Joyce keen for Reynolds to win Churchill Medal
THE widow of South Sydney Immortal Clive Churchill wants departing Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds to win the prestigious medal named in her husband’s honour.
Joyce Churchill is hoping Reynolds can lead Souths to a famous grand final win in Brisbane on Sunday and claim the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match.
Some of the greatest players in rugby league history have won the medal including Peter Sterling, Bradley Clyde, Ricky Stuart, Allan Langer, Darren Lockyer, Andrew Johns, Greg Inglis, Billy Slater, Sam Burgess, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk.
The award, its 35th season, was created to honour Churchill, who died in 1985.
Unable to attend the game because of Covid restrictions, Joyce, 94, will watch from her Sydney home with a bottle of champagne.
“I can’t go to Queensland but I’ll be sitting here with a champagne and thinking about who is going to win Clive’s medal and I would like Adam Reynolds to win it,” Joyce said.
“I’ve been watching him play a lot and I think he’s a great player.
“I love watching him and I think Souths are silly to let him go. He is such a good kicker. He sometimes reminds me of Eric Simms.
“A lot of footballers are in the news for the wrong reasons but Adam has a nice family life and he’s a loyal clubman.
“He is competitive on the field and he’s never in trouble off the field.
“I think he’s good for the image of rugby league.”
Unbelievably, Clive Churchill – nicknamed The Little Master – played a direct role in nine of Souths’ 21 titles – five as a player, four as coach.
He has always been regarded as South Sydney’s greatest player.