NRL 2024: Leila Walsh is stealing the spotlight from her famous father Reece

She’s the Brisbane Broncos unofficial mascot and was the key to landing their marquee signing - meet Leila Walsh, the daughter of Broncos fullback Reece.

An Instagram post by Brisbane Broncos player Reece Walsh with his daughter Leila. Photo: Instagram.

Meet Leila Walsh, the daughter of Broncos fullback Reece Walsh.

She’s the adorable toddler with the infectious smile who landed the Broncos their marquee signing.

A regular fixture on the Suncorp Stadium sideline and in Brisbane’s dressing room, she has fast become the club’s unofficial team mascot.

You can catch her at almost every Broncos home game, wearing her own replica jersey with the No.1 and “Walsh” emblazoned on the back, cheering on her superstar Dad, standing next to him as he fronts the television cameras for post-match interviews, and running around the Suncorp Stadium playing surface, jumping into the arms of her dad’s teammates.

Reece Walsh and his daughter Leila with Ezra Mam. Source: Instagram.

She’s a favourite of “Uncle Pat”, Broncos co-captain Pat Carrigan, five-eighth Ezra Mam and back-rower Jordan Riki.

The three-year-old has grown up in the spotlight that follows her dad around wherever he goes.

Sunday’s southeast Queensland derby against the Titans at Suncorp Stadium holds special significance for the Walsh family, when the Broncos will wear special jerseys as part of the NRL’s Indigenous Round.

Broncos players Ezra Mam, Reece Walsh, Kotoni Staggs, Adam Reynolds and Selwyn Cobbo, along with former Broncos players Steven Renouf and Petero Civoniceva pose for a photo with a group of young Indigenous schoolchildren in the team’s Indigenous jersey. Picture: Getty Images

Walsh’s father is an Indigenous Australian and his mother is Māori, from Hastings in New Zealand

Born in Southport, Walsh grew up on the Gold Coast and played his junior football for Nerang Roosters.

It’s an area he still has strong family ties.

Walsh recently bought an eight-bedroom $1.88 million family estate on the Gold Coast for Leila to grow up in.

This week, he shared with his 472,000 Instagram followers, a post dedicated to Leila, simply captioned “besties”, and accompanied with love heart and world emojis.

But that’s not the only place his love for Leila is on display. Walsh has a series of tattoos inked onto his skin that “represent my young daughter”.

“I got her name on my arm, I got a clock for the time she was born and the tattoo on my leg is one of a lion and a lion cub,” Walsh said.

Reece Walsh of the Broncos celebrates a win with his daughter Leila. Picture: Getty Images

“That represents me looking after my daughter.

“I love being a dad.”

Broncos fans have Leila to thank for Walsh, 21, returning to the Broncos last season, after two years in New Zealand with the Warriors, and re-establishing the club as an NRL powerhouse.

“My daughter wasn’t going to make the trip to New Zealand and I just couldn’t handle the thought of being away from her, being in another country,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be back at the Broncos right now if it wasn’t for her.”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Leila Walsh is stealing the spotlight from her famous father Reece