Walsh: I’m going nowhere, other than NZ
Teenage Warriors sensation Reece Walsh is ‘‘100% going to New Zealand next year’’.
The Warriors’ fullback has broken his silence on the speculation he will stay in Australia next season and link with expansion club the Redcliffe Dolphins or return to the Brisbane Broncos.
Walsh says he remains committed to the club and moving to New Zealand for the 2023 season.
Walsh has remained silent on the rumours and media speculation that he did not want to move his young family to New Zealand at the end of the year, for several months, but has told Fox Sports he felt the need to speak out for the benefit of his teammates.
‘‘It’s not fair on my team-mates or the club that they think I am wanting to go elsewhere,’’ Walsh said.
‘‘It’s not the case – we haven’t spoken to any other clubs, I have a contract in place which means I am 100% going to New Zealand next year.’’
Walsh was happy to ignore the speculation for a time, despite Warriors chief executive Cameron George coming out swinging over the claims, but now feels it’s gone too far.
‘‘At first I sort of laughed about it and would ask the boys, where do you think they get this information from because it isn’t coming from me or my management or my family. ‘‘After a while it became too much, there were questions from my team-mates. ‘‘It’s got to the point where it’s worth addressing because it’s spiralling out of control,’’ Walsh said. Walsh has said if it wasn’t for Covid-19 he would have been living in New Zealand this year anyway and he believes the shift across the Tasman is an exciting growth opportunity. The Warriors are into their third season of being based in Australia but will return to Auckland at the start of the 2023 preseason.
His manager, Nash Dawson, denies speaking to any other club and told
Fox Sports that Walsh was an exciting young player and that means his future will always be a contentious topic of discussion.
Walsh has a player option in his favour for 2024 but Dawson has said there was no rush to look past next season, at this stage.
■ When Ash Taylor struggled to play with his young children at the park the day after his first game for the Warriors, he knew his time was up.
The 27-year-old Taylor confirmed his retirement yesterday, succumbing to a long-term hip injury he re-aggravated in the
Warriors’ round two game against the Titans.
This was supposed to be a season where he rejuvenated his NRL career after a mixed six years with the Titans, where the expectations on him because of his $1 million-a-year salary hung heavy around his neck. His time at the Warriors was all too brief and at the age when most players are entering their prime, Taylor is thinking about getting a proper job.
After earlier informing the Warriors players, Taylor gave an emotional speech to the media yesterday, confirming he’d played his last game of footy.