South Sydney playmaker Adam Reynolds has plenty of footballing goals, but there’s one at the top of his list involving master coach Wayne Bennett that is proving more difficult than most.

“He’s very anal about shaking people’s hands twice throughout the week,” Reynolds laughs.

“He reckons if you shake it once, that’s enough. We’ve been working around different ways to get him with fist bumps and high fives, but he’s too good. He’s been giving me way more fist bumps than handshakes lately, I reckon he’s onto us.

“Some of the boys have had a crack, and they’re quick to let him know if they’ve managed to sneak two or three through his defences. I’ve got plenty of footy goals this year, but that’s nearly top of the list.”

The 29-year-old has certainly excelled since Bennett’s arrival at the club and credits him for a renewed sense of ownership of his game.

“He’s backing me to play my game, and he’s encouraged me to play with freedom. He’s put the expectation on me to run the side and lead the boys around, and I’ve taken that responsibility on board and relished his faith in me,” he says.

“I’m a lot more mature now than I was in the past, and I know I don’t have long left in the game. Hopefully I’ve got a few years left, but I don’t want to waste any more time.”

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