battling to force his way back into first grade, found himself at the centre of yet more drama on Monday after a bizarre turn of events over the weekend.

Reynolds flew to Brisbane with the Tigers to serve as 18th man, where they suffered a defeat against the Gold Coast at Suncorp Stadium that prompted their coach Michael Maguire to give them a public tongue-lashing.

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The team’s charter flight home was then forced to divert to Sydney Airport after weather conditions meant they could not land at Bankstown, from where they had departed.

Reynolds and his teammates then boarded a bus for Bankstown to collect their cars. On his way home, Reynolds decided to stop at McDonald’s for a late-night snack and was pulled over by police, where he was found to be driving with an expired licence.

He then underwent a roadside drug and alcohol test and, to his shock, returned a positive reading. Reynolds was then taken to Sutherland Police Station where he underwent a higher-level test that came back negative.

A third test, which will decide the final outcome, has been sent to a laboratory but could take three months to return a result.

Reynolds, meanwhile, finds himself back in the headlines at a time when his entire focus should be on reviving his career.

It is understood Reynolds vehemently denied any wrongdoing to club officials and the likelihood is that he will be cleared when the result of the third test is analysed.

Reynolds, who was said to be shocked and distraught at the latest turn of events, took to social media on Monday afternoon to insist he had done nothing wrong. “I arrived back from QLD with the team via plane, late last night,” he wrote. “I was driving home to get some food and was pulled up with an expired drivers licence, which I was unaware of and an oversight by me.

“The officer conducted alcohol and drug testing. The alcohol test was negative. The roadside drug test was a false positive.

“I went to the police station and undertook the further sample for the higher level testing, which proved negative. I am told false positives on roadside tests are not uncommon.

“I was then released without charge.”

The club informed the NRL integrity unit but any sanctions are likely to hinge on the outcome of the third sample.

“After arriving back from Queensland at 12:50am as part of the club’s round four squad that faced the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday night, Josh was pulled over by police a short time after for driving without a valid licence,” the Tigers said. “The NRL Integrity Unit were made aware by Wests Tigers earlier this morning and have been working closely with the club since then.”