Aiden Tolman admits five-eighth Josh Reynolds is ready to go after almost two months out with injury.
Reynolds, will make his return this weekend after being sidelined with a hamstring injury he picked up in the Bulldogs win over the Canberra Raiders in Round nine.
The energetic local junior was named to return two weeks ago, but failed a late fitness test and the extra week off has given the 28-year old every chance to be fit for the trip across the Tasman.
“I know Josh is going to be fired up. He’s going to be ready to play and he’s been hurting the last couple of weeks watching us go out and under-perform, so he’s going to be fired up for a big game," said Tolman.
This year will mark Reynolds' last in the blue and white and while he is disappointed about departing the club at season’s end, Tolman and his teammates know it’s a part of the rugby league landscape.
"He's a local junior, he bleeds blue and white. He's disappointed but that's professional sport. Players move on every year from a club they probably think they're going to stay at their whole career. That's rugby league, we're all grown-ups, we can deal with it."” added Tolman.
While a lot of the talk leading up to the game will be about his battle with Kieran Foran and whether Josh will have a point to prove, the emphasis on performing as a team will be the focus according to Tolman:
“I suppose individually he might [have a point to prove] but I think more importantly he’s a team player and as a team we’ve got a point to prove so that’s what he’ll be playing for. We need to win this game as a team more importantly than as individuals trying to prove themselves and that’s what he’ll do," Tolman added.
