Reynolds ... is hoping to push his case for an Origin jersey in 2013. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited
Josh Reynolds is not the kind of guy to wish bad fortune on a teammate but if anyone found a silver lining in the absence of star fullback Ben Barba, it was the Canterbury-Bankstown No.6.
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With State of Origin just around the corner, Reynolds admits to having selection "in the back of my head" and he believes he's taken a step in the right direction while filling the Barba hole as the Bulldogs' go-to man.
"I have enjoyed it and like you said, last week (against the Storm) was a big test for us," Reynolds told Sterlo as a special guest on Thursday night.
"I'll learn from that. I shouldn't have put that kick in at the end - there was only a couple of sets to go.
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"But we can't rely on Benny to just pull us up all the time. Me and Kris (Keating), we really have to step up."
While Barba's absence may have been the trigger for Reynolds to take on new responsibility, he takes inspiration from Melbourne's ultra-consistent "big three".
The 23-year-old has played some spectacular games over the past 12 months, but stringing them together has not come easy.
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"Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater and Cameron Smith, you never hear of them having a bad game, you know," Reynolds said.
"And for me as a player, I just want to bring that consistency to my game.
"Origin's getting tossed up a bit. It's in the back of my head because it's obviously what you want to do growing up, because who doesn't want to play the pinnacle of our sport.
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"Last year I felt at stages when things were going wrong, I didn't really step up. That's what I want to do, when things are on the line I want the boys to be looking for me."
Matthew Johns, for one, is looking at him, potentially as a key building block in a new-look NSW side under Laurie Daley.
"If you keep going like you are at the moment, I know you're only a young player, but I don't know how they're going to keep you out of the side," Johns said.
"I watched you last week against Melbourne, and when the Melbourne Storm side ran on you stood there at the halfway and you were like 'I'm ready for this'."
But will his newfound responsibility as the player the Bulldogs look to when things get tough continue now that Barba's back?
Reynolds hopes so, but for now he's just glad to see his mate happy and healthy again.
"Things have changed in his life but as a bloke towards the boys and as a person he's still the same guy; he's still the same funny guy to have around training and he's come back really positive, which has given the team a boost," Reynolds said.
"I think he came back and the boys didn't know what to say to him but he's came back and said: 'look, everything's the same boys, let's get on with our footy', and it's really helped us."
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