The day Adam Reynolds found out about wife’s secret cocaine addiction ... and broke down to Bennett

Before sitting down to start penning his autobiography, Adam Reynolds knew there was going to be one chapter he would struggle with.

There were plenty of things he was only too happy to talk about.

Like growing up in housing commission on the mean streets of South Sydney.

Like winning the 2014 premiership with his beloved Rabbitohs, and the Mad Monday celebrations that never ended.

Like the pre-season camp in Arizona that ended with teammates John Sutton and Luke Burgess being arrested for a drunken fight.

Like the infamous night in 2016 when Russell Crowe got cranky with playmaker Luke Keary at his Nana Glen farm.

Like being cut loose by Souths.

Like being welcomed by the Brisbane Broncos.

But how on earth was Reynolds going to address one of the toughest times in his life – his wife’s drug addiction, which almost ended their marriage?

Unknown to Reynolds, Tallara had started taking cocaine after a few drinks at home while Reynolds was playing on the weekend. Then it became cocaine without any alcohol.

Reynolds is convinced that had it not been for the help of Wayne Bennett, who was in charge of Souths at the time, he would not be with his childhood sweetheart, and the mother of their four children, today.

Reynolds touched on the subject on Kevin Walters’ podcast Inside Ball midway through the 2025 season, when he recalled Bennett had told him he had to fight for his marriage.

But in his book, On My Own Terms, which will be released this week, Reynolds opens up for the first time about Tallara’s substance abuse and the toll it took on them both.

Tallara’s story will come as a shock to many of Reynolds’ teammates at the time. She had started threatening to harm herself, “including one frightening night when she was hysterical and locked herself in the bathroom”.

When Reynolds opened up to Bennett after a pre-season training session at the end of 2019, he broke down in tears, and for a moment thought he would never stop.

Putting on a brave face at work while all hell was breaking loose at home had proved unsustainable.

“Wayne prides himself on being able to turn young men into good footballers but even better people,” Reynolds wrote.

“I hadn’t spoken about Tallara’s struggles with anybody, and became emotional the second I started to open up to Wayne on this particular day.

“With the help of some of the club’s welfare staff, Tallara spent a month at a rehabilitation clinic in inner-western Sydney at the start of 2020.”

Tallara, who kicked her addiction, was only too happy for her story to be told in the hope it could help others in a similar situation.

“It’s one thing to battle addiction, but it’s another to share your story with everyone else – I couldn’t be prouder of Tallara.”

Adam Reynolds

The pair knew they had to come clean to their children, including their eldest daughters, Nayklah and Aaliyah, who are in high school, and that they would have to prepare for any potential backlash from fellow students about Tallara once her struggles were made public.

“It’s one thing to battle addiction, but it’s another to share your story with everyone else – I couldn’t be prouder of Tallara,” Reynolds told this masthead this week.

“It was an extremely brave thing to do. I won’t lie, with the book about to come out, she’s been a bit nervous about what the reaction will be. People are always going to judge.

“But by being so honest, Tallara knows she can help other people, other mothers, who might be in a similar situation, and remind them they are not alone.

“We decided to tell the girls when we sat down to write the book about 12 months ago. They read the book this past week. They were too young at the time when Tallara was struggling, so there were no flashbacks for them. If anything, they felt sorry for Tallara because they never wanted their mum to feel that way.

“The fact Tallara shared her knowledge and told her story of overcoming addiction has taught our own girls a valuable life lesson.

“The sad thing is Tallara thought she was all alone. She was unaware at the time others would have been too happy to help her – 99.9 per cent of people wanted to see her do well, not struggle.

“It was a tough time for us. I had no idea about the drugs, and was angry at first.

“Wayne played a big role in saving our marriage. I wrote about what he did to help us in the book, but there will be a lot of conversations at that time I will keep private.

“I’ll forever be grateful to Wayne for helping Tallara and I. Our marriage could not be any better. Tallara is doing so well. Like I said, I’m really proud of her.”

Reynolds also went into detail about the early months of the 2021 season, before the competition relocated to Queensland because of COVID, and how he failed to strike a new deal with Souths.

Several teammates offered to take a pay cut to keep him at the club, and Reynolds says he was disappointed by some of the inaccurate reporting of the negotiations – including the suggestion that he was carrying an injury that meant he was unable to complete training sessions.

The veteran halfback has now played four seasons at the Broncos, featured in two grand finals, including the drought-breaking premiership win against Melbourne earlier this month, and enters what is likely to be his final hurrah in 2026.

“I left South Sydney on good terms, I still love the place, it’s home, and I said as much in the book,” Reynolds said.

“Everyone has their own reasons about why we couldn’t agree to an extension. I’m fine with it. I’ve made the most of my opportunities with Brisbane. We’ve now won a comp, and probably should have won two.”

Bennett penned the foreword for the book, and said of Reynolds, the player he elevated to captain of Souths for the start of the 2020 season: “He understands the game of rugby league. He is a guy who gets along with everyone, not somebody who goes looking for confrontation, he cares a lot about his teammates, his family and his friends; he knows what winning looks like. Adam is a winner.”

Reynolds, now 35, will start the promotional tour this week, but was the first to admit he hated the limelight.

“I’m a humble guy, and I’d prefer my peers have the big moments,” said Reynolds, which was evident when he hauled injured Broncos utility Billy Walters onto the stage to help lift the premiership trophy on grand final night.

One of the few things Reynolds failed to achieve in the game was to represent Australia, which will not happen now. But a final bucket-list item would be to take over Cameron Smith as the game’s greatest point-scorer of all time.

Melbourne legend Smith retired with 2786 points in 430 games. Reynolds has 2524 points in 309 games and would need at least 18 months to set a new mark.

“I don’t know what I’ll do beyond next year, but I won’t say ‘no’ to paying on, especially when I still love my footy, competing, and the camaraderie,” Reynolds said.

“I didn’t finish the grand final because of a calf complaint I took into the game. But I played 22 games this year. I feel good. I won’t say ‘no’. I still love the footy, competing, and the camaraderie. You never know. And you are a long time retired.

“But that decision can wait. The club have reportedly signed Jonah Pezet. That news came out of nowhere, but he’s a quality player who has been in a great system in Melbourne.

“All I’m worried about is completing the media commitments. Hopefully people enjoy the book. I’m proud of it. Most of all I’m proud of Tallara.”

For alcohol and drug support, call 1800 250 015. For crisis support, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au.

Adam Reynolds’ On My Own Terms will be available in bookstores and online from Tuesday.