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Josh Reynolds admits he is heartbroken for Jacob Liddle after earning a long awaited NRL return by replacing the injured Wests Tigers hooker.

Rather than celebrate his long awaited NRL return, Josh Reynolds admits he feels heartbroken for the man he will replace in the Wests Tigers line-up - Jacob Liddle.

Former NSW playmaker Reynolds has been recalled for his first NRL game in four months, answering a hooker crisis after injuries to Robbie Farah (broken leg) and Liddle (knee).

Reynolds said he was excited about running out in the No.9 jersey for the Tigers' round 23 clash with Newcastle on Saturday after admitting he was resigned to not playing first grade again this year.

However, Reynolds revealed he was still coming to terms with Liddle's season-ending knee injury after comforting the 22-year-old in the sheds when he broke down last round.

Given his first shot at replacing Farah at hooker, Liddle went down just minutes into last Thursday's game against Manly.

"It is a cruel game sometimes. I was with him last week in the sheds - I just knew what he was feeling," Reynolds told Fox Sports' League Life.

"It honestly broke my heart to see him like that. He is a good kid, so laid back but I saw that night he was struggling - but he will be back."

Former Canterbury star Reynolds has played just nine games since linking with the Tigers in 2018 but admitted he didn't think he would add to that tally this year after being relegated to Canterbury Cup.

"It has been a rollercoaster, I am not going to lie," he said of his Tigers stint.

"But it's done now, that is how I am dealing with it.

"There is nothing I can do to change it, it is not my fault. I am just going to move forward - I am excited about playing on Saturday."

Reynolds said he would decide whether to move on to another club at season's end but reiterated that there was no "beef" with Tigers coach Michael Maguire.

"Madge (Maguire) has been really good with me, he has been really honest - that's all I can ask for," he said.

"The club have said it is fine for me to look elsewhere next year so straight away people think there is a tiff there.

"But people don't realise that's the way footy goes these days.

"When I left the Bulldogs you realise that you are just another fish in a big pond."