Josh Reynolds had a mixed spell in Super League.
He started brilliantly at Hull FC but injuries and other setbacks resulted in an early departure.
On the back of this he returned to the NRL to try and find his enjoyment in rugby again and there was only one place to go, that being the club where he debuted in 2011, Canterbury Bulldogs.
The return wasn’t straight forward though as he signed on at Canterbury to a train-and-trial deal earning $1,000-a-week in stark contrast to the money he reportedly earned in Super League.
New head coach Cam Ciraldo told James Graham on his podcast, The Bye Round, that Reynolds would have to earn his spot in the 30-man squad like anyone else, as reported here.
That’s something that the 33-year-old has now done..
It had been expected that he might have to play in the trials games to earn the spot but he’s done so on merit based on his efforts in training.
WWOS reported that insiders at the Bulldogs had said: “He’s been great around the place with his energy and attitude and Cam decided he wants him here full-time.
“The young guys in the squad really look up to him and it’s been a popular decision.”
Debuting at the Canterbury club almost 12 years ago in the 2011 season, it truly is a great story with Reynolds now hoping to represent his boyhood club in a competitive game for the first time since 2017.
A spell at Wests Tigers after that didn’t work out which had prompted the move to England, but that’s all behind him now as he builds towards the 2023 NRL campaign as a Bulldog once again.
He played for the Bulldogs last week and today started on the bench in the second trial and the Prince of Belmore got a brilliant try to mark his return backing up a break to show his quality:
The prince of Belmore returns! 👑 #NRLBulldogsSharks pic.twitter.com/fcywg06MZ7
— NRL (@NRL) February 19, 2023
Another ex-Super League player also underlined what he can do with a try.
Former Huddersfield Giants hooker Danny Levi who returned to the NRL after just one year in Super League scored for the Canberra Raiders in a superb team try:
Leave it to Levi 💯 #NRLTigersRaiders pic.twitter.com/FCyPihdcN2
— NRL (@NRL) February 19, 2023