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Opinion
Last year, I was staggered that the Rabbits were letting go of Adam Reynolds.
What were they doing? How could they so something so stupid?
Flash-forward to today and I begrudgingly concede I was dead wrong. Lachlan Ilias, heralded as the young halfback to take up the Reynolds slack, is more than doing a good job. He’s doing a great job.
Let’s start with the stats.
Reynolds this season has averaged 500-plus kicking meters, one forced drop-out, one line break assist and three try assists. Pretty good for three games, you’d have to say. Ilias at the start of his career (more games is a caveat) has averaged 250-plus kicking meters, three forced drop-outs, five line break assists and two try assists.
Not bad for a rookie halfback just starting out. He’ll only get better, too.
Defensively Ilias stacks up well. With 80 per cent-plus tackle efficiency, he’s better than Sam Walker and is in the same ballpark as Reynolds (88 per cent, last I checked). In short, he’s doing a great job.
Everyone who said Souths would lose a lot without Reynolds is being proven wrong in the numbers. Ilias adds almost as much in a game, even if the Rabbits are a better side to play in than the Broncos.
The real story here though is in the value.
By ditching Reynolds, Souths have been able to hold on to Latrell Mitchell, Damien Cook and Cody Walker. Latrell and Cook are still arguably in their prime. Walker, based on the season’s start, might have peaked in 2021 but we’ll know as time goes on.
Clearly, though, with Ilias they haven’t lost that much compared to Reynolds, but they’ve certainly saved a whole bunch on the salary cap. Souths will be able to retain key players because of their effective (but unpopular) cap management.
Finally, with Ilias they also have a long-term future. They’re able to build up a player who can last them six-plus years, build strong structures or combinations and ultimately delivering consistency in a key position.
With the persistent rumors around Reynolds’ fitness, alongside the realistic longevity of a halfback at 31 years old (maybe 3-4 years), there’s no doubt in my mind today that Souths have delivered a masterclass in salary cap management and succession planning.
Hats off to them for making the brave, unpopular and right call.
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