WHEN Ben Reynolds made the move from Leigh Leopards to Featherstone Rovers ahead of the 2024 season, some eyebrows were raised.
After playing a stellar role in Leigh’s promotion to Super League ahead of the 2023 campaign and then starring in the Leopards’ Challenge Cup success last year, Reynolds was perhaps expected to consolidate his legacy at the Leigh Sports Village.
However, it wasn’t to be and the 30-year-old signed on the dotted line for hometown club Featherstone – a deal which would have seen Reynolds play for Rovers in either Super League or the Championship.
“It’s been good, we have near enough a full new squad so me fitting in as a new signing wasn’t really that hard,” Reynolds told League Express.
“I spent a lot of good years at Leigh but I needed a bit of a change to come back home and especially with Featherstone being my hometown club and James Ford being the coach, it wasn’t really a hard decision.
“I agreed a deal whether it was in Super League or not. Obviously I would have liked to have represented Fev in Super League but maybe next year.
“I don’t have to work part-time alongside, but I’ve got a few things in the pipeline for when I finish that I am working.
“At the minute, though, I am still fully concentrating on my rugby career.”
Reynolds reflected upon that Challenge Cup winning feeling as well as waxing lyrical about Adrian Lam as his Leigh boss.
“I think that’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life and I don’t think it will ever be replicated – unless we win it at Rovers this year!
“It was a tough decision to leave Leigh but I made my decision for my family and my playing career. I feel like I needed this change to refresh.
“Adrian Lam was unbelievable, he’s a very good coach and very smart. He knew what he was doing all of the time and that gave us confidence as players.”
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