The moment Reece Walsh thought that his season was over

Call it psychological scar tissue, but Reece Walsh had reason to fear the worst when his knee ‘popped’ during a recent training session. The star Bronco reveals what went wrong - and how it played on his mind.

Superstar Broncos fullback Reece Walsh has vowed to rediscover his attacking identity after revealing his secret training mishap - fearing he needed a season-ending knee reconstruction.

Brisbane are banking on Walsh to ignite a mid-season surge to the top four in Sunday’s clash against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium.

But just three weeks ago, the Broncos ace was in a state of distress.

Walsh was returning from a posterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered against the Warriors in round 7. It was a Monday, his first proper field session to road test his injured knee.

The Broncos were playing Manly in six days’ time. Walsh, the ultimate competitor, was lobbying medicos to let him play.

Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds worked a regulation backline move. Walsh chimed in at speed on a backman play.

Pop.

Walsh crashed to the turf. His heart sank.

In that moment, screaming in agony, Walsh thought his 2025 season was over, the second consecutive year Brisbane’s most lethal attacking player had been cruelled by injury.

“To be honest, I thought I had done my ACL,” Walsh said as he prepares for Sunday’s crucial round 16 showdown with the Sharks.

“I was trying to push myself as hard as I could to get back (to play against Manly).

“The physios were like, ‘Are you sure you will be right?’

“But I kept telling them, ‘I’m good, I’m good’.

Reece Walsh tweaked his troublesome knee injury again in the round 14 match against the Titans.

“It was my first skills session and I was worried how I would pull up.

“In the first set, I came out the back of shape (a backline move).

“I went to run and I just jarred my knee up.

“I heard a pop.

“I was on the ground screaming.

“The boys thought I was carrying on, but it was so sore.

“I was trying to pass the ball. Kotoni (Staggs) tried to slap the ball down and as I passed, all the weight came straight down onto my right knee.

“I felt a pop and I was in agony straight away.”

Broncos medicos did some preliminary testing. They prodded and shifted Walsh’s knee. His anterior cruciate ligament felt stable. But the Queensland Origin star was taking no chances. The Manly comeback was now on ice.

“They (physios) asked me if I wanted to wait (to get a scan) but I said, ‘No, scan it now’,” said Walsh.

“I didn’t want to wait, I hate that sort of stuff.

“I walked off and had a scan straight away.

Walsh originally injured his knee during the round seven NRL match against the New Zealand Warriors. Picture: Getty Images

“I wanted to know straight away, ‘What is going on?’”

Call it psychological scar tissue, but Walsh had reason to fear the worst.

His 2024 campaign was an injury-ravaged disaster. There was the round-three facial fracture he suffered after a heavy collision with Penrith rival Taylan May.

Then came the sickening concussion he suffered in Origin I after being hit high by NSW debutant Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who was sent off.

To compound his plight, Walsh copped a third setback, undergoing wrist surgery which prematurely ended his year as Brisbane crashed out of finals contention with a 12th-placed collapse.

“When something like that happens, you think, ‘F**k, not again, how long will this be?’” said Walsh, who launched his ‘Reece TV’ YouTube channel last month.

“At the start I was pretty rattled.

“I didn’t talk to too many people.”

As Walsh drove home from Broncos training fearing he had played his last game of 2025, the name of Brisbane’s physio flashed up on his phone.

The MRI indeed showed some damage ... but the ACL was intact.

“I got a call from the physio and he said there is damage, but it’s the PCL, it’s just a little bit loose,” Walsh said.

“Hearing that made me so happy.

“That fear of maybe being out for longer with an injury like that (a knee-reconstruction).

“I was a bit disappointed I had re-aggravated it, but I was glad it wasn’t as serious as I thought it was going to be.”

Sidelined for the Manly clash, Walsh told physios his return against the Titans a week later was non-negotiable. There was an ancillary motivation to his own desire to get back and rescue Brisbane’s teetering season.

“I did know that ‘Reyno’s’ 300th was going to be the Titans game,” he said.

“I said to our physio, ‘I’m not (sitting out) any longer’.

“I made sure I did everything right to be back the next week.”

‘Reece Lightning’ came back with a bang. He had a hand in Brisbane’s opening try and scored two himself late in the game to not only seal a 44-14 drubbing of the Titans, but reinforce why he is the Broncos’ pre-eminent fullback.

It was also a demonstration of Walsh’s renewed mindset ahead of the Sharks clash.

For some time, the 22-year-old feared he wasn’t playing with his usual purity. Call it being a touch gun shy, but Walsh felt himself holding back. He made a conscious decision.

It’s time to break the shackles and play the Walsh way.

“Being out, I enjoyed sitting back and reflecting on my performances and the areas I can get better,” he said.

“I sort of felt like at the start of the season I was playing within myself. I wouldn’t say I lost my identity, but I don’t want to sit back and get myself out of the game.

“I need to be involved more. I need to get my hands on the ball a bit more and play some footy and take a bit more risk.

“I feel I’m at my best when I’m just playing, not thinking.”

Reece Walsh training hard at Red Hill on Tuesday 17th June 2025. Picture: Steve Pohlner

With his good looks and marketing power, it’s easy to view Walsh as a Flash Harry, but his preparation oozes professionalism.

He’s had a sauna installed at his home which he uses nightly. During his recent injury rehab, he had ice baths daily to help speed recovery.

“I have compression boots, they get smashed religiously,” he says.

“I do movement in the pool.

“I do as much as I can away from the club.”

Adds Broncos coach Michael Maguire: “Reece is a footy head. He will watch video all day to get better. I know how hard he is working to improve this football team.”

Reynolds’ triple century aside, there was another, more gratifying, reason for Walsh to run out against the Titans.

Reece Walsh’s try celebration carried a hidden message. Picture: Getty Images

When he scored the 73rd minute try to seal victory, Walsh rose to his feet and made a rocking motion as if cradling a baby. No, he’s not having another kid.

It was a message to gravely-ill children watching his comeback game and a promise he made.

“I got to visit the Children's Hospital with my daughter (before the Titans game),” Walsh said.

“Some of the kids wanted to do nail painting and I made a pact to them the next game I went out and played would be for them.

“Reyno was the 55th player to play 300 games and I was glad we got the win for him, but deep down inside I knew there were kids watching in hospital who aren’t doing too well.

“That’s why I carried on in that moment.

“There are brave kids going through tough times and they would have been watching me.

“It’s good to be in a position where I can make kids and people smile through doing what I love to do.”