COAST TEEN ALMOST GETS NRL DEBUT FOR BIRTHDAY
GOLD Coast teenager Reece Walsh was a false start away from becoming the youngest Brisbane Broncos debutant since a 17-year-old Justin Hodges in 2005.
Walsh celebrated his 18th birthday just five days ago and almost scored the present of a lifetime after outside backs Tesi Niu, Herbie Farnworth and Xavier Coates missed training due to injury.
The 2019 Australian Schoolboys representative started on the Broncos’ right wing at training on Tuesday but missed out when the final squad for Friday night’s clash with Wests Tigers was named.
Those who knew him best at the Gold Coast’s top NRL factory know his chance will come again.
“Reece is an exceptional footballer,” his Keebra Park coach Glen Campbell said.
“He was our captain last year but missed most of our season through injury, which was absolutely a factor (in our season struggles).
“He was basically worth two tries a match at schoolboy level. I watched the Australian Schoolboys competition last year and I thought he should have been player of the tournament.
“He wasn’t a big kid, he was just very elusive, very fast and even quicker between the ears.
“He was only in Grade 11 last year but he withdrew from school with the blessing of his parents. I wasn’t expecting (an NRL debut) this early but I’m pleased for him that he’s developing so quickly.”
The Broncos named all three absent Broncos in their starting team to play the Tigers, pushing Walsh’s debut back indefinitely.
Disappointment at his old school was short-lived as news broke that another Keebra Park talent would make his NRL debut in Round 10 instead.
South Sydney has named 22-year-old Jaxson Paulo from the Class of 2016 on the right wing for its clash with the Newcastle Knights.
The 192cm, 101kg outside back will become the seventh member of the Keebra Park school’s 2016 Senior A team to debut in the NRL.
Payne Haas, David Fifita, Tanah Boyd, Tom Mikaele, Moeaki Fotuaika and Connelly Lemuelu have all featured in the elite competition since taking out the state title that season.