You could call it selfish, but Bulldogs players are happy five-eighth Josh Reynolds is not playing Origin.
While a Blues recall could be around the corner, Reynolds will line-up alongside Moses Mbye in the halves to take on the Raiders on Sunday afternoon.
Bulldogs back-rower Frank Pritchard – who has battled arm, shoulder and suspension dramas over the course of 2015, made it clear he was happy with Reynolds's Origin omission.
"I'd rather him play for us then play for the Blues. Josh has obviously had a few little hiccups throughout the year, after the City v Country game especially," Pritchard said.
"But he has had time to reflect on that and what he's had to fix and he can only build on that. Josh has copped it on the chin and he knows what he has to do to earn a return for New South Wales."
Prop Tim Browne believes Reynolds will be out to prove he's still capable of being a game-breaker against the Green Machine.
"He doesn't show too much, he acts like it doesn't bother him but deep-down inside of him there's a fire burning there and we all expect him to come out and prove the critics wrong," Browne told NRL.com.
"Last week was one of his best games this year so there's nothing else Josh can do now other than play good footy."
