Having shed his blood and sweat into his beloved blue and white jumper over the last seven years, Josh Reynolds predicts it will all end in tears on Sunday.
The Canterbury five-eighth has been granted his wish and will run out for his 138th and final NRL appearance for the Bulldogs, against a desperate St George Illawarra at ANZ Stadium.
It was thought he had played his last game for his junior club after injuring his calf in their round 23 loss to South Sydney.
He feared the worst and cut a dejected figure in the sheds afterwards.
But before he moves to the Wests Tigers in 2018 the former Belmore local will be given a 138th and final appearance in the blue and white.
"I reckon there could be tears. I'm not going to lie," he said.
It's not just a big occasion for Reynolds, his departure from the Bulldogs is set to test the loyalties of his mother Nicole, a passionate, lifelong fan.
"She'll always have a soft spot for here and so will I," Reynolds said.
"You can't just forget everything that you've done over the years and what they've done for me."
Reynolds is one of the Tigers' star recruits for next year, along with Russell Packer, Ben Matulino, Benji Marshall and Chris McQueen.
The Bulldogs did negotiate with Reynolds however they did not have the money in their budget to match the Tigers' four-year offer reportedly worth $3 million.
The loss of Reynolds is a sore point among fans amid a disappointing season that's resulted in just nine wins.
They are in 12th place going into the final round.
Many fans have vented their frustrations at coach Des Hasler and CEO Raelene Castle, but Reynolds insisted that was misplaced.
"It's not Des, it's not Raelene," he said.
"There's so many things that go into the negotiations. It's just what happened.
"I'm not disappointed in anyone. I was presented with a good opportunity and the Bulldogs were at a different stage. That's how it is.
"What's the point of dwelling on it and kicking stones?"
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