The Mole - Dramatic break-up looming for Rabbitohs over Adam Reynolds contract stalemate:
https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-ne...contract/aeeda2eb-8510-4aa7-97b8-39e38b5cb061
From News Corp,
Salary cap issues mean Souths unable to offer Adam Reynolds more than one-year deal
Salary cap space at Souths is so tight that even dropping his contract demand for three years down to two likely won’t save Adam Reynolds from a Redfern exit.
Adam Reynolds’ future at South Sydney is looking increasingly doubtful with further contract talks expected between his management and club powerbrokers on Wednesday.
With Reynolds to line-up for Thursday night’s clash against the Brisbane Broncos, it’s unlikely the halfback will be present at the meeting.
News Corp understands an internal meeting took place on Tuesday with the club doubling down on its move to only offer the premiership winning halfback a one-year deal.
Reynolds is off-contract at the end of this year and is looking to secure his future long-term, which has been a sticking point in current negotiations.
Reynolds’ manager Steve Gillis says he has received no formal update from the Rabbitohs, but made it clear if Souths are digging in their heels, the former NSW Origin playmaker will continue his career with another NRL club.
“I would have to hear it first from Souths before I play the next card and talk to Adam,” Gillis said. “But I expect that if it’s still a one-year deal, we will go to market and he won’t be at the club.
“I don’t know what Souths will say to us until I meet with them again.
“He won’t be signing a one-year deal at Souths, so if that’s their position, we would explore our options.”
The protracted contract saga has put Reynolds in the shop window, with a number of clubs interested in the 210-game playmaker on a longer term than what South Sydney is willing to offer.
The Cowboys were linked with Reynolds, although North Queensland are concerned about his age and have prioritised the possible purchase of off-contract Broncos halfback Tom Dearden, who is 10 years younger.
The Broncos have discussed the possibility of signing Reynolds, but have not lodged an expression of interest at this stage.
Gillis scoffed at suggestions Reynolds is at breaking point physically and would not be capable of playing another 12 months due to injuries.
“We are still looking at a three-year deal,” he said. “I’m not saying he wouldn’t accept a two-year deal but if he was to pack up and leave home, he will look at a three-year deal.
“He is 30 now so I don’t consider three years to be ridiculous.”
It’s understood South Sydney do want to keep Reynolds but salary cap constraints have left the club with little wriggle room to accommodate his two-year contract request.
Twelve players, including Latrell Mitchell, Jai Arrow, Cameron Murray and Keaon Koloamatangi, are already signed until the end of season 2023.
The cap squeeze is further complicated with the club wanting to secure a number of rookies rising through the ranks at Redfern.
Boom halves pairing Lachlan Ilias and Blake Taaffe, who steered the Rabbitohs to victory in the 2019 Jersey Flegg grand final, are on development contracts but are viewed as long-term playmaking prospects and are retention priorities for the club.
Rising halfback Dean Hawkins, who is off-contract at the end of season 2021, is another key retention target for the club.
Hawkins has been named to make his NRL debut on Thursday night.
Mansour feels for Reynolds
If there is one player who knows what it feels like to be squeezed out of the club you love, it’s Adam Reynolds’ South Sydney teammate, Josh Mansour.
D-day looms in a contract stand-off between Reynolds and the Rabbitohs with a decision on the halfback’s future expected soon.
With salary cap pressures for 2023 and rising playmakers coming through the ranks, the Redfern club is only willing to offer Reynolds a one-year extension.
It’s a situation not too dissimilar to what Mansour went through last October at the Panthers.
Only days after Penrith’s grand final loss, coach Ivan Cleary informed Mansour, boom winger Charlie Staines was preferred on the wing, which left the veteran flyer searching for a new home after nine years at the foot of the mountains.
“For sure, I definitely [sympathise with Adam], he’s been loyal at the club for long … you hope to see it work out. I’m not the only one, I’m sure opposition fans want to see Adam stay at this club,” Mansour said.
“It’s unnerving and it hurts the ego a little bit.
“It would be hard for Adam, he is cult hero here, he grew up in Redfern, which why there is so much attention around it.”
Mansour and Cleary have cleared the air since that fateful conversation and believes, like in his case, there will be a silver lining for Reynolds and now off-contract centre Dane Gagai, who is also preparing to test the market.
“We had a brief chat afterwards, there was a bit of miscommunication,” Mansour said.
“We have stayed friends, I have no bad feelings towards the club or ill-feelings towards anyone. I’m happy to see the boys doing well and I’m extremely happy here.
“There is always a silver lining.”
From Sporting News,
Franchise halfbacks like Adam Reynolds hard to develop, says Wayne Bennett
Knowing how hard it is to develop franchise playmakers, Wayne Bennett admits he'd be reluctant to let Adam Reynolds leave if he was Rabbitohs coach beyond this year.
Reynolds' contentious and very public contract standoff with South Sydney is set to come to a head on Wednesday, with the club due to meet with their captain's management to arrive at a final verdict on whether or not he'll be at Redfern in 2022.
The Rabbitohs have maintained all along they won't be offering the off-contract Reynolds more than a one-year extension, while the former NSW Origin No. 7 is seeking something longer-term.
Reynolds, 30, remains one of the premier playmakers in the NRL and has managed to lead the Rabbitohs to three consecutive preliminary finals.
Yet South Sydney are understood to be taking a cautious approach with his retention, hoping to avoid scenarios like the early payouts to Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess when both were forced into sudden medical retirements.
The club are also believed to be holding out high hopes for exciting 21-year-old halfback Blake Taaffe.
Set to hand the coaching reins over to assistant Jason Demetriou next year and return home to Brisbane, Bennett has left Reynolds' future in the hands of South Sydney's management.
But asked if he was staying on as coach at Redfern, Bennett admitted he'd want the security of Reynolds as an experienced halfback, knowing how difficult they are to find.
"I just know how hard it is to develop them (halfbacks), and so when you have an experienced one I don't like to let them go," Bennett said.
"Even now you can see so many young guys out there now who are struggling with the position.
"But it's a decision the club has to handle and they will handle it.
"I think it will be resolved pretty soon. There's an important meeting today from what I understand.
"Our people here know their position and they will probably just reinforce that today. And Adam and his people have a decision to make."
Bennett also refuted claims Reynolds' training load had been minimised in recent seasons after he fractured his back in 2019, while there were also questions raised regarding Reynolds' attitude at training.
Both rumours have been seen as attempts to potentially sabotage any interest from rival clubs in Reynolds should he leave the Rabbitohs.
"It does him no justice," Bennett said.
"Unless he's injured he genuinely doesn't miss a session. He trains great, and had a great pre-season
"The first year I was here he had a broken back... he stayed on the whole game and no one realised the severity of the injury he had, but he stayed out there.
"I don't have any major problems with him in regards to training attitude."
A final verdict in Reynolds' contract saga is set to arrive before the Rabbitohs face the Broncos on Thursday night.
A highly popular figure amongst the players, it has the potential to greatly unsettle the team should it be confirmed Reynolds and South Sydney will part ways at seaosn's end.
But Bennett is adamant the matter won't impact his side's quest for the premiership.
"It will not derail us and it will not derail him," the Rabbitohs coach said.
"He's not bitter and twisted, he understands it's a business and he's got a decision to make. There's been no animosity."
