South Sydney said goodbye to three club greats in Sunday’s Grand Final loss to Penrith, with Adam Reynolds, Dane Gagai and coach Wayne Bennett set to move on next season.
Reynolds and Gagai are leaving the Rabbitohs in search of better contract security, while Bennett decided to call time on his tenure at the club to move back to Brisbane.
While the three are all significant losses, rugby league great Greg Alexander feels Reynolds’ loss will be most costly, even more so than the departure of the master coach in Bennett.
“It’s always difficult for sides to lose key players and continue along the same lines,” Alexander said on SEN 1170 Mornings.
“I’m thinking Adam Reynolds will be a bigger loss than Wayne Bennett.
“Adam Reynolds was for the second half of the year, to play like he did after he was rejected by his own club, was quite remarkable.
“He wanted to stay at South Sydney, they offered him a one-year deal but he wanted more security.
“He’s signed with the Brisbane Broncos, but to replace Adam Reynolds the way he played for the majority of the year will be a difficult thing. Halfbacks do not fall off trees.”
Alexander feels the loss of Reynolds will be most felt as it will be difficult to find another number seven that can “control the game” in the same vein as the departing playmaker.
“There’s just not that many halfbacks that can control a game like Adam Reynolds does,” Alexander explained.
“The loss of Reynolds will cost South Sydney more than the loss of Wayne Bennett.
“Whether Cody Walker moves across to seven and plays a different type of role and Blake Taaffe comes and plays five-eighth … they’ve still got a side, but it’ll be tough to cover the loss of Adam Reynolds.”
South Sydney will be a new-look side in 2022, with Jason Demetriou taking over the coaching reigns from the departing Bennett.