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BULLDOGS favourite Josh Reynolds has revealed how two-time premiership coach Des Hasler will revamp Canterbury’s attack in 2017, with the club’s loaded forward pack finally set to take a back seat.
Hasler’s men bulldozed their way into two grand finals in three years from 2012 to 2014 on the back of a game plan that relied heavily on the likes of James Graham and Sam Kasiano to deliver tries as well as setting the platform, making it the most demanding club for prop forwards in the competition.
Even with 2012 Dally M Medallist Ben Barba wowing the crowds with his unique and flamboyant style of attacking brilliance the Bulldogs have never been pretty to watch under the tutelage of the ‘Mad Professor’.
Hasler’s winning record is just about unrivalled but even that hasn’t protected him from robust criticism, which almost took his head, after Cantebury’s disappointing fade out in 2016.
It’s why even a coach and a club with as much self belief as Hasler and the Bulldogs simply had to make significant tweaks in the off-season and Reynolds and his halves partner Moses Mbye are at the centre of the transition.
Some critics have called for Hasler to hand the keys to the Bulldogs’ attack to Mbye, giving him the responsibility for organising the side and letting Reynolds go back to his natural running game, which is innately instinctive.
Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye.Source: Getty Images
But that won’t be the case according to Reynolds, with Hasler sticking to his philosophy of an even split between the two playmakers.
“Des likes to keep it sort of even,” Reynolds said. “But it’s good. Me and Moses, it’s not like we fight over who’s going to take more ownership or this or that. Sometimes Mo might be on fire and I’ll just let him go and I’ll just take the back seat and vice versa.
“It’s just about getting that combination clicking and making sure that we’re on the same page because we know the game plan, we know our roles and we can execute it.”
It’s a big year for Reynolds not only because the Bulldogs are under pressure but also because he’s out of contract at a time when the horse trading for halves is hotter than its ever been.
Hit his best form during the early rounds of competition and he’s every chance of pushing his market value up towards the million dollar-a-season mark.
Josh Reynolds in action. Picture: Mark EvansSource: News Corp Australia
Fall flat and it could be the biggest missed opportunity of his career.
Reynolds himself doesn’t see it that way, arguing a big new deal isn’t a motivator for him.
“I want to start well every year and if I’m not doing that then I’m not doing my job,” Reynolds said.
“I am off contract but I’m being honest, I’m not feeling any pressure because the Dogs know what I’m about and I feel like if I just come out and play my normal game and not think about that, that’s when I’ll be playing my best footy.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...k/news-story/ac6a1c72dea6938281626f982dac0eaa
Here's hoping but similar things being said all the time.
Hasler’s men bulldozed their way into two grand finals in three years from 2012 to 2014 on the back of a game plan that relied heavily on the likes of James Graham and Sam Kasiano to deliver tries as well as setting the platform, making it the most demanding club for prop forwards in the competition.
Even with 2012 Dally M Medallist Ben Barba wowing the crowds with his unique and flamboyant style of attacking brilliance the Bulldogs have never been pretty to watch under the tutelage of the ‘Mad Professor’.
Hasler’s winning record is just about unrivalled but even that hasn’t protected him from robust criticism, which almost took his head, after Cantebury’s disappointing fade out in 2016.
It’s why even a coach and a club with as much self belief as Hasler and the Bulldogs simply had to make significant tweaks in the off-season and Reynolds and his halves partner Moses Mbye are at the centre of the transition.
Some critics have called for Hasler to hand the keys to the Bulldogs’ attack to Mbye, giving him the responsibility for organising the side and letting Reynolds go back to his natural running game, which is innately instinctive.
Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye.Source: Getty Images
But that won’t be the case according to Reynolds, with Hasler sticking to his philosophy of an even split between the two playmakers.
“Des likes to keep it sort of even,” Reynolds said. “But it’s good. Me and Moses, it’s not like we fight over who’s going to take more ownership or this or that. Sometimes Mo might be on fire and I’ll just let him go and I’ll just take the back seat and vice versa.
“It’s just about getting that combination clicking and making sure that we’re on the same page because we know the game plan, we know our roles and we can execute it.”
It’s a big year for Reynolds not only because the Bulldogs are under pressure but also because he’s out of contract at a time when the horse trading for halves is hotter than its ever been.
Hit his best form during the early rounds of competition and he’s every chance of pushing his market value up towards the million dollar-a-season mark.
Josh Reynolds in action. Picture: Mark EvansSource: News Corp Australia
Fall flat and it could be the biggest missed opportunity of his career.
Reynolds himself doesn’t see it that way, arguing a big new deal isn’t a motivator for him.
“I want to start well every year and if I’m not doing that then I’m not doing my job,” Reynolds said.
“I am off contract but I’m being honest, I’m not feeling any pressure because the Dogs know what I’m about and I feel like if I just come out and play my normal game and not think about that, that’s when I’ll be playing my best footy.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...k/news-story/ac6a1c72dea6938281626f982dac0eaa
Here's hoping but similar things being said all the time.
