Reyno ready to bite Sharks
BRONCOS maestro Adam Reynolds is primed to terrorise Cronulla after rejecting a $2.4m bid from the Sharks to try to break Brisbane’s 16-year premiership drought.
Reynolds is Brisbane’s manof-the-moment heading into Thursday night’s crucial clash against the Sharks after the champion halfback delivered his best game in Broncos colours to sink the Bulldogs.
Now the Brisbane skipper is hellbent on coming back to haunt the Sharks, who were in the box seat to win Reynolds’ signature last season before the Broncos prevailed.
Both clubs were desperate for a premiership-winning playmaker. Before he even stepped into the Cronulla hotseat, new Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon identified Reynolds as the perfect purchase and he met with the former Souths ace for formal negotiations exactly 12 months ago.
The Fitzgibbon talks were promising but the pint-sized halfback dropped a bombshell by inking a three-year deal with the Broncos.
Reynolds’ manager Steve Gillis confirmed the Sharks were Brisbane’s major threat in the big-money battle for the 237-game NRL veteran.
“We spoke to the Sharks,” Gillis said. “The Sharks put together a good offer and they were keen … but Adam felt he wanted a complete change for his family from Sydney. That was the primary reason to leave Souths. He wanted a fresh start.
“The offers were about the same really, so money wasn’t the major factor. The big misconception was that Adam didn’t want to leave Sydney, but it was never the case.
“Adam was more than happy to live in Queensland and he showed that by joining the Broncos.”
For Reynolds, the decision was multi-faceted. Family aside, the 31-year-old’s competitive fire was stoked by the prospect of restoring Brisbane’s glory days and delivering their first title since 2006.
The former NSW Origin playmaker also had great respect for Broncos legend and now assistant Allan Langer, admitting ‘Alfie’s’ diminutive 165cm frame gave Reynolds the belief that, at 173cm, he could also succeed in the NRL.
“Alf is an icon of the game, not only of the Broncos but rugby league. He is someone I looked up to,” Reynolds said.
“I was inspired by his small stature and being a smaller bloke myself, people said Alf couldn’t do this or that and he proved them wrong.
“The Broncos are just a big club with a huge history. I looked at the players who had worn this jersey and I wanted to be a part of it.
“I have always had a thing about the Broncos, when we have played against them in the past, they just had an aura about them, so to be involved with the club was huge and my wife also wanted a fresh start by moving north.
“I’m a competitive person. I like a challenge and what better challenge than to get Brisbane back on track challenging for premierships again.”