NRL grand final 2023: How Reece Walsh’s speed can halt Penrith Panthers’ juggernaut
The Panthers have reasons to fear Reece Walsh, with the young Brisbane Broncos superstar the key to bringing down Penrith’s premiership dynasty.
NRL
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The man who helped build Penrith into a title force has warned Reece Walsh could sweep the Broncos “juggernaut” to a premiership and bring the Panthers’ premiership dynasty crashing down.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster was Ivan Cleary’s former assistant at Penrith and he watched the lethal wizardry of Walsh from close range as Brisbane charged to the grand final with a 42-12 rout of the Kiwi outfit on Saturday night.
Walsh has produced some dynamite displays this season, but this was arguably the most destructive performance of his 59-game NRL career.
The 21-year-old turned the preliminary final at Suncorp into his personal playground, posting 110 metres, five tackle busts, three try assists and a whopping six line-break assists to book Brisbane’s first decider since 2015.
Even Cleary has lauded Webster’s value during his stint at the Panthers, with the 41-year-old largely constructing the attacking systems that have Penrith one win away from the code’s first ‘Three-Peat’ in 40 years.
But Webster was blown away by Brisbane’s offensive brutality in the Wahs whipping, declaring the Broncos have the strike weapons, led by Walsh, to snap their 17-year title drought in the NRL decider at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
“He can be a part of a grand final win,” Webster said of Walsh.
“They are a juggernaut across the park.
“They move fast and their forward pack is unbelievable.
“Reece gets to play off the back of it, they have weapons everywhere.
“He can make a contribution, an exceptional contribution ... he is a bloody good player.”
Asked if the Broncos are the one team with the tools to dismantle the powerhouse Panthers, Webster said: “They have the best opportunity to beat Penrith the way they played.
“It will be so interesting to see if both teams get their best games on, we could see an unbelievable game of football.
“Both teams are outstanding at what they do if they bring their best.
“They are both two outstanding teams ... it will be a hell of a game.”
Walsh will wage a thrilling fullback showdown with Penrith champion Dylan Edwards.
The Queensland Origin dynamo has 25 try assists, 19 line breaks, 117 tackle busts and 3217 running metres this season and Broncos coach Kevin Walters likened Walsh to fullback legends Billy Slater and Darren Lockyer.
“It’s not so much his speed, it’s the way he moves, he changes direction so quickly,” Walters said.
“Billy Slater (Storm legend) was the closest one I’ve seen and Darren Lockyer (Brisbane’s last premiership captain in 2006) was one of the fastest guys in that movement, but Reece gets across the ground quickly.
“That’s just something Reece is born with. I was fortunate enough to coach Billy Slater at the Storm and Reece has the same mindset.”
Broncos centre legend Steve Renouf believes Walsh is the one player in the NRL with the speed to expose the best defensive side in the league.
“The Broncos are the only team who can beat Penrith,” Renouf said.
“They have got a good balance.
“Look what they did to Melbourne two weeks ago (26-0 win in the qualifying final) and they did it again this time.
“What Reece Walsh does for this team is amazing.
“He was so dangerous on the left side (against the Warriors on Saturday night) but that right side with him, (Kotoni) Staggs and (Selwyn) Cobbo is absolutely lethal.
“He just creates space for everyone else.
“Kotoni reminds me of Justin Hodges (former Broncos centre), he wants to run over people, but I used to tell him to run holes and Walsh brings Kotoni in.
“This Broncos side is mature – they have strike power to knock the Panthers off.”
The Broncos upset Penrith 13-12 in round one in Sydney without Walsh, who had a fractured cheekbone, before the Panthers squared the ledger in round 12, winning 15-4 at Suncorp Stadium.
Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds missed the return bout due to concussion, but the Walsh-Reynolds alliance on grand final day could deliver Brisbane’s seventh premiership.
Reynolds is adamant the Broncos are in the mood to beat anyone, including the mighty Panthers.
“We beat them in round one and they beat us during the year,” Reynolds said.
“We have a team that works hard for one another and we have the belief that we can do it.
“We are going to prepare really well through the week but we have strike across the park as do they (Penrith).
“We will have to be at our best to beat them.”
Kevin Walters wants three things from his Broncos
—Travis Meyn
A “greedy” Kevin Walters has made a passionate plea to the Broncos to not waste this grand final opportunity, warning Brisbane must find another gear and leave nothing in the tank to snap a 17-year premiership drought.
The Broncos will confront back-to-back premiers Penrith at Accor Stadium on Sunday night in what will be Walters’ first NRL grand final as Brisbane’s head coach.
The Broncos romped to their first grand final appearance since the heartbreaking 2015 loss to North Queensland by smashing the Warriors 42-12 on Saturday night at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium.
Now the last hurdle in Walters’ premiership quest is the Panthers in their fourth straight decider.
Penrith is gunning to become the first team in the NRL era, and first since Parramatta (1981-83), to win three straight premierships.
But Walters believes his high-flying Broncos have what it takes to topple the raging favourites and has urged Brisbane to throw everything at the Panthers.
Walters, 55, won six premierships as a player – one with Canberra (1989) and five with the Broncos (1992-93, 97-98 and 2000) – during a remarkably successful playing career.
And his advice to Brisbane’s class of 2023 was simple – give it everything.
“Personally, to be well prepared certainly,” Walters said when asked what advice he would offer the Broncos.
“Second thing is enjoy the week and what it is. It is a privilege to be involved in grand final week.
“The third thing is to leave nothing in the tank on game day.
“Our boys have been good but our best performance is still in front of us this week. We need to be at our best next week in the grand final.
“I am a greedy bugger and I’m grateful to be in the grand final, but there is a bit more in this team and everyone will see that next week.”
Walters lost his first grand final as a player, coming off the bench in Canberra’s 1987 defeat to Manly. He went on to win the next six deciders he featured in.
Now he is aiming to deliver the Broncos their first title since the 2006 victory over Melbourne, in which the Broncos were also underdogs.
Walters will lean on his grand final experience as a player to guide the Broncos this week and 2021 Penrith premiership winner Kurt Capewell urged his Brisbane teammates to not have any regrets.
“It’s the biggest game you’ll play in your career,” he said.
“You don’t get a second chance so you’ve got to make sure you don’t miss the start. I think we’ve been pretty good at that all year.
“We’ve got a week to work on fixing some stuff and I think we’ll be ready to go.
“We’ll have to be better. I’m a little bit disappointed in how we played but there’s room for improvement.
“We’ve got a week to work on it and get it right. I’m not sure what it was but we definitely weren’t at our best.”
Walters’ son Billy produced the best performance of his NRL career against the Warriors, bagging two tries to secure his first appearance in a grand final.
Billy, 29, didn’t make his NRL debut until age 25 and has toiled hard to get this chance.
“It’s one of those nights you dream about as a little Brisbane kid – playing at Suncorp, packed house in a prelim, scoring two tries and winning. It was unreal,” he said.
“I thought my opportunity had passed after I’d been at the Tigers and didn’t get much of a run.
“To be getting a run at the Broncos and playing in a grand final … if you told me that two years I wouldn’t have believed you.
“We’ve got a lot of young players in our team so I hope they realise the opportunity we’ve got this week. It doesn’t come often to play in a grand final, let alone win one.
“We’ve got to go in head first, work really hard this week and be ready for Sunday.
“We’re very happy but we know there’s a lot of work to do, especially if we want to beat Penrith. They’re the best of the best.
“We’ve still got a lot of improvement in our game. Penrith don’t give you too much so we can’t rely on them to have an off day. We’ll have to be at our best.”
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