After five years with the Macquarie Raiders, Jordan Reynolds returned to Dubbo CYMS in 2025 with one clear goal.
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That was to win one last first-grade premiership alongside his best mates.
With more than a decade of senior rugby league under his belt, a busy job, and a young family at home, the back-rower had decided 2025 would be his last season of serious footy.
The chance to play it alongside Ben Marlin and Billy Sing drew him back to the Fishies, and now he stands 80 minutes away from completing what he says would be a dream finish.
"I always had plans to come back to CYMS and finish my career there," the 30-year-old said.
"Hopefully, this can be the happy ending, and we sail off into the sunset after this.
"It's been really enjoyable back there with my two close mates. That's how I wanted to finish it off, and I've got a lot of good mates there from when I was originally there for seven or eight years before my stint with Macquarie."
There is a close bond within the Dubbo CYMS given so many of them have been playing together for more than a decade.
But the mateship between Reynolds, Marlin and Sing is a special one.
"We've been best men at each other's weddings. We've got Benny's at the end of this year, and we'll be in the bridal party again. We're a tight little group," Reynolds said.
"This would be the perfect ending. Just playing in the grand final again after five years, it's like it was meant to happen, so hopefully we can get the win."
The grand final could be the final game for a number of CYMS players.
Marlin seriously considered retiring after the 2024 season, while players like Jyie Chapman and Jarryn Powyer have been rumoured to be hanging up the boots at different times in recent years.
Reynolds won't rule out playing again in the future, but in terms of being committed to first-grade footy and training week in, week out, this is likely the final hurrah.
"I went from not winning anything in junior league to playing for CYMS and winning two junior (under-18s) grand finals, and then playing first grade ever since," Reynolds said.
"We won two first-grade titles after that in 2014 and 2015, and I've been fortunate to win three of those, the other in 2017, but we have gone down to Forbes three times."
The Fishies meet Forbes again in the 2025 decider, having been beaten by the Magpies in the biggest game of the year in 2016, 2018 and 2022.
Reynolds said the weekend will be another huge challenge, given the sheer attacking power the Magpies possess.
He's determined to enjoy the experience, though, and he's hopeful his side can produce its best when it matters.
"It was a lot better performance from us on the weekend," he said of the 24-0 preliminary final win over Orange CYMS.
"But it's still not an 80-minute performance by all means. To be honest, I don't think we've clicked in attack all year, really, which is something hopefully to look forward to on Sunday."
Dubbo CYMS and Forbes have met on one occasion this season, and a Nick Greenhalgh field-goal proved the difference in a 19-18 home win for the Magpies.
Saturday's grand final is scheduled to kick off at 3pm at Dubbo's Apex Oval.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior sports journalist for Western NSW, covering all that's happening in in Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst and everywhere in between. Contact me at nick.guthrie@acm.media
