Josh Reynolds returned from his five week knee injury with an unheralded but solid performance against the Warriors on the weekend.
He believes he can find a balance between bringing energy and the calming influence left by injured half Trent Hodkinson.
'I don't want to change my game but I’ve got to be a bit smarter with Trent (Hodkinson) being out,' Reynolds said.
'He's usually the one with the calming influence on the team, I think it's time for me to step up and take on that role.'
The man known as 'grub' has had a disrupted year of footy, with knee injuries impacting him early on and late into the season.
The Bulldogs have finished the season with five straight wins starting with a victory over the high flying Broncos and then a thrashing of reigning Premiers South Sydney.
This winning run has made Reynolds 'hungry' for a return from his knee injury.
'It's good to sit there and watch the boys win, but it just sucks not to be out there, to enjoy it with them,' he said.
Reynolds has had a quiet year by his standards with a noted performance coming against the Canberra Raiders in May where he scored two tries in the first half and kicked the winning field goal from 40 metres out.
