The last halfback to lead South Sydney to the NRL finals believes his side needs unerring faith in rookie Adam Reynolds to be a title force this year.
Joe Williams is now an aspiring boxer living in Dubbo, who will fight on the undercard of the bout by another former Bunnies player Garth Woods against Sam Soliman in Sydney on Sunday.
Full coverage of the DragonsAs rumours circulate that Souths will pursue Melbourne superstar Cooper Cronk for 2013, Williams said the club’s finals chances could hinge on new coach Michael Maguire standing by Reynolds.
Williams argued the Rabbitohs’ chopping and changing in search of a quick fix had undermined its development as an NRL force.
Reynolds faces his first major challenge against St George Illawarra in tomorrow night’s Charity Shield at ANZ Stadium, after being chosen ahead of 23-year-old former Queensland Cup player Ryan Carr.
‘‘They’ll need to have patience from the coaching staff, which is something they haven’t had a lot of over the years, most definitely,’’ Williams said.
‘‘You’d play one bad game and get kicked out, which was obviously disappointing, but that’s the way it was.
‘‘Chris Sandow was the man and now he’s left, they need to show their faith and if Reynolds is picked [for round one] he needs to be given time to be a dominant halfback.
‘‘I’ve seen a bit of [Reynolds] and he’s a smart kid with a great kicking game.
‘‘But it’s taken the likes of a Scott Prince or Johnathan Thurston years to be consistent over 26 rounds. You can’t expect it of a young guy straight away.’’
Williams helped South Sydney charge to the 2007 play-offs after being given a late-season reprieve by then coach Jason Taylor.
It’s the only time the Rabbitohs have finished in the top eight since returning to the NRL in 2002.
He then left the club at the end of the season and quit the NRL in 2008, following short stints with Penrith and the Bulldogs.
For Reynolds, Maguire and South Sydney, the Charity Shield is the first step in rebuilding credibility for the famous club.
So what’s the secret to the Rabbitohs being recognised as a title threat?
Williams claims the responsibility lies with their monster forward pack - Roy Asotasi, Sam Burgess and David Taylor - and the game-breaking ability of five-eighth John Sutton.
‘‘They’ve got a pack to match any team in the comp,’’ Williams said.
‘‘They need to get out there and be dominant and help Reynolds do the job.
‘‘The big thing for him will be directing traffic and leaving Sutton to pick his moments and getting the ball when he wants it.
‘‘Sutton will do a lot of damage, but he doesn’t need to be involved all the time, just when there’s something on.
‘‘And that’s where the responsibility comes back on Reynolds,’’ he added
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