Rugby legend Graham Lowe has called on the All Blacks to offer Reece Walsh a $5 million contract
He’s the man that broke Brisbane’s NRL premiership drought, but Reece Walsh should now be targeted for a bank-breaking code-switch, claims a Kiwi legend.
New Zealand rugby league legend Sir Graham Lowe has called on the All Blacks to make a monster $5 million bid to prise Reece Walsh away from the Brisbane Broncos, describing him as “the best young player I’ve ever seen”.
Walsh’s performances at the back end of the 2025 NRL season, which drove the Broncos to their first premiership in 19 years and earned him the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match in the grand final, have earned the superstar fullback rave plaudits.
Given he is still only 23 and already has 95 NRL appearances under his belt, Walsh is yet to enter the prime of his playing career.
Lowe, the former New Zealand, Queensland Origin, Manly and North Queensland coach, believes New Zealand Rugby could pull off a major coup by luring Walsh into a code switch.
Walsh has already represented Queensland five times at State of Origin level, and is set to fly out to England with Australia for their Ashes campaign. His hot end-of-season form has him in pole position to be named the starting fullback, ahead of Penrith’s Dylan Edwards, for the first Test against England at London’s Wembley Stadium.
He is eligible to play for the All Blacks courtesy of his estranged New Zealand-born birth mother.
With the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia on the horizon, Lowe is adamant the All Blacks should tempt Walsh with taking his talents to a global stage.
With the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia on the horizon, Lowe is adamant the All Blacks should tempt Walsh with taking his talents to a global stage.
“The Warriors won’t be able to get him over here because of the salary cap in the NRL, but I think there’s an opportunity for the New Zealand Rugby Union,” Lowe told Herald NOW.
“The going rate for the stars is a million-plus. Pay this guy $5 million a year. Anywhere else in the world, it’s chicken feed. Make a big statement about him.
“He’s the best young player I’ve ever seen, he’s something special.
“We get sick of the Aussies pinching our players and having them play in the competitions over there.”
Walsh has social media reach of more than 1 million, having added almost 100,000 more followers since his matchwinning heroics in Brisbane’s 26-22 grand final win over Melbourne.
He has his own YouTube channel and is a one-man PR machine.
“The excitement he brings is fantastic, I reckon get him over here, he’ll bring 10,000 people on his own,” he continued.
“Between where I live and the local coffee shop, I’ve been asked at least 20 times by old ladies about who’s this young fella who paints his fingernails and plays for the Broncos.”
There are several hurdles the All Blacks would face with any pursuit of Walsh.
He began his NRL career in New Zealand with the Warriors, with whom he debuted in 2021 and played 38 games before being granted a release to the Broncos on compassionate grounds in 2023 to be closer to his daughter, Leila.
Walsh would be reluctant to move away from his daughter, now five.
He bought an eight-bedroom family estate on the Gold Coast at the beginning of 2024 for $1.88 million for Leila to grow up in, and since then has spent time renovating the palatial home.
He is also contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2029, having signed a four-year extension at the end of last season.
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Originally published as Rugby legend Graham Lowe has called on the All Blacks to offer Reece Walsh a $5 million contract
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