NRL player Josh Reynolds threw his heart and soul into an off-field scandal in a last ditch attempt to bring glory to the club he will leave at the end of the 2017 season.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs half got himself kicked out of a pub in a determined effort to earn a nomination for The Frownlow Medal, which might be the only honour the Bulldogs achieve this season.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. Kiwi international and Sydney Roosters player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while Corey Norman from the Parramatta Eels won in 2016.
Reynolds has been fined $550 and was served an infringement notice by police for an alleged drunken incident in which he initially ignored requests to leave Northies nightclub at Cronulla, Sydney.
Witnesses claim the player’s friends and team mates tried to drag him away from security staff once he eventually left the premises and that in retaliation he called them dogs, although it’s not clear if he meant bulldogs or just ordinary dogs.
In order to keep the popular player out of trouble, his friends apparently took him to another pub.
Reynolds was unable to steer his beloved ‘Doggies’ to the top of the NRL ladder this season and the team currently sits in 13th place. The passionate club man will find out at the end of the season if he has done enough to win The Frownlow Medal and bring some joy to Bulldogs fans.
Image:Nuna
First published in July, 2017.
The Frownlow Medal 