Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds knows just how important his role is if Souths are to emulate their premiership success, and a match-up against the world's best halfback in Johnathan Thurston is the perfect way to make amends for a drubbing at the hands of Manly last week.

There is no shortage of praise for Thurston from many other halfbacks and players in the NRL. His unpredictability, enthusiasm to take on the line and dummies that have fooled so many in his 14 seasons of first grade are just a few traits that make Thurston the most studied NRL player in video review sessions.

For Reynolds, however, he is determined to put in a better showing than the one against another quality No.7 in Daly Cherry-Evans, who helped orchestrated Manly's 28-8 win against Souths on Friday night.

Asked if now was a more favourable time to play the Cowboys – who sit second on the ladder only by way of for and against – fresh after their loss to Cronulla, Reynolds disagreed and said he expected Paul Green's side to be wholeheartedly up for the challenge.

"They've got a heap of talent up there," Reynolds said. "Not only him [Thurston] but the rest of the team are playing out of their skin and they had the little setback last week but I'm sure they'll be looking to turn that around as well. It's going to be a good challenge for us.

"As individuals we have to be accountable of our own performance and we have got to take that loss pretty hard and have look at ourself and really assess where we want to go."

Reynolds pinpointed defence as a key area Souths needed to focus on in a bid to thwart Thurston – a player he believes is only improving the older he gets.

"He's sort of like a bottle of wine – he just keeps ageing and getting better," Reynolds said. "He does mostly everything different, that's what makes him the best. He's always on the ball and he's a really good competitor.

"We just need to defend. He's so dangerous with the ball and he asks so many questions of the defensive line so we have got to be focused and switched on."

Hooker Issac Luke agrees with Reynolds that Thurston is becoming more valuable as the years go on, but it excites him to watch Reynolds rise to the challenge and get one over the Cowboys halfback, who scored two tries in a scintillating 30-12 win the last time the teams met in round six.

"He [Reynolds] has the chance to go up against the best halfback in the world at the moment, it'll be good for him," Luke said. "He's going to continue to turn people's heads. At the moment I know he's working on a few things, and whatever he can bring to the table, we'd love it."

Matt Scott, who was rested against the Sharks last week, returns for the Cowboys while Souths will be buoyed by the return of Kirisome Auva'a​ from a ban relating to domestic violence charges and well as youngster Kyle Turner and Paul Carter.