Walsh open to US move
Broncos star loving the Las Vegas vibe
Broncos superstar Reece Walsh has revealed he will sign a lucrative new deal to stay at Brisbane but says he is open to one day testing himself in the NFL.
The Broncos have kicked off talks with Walsh’s management on a $4m-plus extension as Brisbane’s pin-up boy prepares to light up America in their historic season opener against the Roosters in Las Vegas this Sunday.
But Brisbane’s session at the Los Angeles Rams’ training facility on Sunday (AEST), coupled with their VIP visit to watch LeBron James’s LA Lakers the previous night, has given Walsh a taste of sporting stardom in America.
Walsh isn’t quitting the Broncos anytime soon. He is contracted until the end of next year and in the coming months, Brisbane’s fullback will ink an extension until the end of 2028 or 2029
Long term, however, Walsh has the talent, charisma, scorching speed and sporting ambition to emulate the likes of Jarryd Hayne and Valentine Holmes by rolling the dice in American football.
At 21, Walsh has goals to achieve in the NRL, chiefly breaking Brisbane’s 18-year premiership drought, but the Queensland Origin maestro left the door ajar for a shock defection to the NFL.
Asked if he would consider a stint in American football, Walsh said: “I’m not too sure. I’m so early in my career.
“Those boys (Jarryd Hayne and Val Holmes) did a lot in their careers and then made the change.
“I have so much more I want to do in the game but maybe in a few years I would … we’ll see what happens.”
Walsh is lapping up the LA sporting life.
At Brisbane’s first official training session at the Rams facility, Walsh met LA guard Steve Avila, a man mountain at 151kg, before trying on some gridiron gloves as he sprinted on to some precision passes from Broncos prop-comequarterback Martin Taupau.
“It’s crazy,” Walsh said of Brisbane’s visit to the Rams and Lakers.
“It’s cool to experience this stuff. As a kid you watch all the (American) sports and wonder how it is.
“To come over here and wear these (American football) gloves, trying to catch their ball, it’s cool. it’s an awesome experience and I’m very grateful for it.”
Walsh, wearing shiny white and blue gloves, enjoyed his impromptu American football session so much he had a message for NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo.
“Now that I have these gloves on, I’m going to be hitting up Abdo for an exemption to wear them (against the Roosters), so we’ll see how we go,” Walsh said with a laugh.
“It was awesome. We watch the sport (NFL) and you wonder how they make those catches and do the amazing things they do.
“We were driving into the Lakers game (on Friday night) and there’s just so many people. They have a good culture and they love their sport.”