Broncos hatch plan to bring Walsh home
BRISBANE coach Kevin Walters has put out the welcome mat for Reece Walsh as the Broncos hatch plans to bring the Warriors whiz-kid home to Queensland.
Members of Brisbane’s recruitment and retention committee have discussed a poaching bid for Walsh with the Broncos empire ready to strike back in a spicy build-up to Sunday’s clash against the Warriors at Suncorp Stadium.
Labelled Brisbane’s version of Storm champion Billy Slater, Walsh dropped a bombshell
on the Broncos in March when he quit the club and signed a $1.2m deal with the Warriors before he had played a single minute of NRL.
The 19-year-old has been a revelation for the Warriors this season with his speed and attacking flair and Walsh returns to Suncorp to face the Broncos for the first time since Brisbane rubber-stamped his early release.
Now the Broncos want Walsh back. Walters had earmarked the Queensland under-18s ace for Brisbane’s No.1 jumper and club recruiters are exploring ways to trump the Warriors with a deal to eventually have Walsh back home in Broncos colours.
“We never wanted to lose Reece,” Walters said ahead of Walsh’s maiden showdown with the Broncos at Suncorp.
“We are a Queenslandbased club and I had high hopes for Reece to play for the Broncos. I wished Reece all the best at the Warriors. He has been playing some good footy for them, which I expected him to do, but he’s only young. I’m not sure what will happen down the track, but Reece is always welcome back here, certainly.”
The structure of Walsh’s Warriors contract has opened the door for the Broncos to strike earlier than anticipated.
The Warriors signed Walsh to a three-year contract until the end of 2024. The final year of the deal is a 12-month option in Walsh’s favour, meaning the Broncos can table a formal offer for the Queensland Origin aspirant from November 1 next year.
By then, the Broncos will have additional funds in the salary cap to make a bigmoney play for Walsh, who was due to make his Origin debut at fullback in Game Two in June, only to injure his hamstring at the captain’s run.
Walsh has a strong relationship with Broncos recruitment chief Simon Scanlan, who helped develop the custodian in Brisbane’s system.