Delight at Dogs return
’Fairytale’ for Reynolds
JOSH Reynolds has revealed he tried to return to Canterbury ‘about 30 times’ and would be willing to play for ‘one dollar a week’ if it meant finishing his NRL career in Bulldogs colours.
New coach Cameron Ciraldo rubber-stamped a bargain basement train-and-trial deal in August, paving the way for a Reynolds homecoming at Belmore in 2023.
Salary cap issues at the club forced out the local junior and fan favourite back k in 2017, when Reynolds signed igned a rich four-year deal eal with the Wests Tiigers.
Speaking on n The JBK Show w podcast, Reynolds s said making it back ck to Belmore felt like ke a ‘fairytale’ after trying ying on numerous occasions without any luck.
“I’ve dreamt about this. I’ve tried to come back to the Dogs about 30 times and it just hasn’t worked,” Reynolds said.
“To be given this opportunity … honestly, you could pay me a $1 a week … and I’m not just saying that, it’s just how I feel.
“I’m at a point in my life, I’ve got other things going on and I just want to play, man.”
After an unsuccessful three year stint at the Tigers, where he struggled with injury and keeping his place in the NRL side, Reynolds was released from the final year of his deal at Concord – which was worth around $800,000 per season. The 33-year-old joined English Super League outfit Hull FC in 2021 but was also granted an early release.
Reynolds admitted returning to the NRL on a train-andtrial deal had actually relieved the burden of expectation that comes with being a ‘ marquee’ player.
“Do you know what it honestly is, it’s a bit of a relief man. People might be like ‘this bloke is off his head’ but everywhere I have gone, I have signed a good contract and I have been so lucky,” lucky, Reynolds R said.
“But B now, there is actually tua no pressure on me. What are people going to say
‘this bloke is on a $1000 a week, (they can’t c say) he’s costing the club (money)’.” mon
“I’ve had h a lot a of deals where, where they have tried to make me the marquee guy, at the Tigers it didn’t work, it was a dud.
“I went overseas and it didn’t really work either. Now I come back, first of all, it has nothing to do with the money. Money comes and goes.”
Reynolds played 138 games between the 2011 and 2017 for the Bulldogs, featuring in two grand finals in 2012 and 2014 during that time.
While the playmaker wanted to return to Belmore to ‘give back to the club’ and nurture local juniors, Reynolds is also gunning for an upgrade to a full-time deal once the trainand-trail expires.