NRL grand final: Reece Walsh, Herbie Farnworth, Payne Haas train despite injury concerns

The Brisbane Broncos have allayed injury concerns over Reece Walsh despite the superstar fullback training with a heavy leg guard. SEE THE VIDEO

The Broncos have received a huge boost with star trio Herbie Farnworth, Reece Walsh and Payne Haas completing a drama-free session in the lead-up to Sunday’s NRL grand final against Penrith.

Brisbane flew into enemy territory on Wednesday for the Dally M Awards and surprisingly called a closed training session on Thursday amid fears over the health of Farnworth, Walsh and Haas.

Walsh stepped off the team bus at Leichhardt Oval with a guard around his left thigh, while Farnworth appeared to be limping when he stepped on stage at the Dally M Awards to receive his centre-of-the-year gong.

But any concerns over the backline strike weapons and Haas, who wore a red “no contact” bib at training in Brisbane on Tuesday, were allayed as the star triumvirate powered through the Broncos’ second session of grand-final week.

This masthead can reveal Farnworth completed virtually the entire closed session without a problem. There was no sight of the strapping the British Test centre applied to his left quad and hamstring after sending a scare through the Broncos camp two days ago.

The opposed session last about an hour with Farnworth running strongly throughout and taking the ball to the line with confidence before being called to the sidelines to watch the final minutes of training.

Reece Walsh at training on Thursday. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Walsh completed the entire session with the compression guard around his upper left leg, but it didn’t appear to impeded his movement as he chimed in on back-man plays and ran with pace when required.

The sight of Walsh and Farnworth stretching out in a massive fillip for the Broncos as they attempt to derail Penrith’s ‘Three-Peat’ push and, in turn, snap Brisbane’s 17-year premiership drought.

The Broncos cannot afford to have two of their best attacking weapons at less than full fitness and it would be a disaster if Walsh or Farnworth broke down in the opening minutes of the grand final at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Walters had foreshadowed putting Walsh and Farnworth on light duties for Thursday’s session, so the sight of the pair training with intensity is the most definitive sign yet they are primed to topple the Panthers.

Reece Walsh arrived at training with a guard on his leg. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Reece Walsh completed a full session despite training with a guard on his leg. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“Herbie and Reece are fine, they will play,” Walters said in the lead-up to the Leichhardt Oval hitout.

“We’re three days post-game from the prelim final (against the Warriors) and generally all the guys are a bit sore, particularly at this time of year.

“There is always that thought in the back of your mind (they might not play).

“But ‘Herb’ is smart about his body, so we did the right thing and took every precaution.

“Herb will obviously get some treatment on it, but he and Reece will be right for Sunday that’s the main thing.

“We will set sail for grand final day without a drama.”

In another positive sign for the Broncos, Haas discarded the red bib which can ring injury alarm bells.

The newly-minuted Dally M prop of the year was back in the fray, running with his usual venom into the defensive line after being placed on ‘no contact’ training on Tuesday.

Haas ran into the teeth of the defence several times and finished the session with complaint ahead of his front-row showdown with Penrith enforcer James Fisher-Harris.

Walters concedes both the Broncos and Panthers will have some battered troops after a gruelling 27-round season that has tested the roster depth of all 17 clubs.

“Everyone at this stage of the year is a bit banged up,” he said.

“It’s been a long season, but I’m sure Penrith are in the same boat.

“You can’t do too much more this week, what we have in the tank is there and locked away.

“The great thing about our side, and it’s the same with a lot of other teams, we’re a fit side.

“We don’t have to do a whole lot this week, we will game plan for the Panthers and finetune the best we can, but it’s all about Sunday night and getting it all on together when it matters.”

Originally published as NRL grand final: Reece Walsh, Herbie Farnworth, Payne Haas train despite injury concerns