The Tackle, grand final edition: Reece Walsh taught a lesson by Penrith’s Dylan Edwards

Reese Walsh arrived at Accor Stadium looking like a rock star but it was Penrith’s blue-collar worker Dylan Edwards who got the job done, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.

Adam Gee (left) had a great game in the grand final.

The Bunker deserves a rap for not backing down in the big moment in respect to the try to Tom Flegler just before the break that got the Broncos back into the NRL grand final.

Referee Adam Gee had an outstanding game.

And he made the courageous on field call to send it up to the Bunker as a try when there were question marks over whether the big prop had made it to the line or grounded the ball short.

But the Bunker has played by the rule all season that it has to find sufficient evidence to overturn an on field decision.

If this had been sent up as a not try I have no doubt it would not have been awarded.

Adam Gee (left) had a great game in the grand final.

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ROCK STAR WALSH UPSTAGED BY NO-NONSENSE EDWARDS

Reece Walsh had some second half moments that showed what an incredible talent he is.

But the young man who arrived at Accor Stadium wearing the rock star sunglasses that caught everyone’s attention was certainly upstaged on the night by the Panthers’ no-nonsense Dylan Edwards.

As Phil Gould said when Channel 9 showed vision of Walsh entering the stadium looking every bit the man of the moment: “Hopefully they feel that way in three or four hours’ time because it is going to slap them in the face if they underestimate what is about to happen out here.”

Reece Walsh devastated at full time. Picture: Adam Head

Of course, we all know the ending now.

While Walsh finished with 8 runs for 102m, Edwards’ non-stop performance got lost in the Nathan Cleary masterclass.

But it certainly should be highlighted that Edwards finished with 25 runs for 275m that just again proved what an absolute workaholic this fella is.

How Edwards is not leading the conversation for Australian fullback is a mystery.

Edwards might not have the brilliance of Walsh, but he certainly never ever gets beaten for effort.

Walsh will regret that split-second delay when Cleary took off for the matchwinning try and Walsh hesitated just briefly enough at marker for his speed not to save him.

You certainly won’t hang him out to dry over it because this was one of the great grand finals where it took a championship moment from a champion player to deliver what will go down in history.

But the young star who delivered so many of his own magical moments this year will learn lessons from that.

Reece Walsh's rock star arrival at NRL grand final.

Reece Walsh at the NRL grand final.

BRONCOS’ HEARTBREAK CRUELLER THAN 2015

Talk about unwanted history.

Brisbane has now been beaten in the two greatest grand finals this century.

Now that’s a record no team would ever want to own.

But it just shows how bloody cruel this game can be.

This time they went down swinging to the greatest team of the modern era.

How Nathan Cleary orchestrated that phenomenal comeback to claim a 26-24 victory after they had trailed 24-8 with only 24 minutes remaining will go down in the ages.

Johnathan Thurston said after the game he could not remember a greater second half performance in a grand final from a No 7.

But for the Broncos it was the ultimate heartbreak coming on the back of their last grand final appearance in 2015.

We will never forget how they were beaten 17-16 by a Thurston field goal.

At the time you’d have thought it couldn’t ever be that bad again.

But this was arguably even crueller given how the Broncos looked to be on their way to a massive upset when Ezra Mam crossed for his third try midway through the second half.

The way Cleary almost single-handedly lifted his team was the equal if not greater than Andrew Johns’ game two Origin performance for NSW in 2005.

It is almost impossible to believe this bloke is still only 25.

But what absolute heartbreak for the Broncos.

Adam Reynolds consoles Ezra Mam at full time. Picture: Adam Head

Reece Walsh and his daughter after full time. Picture: Adam Head

WHERE WAS THE TOUCHIE?

It was a minor point in the end and certainly not worth blowing up about now.

But the questions still needs to be asked: Where was the touchie when Selwyn Cobbo did not get a penalty in the 24th minute?

It defies belief.

With the Broncos struggling for possession and field position, Cobbo was blatantly taken out chasing through on an Adam Reynolds kick by Sunia Turuva.

It would have given the Broncos great field position at a time they really needed it.

Ultimately there were only two penalties blown in the first half.

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REYNO CAN HOLD HIS HEAD HIGH

Adam Reynolds has nothing in the world to be ashamed about.

As for the debate he had to lead the Broncos to a grand final glory to prove the Rabbitohs made the wrong call letting him go … no way.

Just getting a team that was a basket-case before he arrived to get so close to victory against a side like the Panthers still proves Souths got it so horribly wrong.

And the Broncos will come back a better team from this.

With Reynolds, leading the way again next year, they will only go forward.

And that will be in the season beyond what Reynolds initially wanted from the Rabbitohs.

Throw in the courage he showed to fight back like he did after falling awkwardly in a tackle from Scott Sorensen in the 25th minute.

PANTHERS’ BRUTAL OPENING BASH UP

The brutal opening onslaught from the Panthers was also one of the great grand final starts.

It was so fearsome and ferocious it had the Broncos playing nervous, and the errors flowed on the back of that.

Moses Leota steamrolled Pat Carrigan. James Fisher-Harris hammered Tom Flegler. Liam Martin smashed Herbie Farnworth.

It was unbelievable intent.

Leading up to Mitch Kenny’s opening try in the 17th minute just looking at the statistical breakdown told the story.

At that point the Panthers had a 62-38 per cent split of possession, they had completed 10 of 10 sets to the Broncos 4 of 10. The Broncos had made six errors to nil, and been forced to make 27 tackles to 2 inside their own half.

Even at the break the Panthers still had a 57-43 per cent split of possession with the Broncos making 177 tackles to the Panthers’ 143.

How the Broncos stayed in the game was the result of a phenomenal defensive resilience.

Originally published as The Tackle, grand final edition: Reece Walsh taught a lesson by Penrith’s Dylan Edwards