HARVEY REYNOLDS couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity provided by Newcastle Thunder as he looks to forge a Super League career with York Knights.
The 22-year-old made his top-division debut earlier this month in a defeat at Bradford Bulls and retained his place in the back row for subsequent games against Hull KR and Wigan Warriors.
A former Hull Isberg and East Hull junior who grew up a Robins supporter and went through their Academy, Reynolds joined York ahead of the 2024 season and played 23 games across his first two campaigns.
He begun this season at Newcastle after the north-east side forged a close partnership with newly-promoted York, and impressed with seven tries in 17 matches for the Championship club.
Those efforts have been rewarded with a run in the Knights’ squad on loan, filling the spot of Jesse Dee, who remains stood down following concerns over a head injury.
Reynolds said: “It’s a goal I set myself at start of the year to make my Super League debut, so to achieve that has been great.
“I’ve worked hard for it, and now the goal is to stay in the team for as long as I can.
“This year playing week in, week out rugby was the best thing I could get. I’ve been able to find my strengths and work on my weaknesses.
“Every time I play for Newcastle, I’m giving 100 percent. There is the incentive that if you’re playing well you could get a call-up for York. It’s great to have the partnership.”
Mark Applegarth has taken a keen interest in Reynolds’ progress since joining the Knights as head coach two years ago.
“He probably needed a good pre-season to fill out into his body slightly,” explained Applegarth.
“I put a few challenges to him in terms of his game and the areas he needed to tighten up on.
“When we were playing in the Championship it was hard to get him regular game time, and I admire how he kept his head down and worked so hard in training to improve.
“But you’re only going to improve in game situations, at full intensity, so Newcastle has really benefitted him in that sense.
“The more games we can get into him this year, the better. Jesse is still going to be out for a few weeks yet so it’s a chance for Harvey to establish himself in that spot and make it his own.”