Josh Reynolds could make a sensational return to Canterbury in 2023 according to Fox Sports’ James Hooper.
While the 33-year-old is yet to ink a deal to return to the club he played for from 2011 to 2017, Hooper says he’ll begin talks with Bulldogs powerbrokers in the next fortnight.
Reynolds last played for Hull FC in the Super League and most recently featured at NRL level in 2020 for the Wests Tigers.
According to The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio, it’d be a one-year deal if Reynolds made the move back to Belmore.
“It’s interesting this one sparked up on Fox Sports last night,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“James Hooper is reporting that Josh Reynolds is on the verge of signing a one-year deal with the Bulldogs.
“This came across my desk about six or seven weeks ago, Josh is keen to get back to the NRL and he’d love to play for the Dogs.
“At that point in time the Dogs didn’t give it much thought, but it’s certainly picked up since then.”
With the Bulldogs winning four of their last six games having turned their form around under interim coach Mick Potter, Riccio pondered where Reynolds would fit in with a raft of young players currently making their name in first-grade.
“I don’t know about it, the Bulldogs have seriously turned a corner, Kyle Flanagan and Matt Burton have been intrinsic to that, they’ve been sensational over the last six weeks,” he said.
“Josh is a half, how would you use him? Would you play him at 13, dummy-half or off the bench? Or is he just there for his experience in what is a turning point for a club under a new coach?”
While Andrew Voss supports the move, he believes Reynolds would return purely for depth as he wouldn’t warrant a spot in the side’s best 17.
“My opinion is if they sign Josh Reynolds, he won’t be in the 17,” Voss said.
“He’ll just be a part of the squad depth I suppose.”
While Greg Alexander also agreed that he’d return just for depth, he supported the move as his “experience” could help the club’s young players.
“I think experience there going into next year, I think it could help,” Alexander said.
“I don’t think it’d be a bad thing if Josh Reynolds went back.”
Reynolds is currently holidaying in Europe and it’s believed he’ll meet with the Bulldogs upon his return to Australia in the coming weeks.