Reece Walsh ban prompts Broncos to enlist life and football mentors for wild young gun

The Broncos have labelled Reece Walsh’s conduct “unacceptable” and put a plan in place to help the Queensland star cope with his rise to NRL and Origin stardom.

Reece Walsh arrives back in Brisbane. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy has labelled Reece Walsh’s conduct “unacceptable” as the Broncos look to enlist life and football mentors to help the Queensland star cope with his rise to NRL and Origin stardom.

Donaghy’s stance came as Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin declared Walsh is not a problem child and says Maroons coach Billy Slater will play a key role in ensuring the Origin ace does not go off the rails.

Walsh has been rubbed out of Origin III on Wednesday week after being hit with a three-match suspension by the NRL judiciary for firing an expletive at referee Chris Butler in Brisbane’s loss to the Titans last Sunday.

Walsh is adamant he swore at teammate Pat Carrigan – not referee Butler – but the NRL judiciary’s verdict will also rule the fullback sensation out of Brisbane’s clash against the Dolphins on Saturday and their round 20 clash against the Bulldogs.

Some Broncos bosses have been concerned with Walsh’s running battles with referees this season. Discussions have been held to explore possible mentoring for Walsh and providing support networks to help the young fullback, who celebrates his 21st birthday on Monday week.

Donaghy said Walsh is gutted to miss Brisbane’s next two games, plus Origin III on July 12, and has vowed to get help for their rising star.

Reece Walsh arrives back in Brisbane after being found guilty in a marathon NRL judiciary hearing. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“What he did was unacceptable,” Donaghy told this masthead in the wake of Walsh’s guilty verdict at League Central.

“But it’s also how we get him to the point where Reece can have a long and successful career and thrive in a high-profile industry at a high-profile club.

“Speaking to him, he is really disappointed. He feels he has let the team and the club down as a result of (Tuesday night).

“Plenty of people inside the club have spoken to him about what’s happened.

“There’s no hiding his talent, but Reece is also young and he’s a work in progress.

“There’s a few things Reece and I will work through. There’s so many wonderful people around Reece that want to help him, but they would also point out that what he did last Sunday was unacceptable.

“Reece is a good person. But the reality is when players step over the white line they can change.

“Part of Reece’s learning moving forward is how to control his emotions on the field so he can make greater contributions to our performances.”

In the lead-up to the NRL judiciary hearing, former NSW and Test playmaker Braith Anasta said Walsh needed to “own” his behaviour and questioned if his ego was out of control as a by-product of his meteoric surge to State of Origin.

Before Origin I, Walsh spoke of his desire to be a “better person” after his cocaine offence during his time at the Warriors in October 2021.

Just last week, Walsh and NSW rival Jarome Luai were both sent off for headbutting each other.

Walsh’s conduct has had implications for the Maroons – they must find a new fullback for Origin III – and Ikin says the QRL will play their part in helping the young gun.

“If Billy feels he needs to address things with Reece, then he will address it,” said Ikin, Brisbane’s former football boss.

“I got to know Reece at the Brisbane Broncos.

“I can say he is a terrific young man, he is still very much in the early phase of his career and his personality type is one that is prone to the brilliant and the emotional and the dramatic, but that makes him who he is.

The Broncos have enlisted life and football mentors to help Reece Walsh. Picture: Getty

“Braith Anasta is right. Reece will show us moments where he has an inflated sense of self and there will be other times where it doesn’t go his way and he will emotionally react in the negative, but that’s just part of the journey.

“The majority of players, and I was in this boat too as a young player, we are all failing our way to success.

“We are testing the boundaries, the game is pulling us in a million different directions. Sometimes we get it right. Sometimes we get it wrong, but over time the more often you get it wrong, the more you realise you need to shift towards something else and that is just the phase Reece is in.

“Every championship team needs a sprinkling of guys who can do things that you can’t coach and invariably those guys are a little difficult to coach. That’s just how it works. The guys who have been blessed with natural ability are challenged in other ways.

“Reece is a really good young man. He gets lauded for being an enigmatic genius when he has the football in his hands and that personality follows you wherever you go. Over time, like all of us, he will go better at managing himself.”