Souths halfback Adam Reynolds reflects on his season-ending hamstring injury. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: The Daily Telegraph
ADAM Reynolds is talking for the first time about his painful end to 2012 - and as the NRL's rookie of the year takes you through the most heartbreaking moment of his career so far, you can't help but think he is already back heading in the right direction.
The South Sydney halfback was reflecting this week on that moment in the 27th minute of the grand final qualifier against the Bulldogs, when the Rabbitohs were up 8-4 before Reynolds crashed to the turf clutching his hamstring."I felt shattered at the time," he said.
"I didn't want to go off. I just wanted to stay on. Obviously, watching from the sideline and watching the boys go through what they went through, I wanted to be out there and try and help them.
"When I put the kick through I tried to chase real hard because I saw there was a chance to get (Jonathan Wright) in goals.
"I actually felt my hammy about 10 metres out. Then I tried to make another effort to go and get him and I felt it go a bit more and straight after that I knew I was gone."
While he made the tackle in that same instant Souths' season was over.
After Reynolds left the field, the Bulldogs took control and long-suffering Souths fans had one more reason to feel cursed.But for the man himself, the motivation now is the future - and this is where Souths fans can get excited.
The great American football coach Vince Lombardi once said: "It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up."
And that is exactly how Reynolds has been approaching his time since the days following that game against the Bulldogs.
While almost everyone in rugby league was taking an end-of-season break after the finals, Reynolds was fronting up to physio to make sure he'd be fit for the pre-season.
"For the first few weeks I stayed around doing work on my hammy," he said.
"I was just getting massages and trying to strengthen it up. I was doing it three or four times a week and they did a really good job on me.
"Then I went overseas for two weeks to Bali, which was good to get away from footy and clear my head and just forget about it all.
"But I'm fully fit now. I worked with the physios in the time off and they got me back to full strength.
"Growing up all I wanted to do was play semi-final football and play in front of big crowds and that is what it was that night. It was pretty shattering the way I finished the season but it was a great experience and I won't forget it.
"When you look back on the year, I didn't expect to go that well in my first season but I put that down to my teammates, the way they play makes my game a lot easier.
"I stuck to the game plan and listened."
Asked if he had spoken to Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire about what to expect in 2013, and how to avoid the dreaded second-year syndrome, Reynolds brought up one name as his inspiration - Cooper Cronk.
"He is my idol for my position," Reynolds said.
"Everything he does is 100 per cent. He is fully committed and that's why he's the best halfback in the game.
"That's why he's the player he is."
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