2017 Top 10: Tries
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have sent their starting halves on a two-day training camp with AFL club, Port Adelaide, in a bid to fine tune their kicking game before the 2018 season.
Rabbitohs coach Anthony Seibold confirmed Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds would start the year in the No.6 and No.7 jerseys and believes the trip to Adelaide will be beneficial in developing his two playmakers.
''They'll be our starting halves, so it will be good for them having learnt what they have,'' Seibold told pan66.com.
''We've got good coverage in that position with young Adam Doueihi, but Adam and Cody have gone over there to do stuff around their kicking craft and improving their kicking game.
''They joined in sessions both yesterday and today and also sat in on position specific meetings and team meetings. I wanted them to see how other professionals prepare and go about their business on a weekly schedule.''
Reynolds is renowned for possessing one of the better short-kicking games in the competition, finishing last season in fourth position for most drop-outs forced with 19 (ex-Sea Eagle Blake Green had the most in the NRL with 25).
However, Reynolds, and South Sydney for that matter, weren’t as effective with their long kicking game, finishing 12th for general play kicking accuracy (finding the grass).
Reynolds was equal first for most kicks out on the full (four) and fourth in the most kicks going dead category.
''It's more the technical side of things that they will benefit from,'' Seibold said.
''The drop punt, which is pretty much a given in rugby league, most kickers use it. Things like ball drop, contact with the footy is what they spend a whole heap of their time on.
''And accuracy is a big part of it too. Those three things transfer across to our game. It's real simple for me – it was a great opportunity for us to send our kickers to develop their skills.
''I've also sent down two of our coaches in Willie Peters and Peter Gentle. For the coaches, it was for some professional development.
''To see how another sport do things from a coaches point of view. Observing their meetings and planning of training and how the implement things. We had Port here in December so it’s good to exchange and share ideas and knowledge.''