The NRL market has been in full swing for 2023 with several stars switching clubs ahead of the new season.
NRL.com takes a deeper look at some of the major transfers and how each club will benefit from their big name arrivals in 2023.
Reece Walsh (Broncos)
- Age: 20
- Position they’ll fill: Fullback
- Contracted until: 2025
What Walsh can bring
Young gun Reece Walsh has returned ‘home’ to the Broncos after spending the past two seasons with the Warriors.
Earmarked before he left the club as a player of the future, his departure was seen initially as a shock, but for the half Indigenous, half Māori Walsh, the opportunity to play with the New Zealand club has fast-tracked his development, with the Nerang Roosters junior – who is still only 20 – playing 38 NRL games over the past two years.
Spending his first season developing his skills under Dally M Medal-winning fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck before he switched codes, Walsh showed plenty of skill and was initially selected to be part of the 2021 Queensland Maroons team for State of Origin Game II, before a hamstring injury put paid to a stunning debut.
Despite his youth, Walsh shouldered plenty of responsibility at the Warriors and was a key point of their attack, scoring nine tries and producing 11 try assists in 2021 and 12 try assists this past season, the same number as much-heralded stars Joey Manu, James Tedesco and Api Koroisau.
Walters on Walsh, pre-season and building on the good from 2022
Why it’ll work
While coach Kevin Walters has said the Broncos have more depth to their squad this year, with England’s World Cup star Herbie Farnworth and Queensland Maroons outside back Selwyn Cobbo also pushing his claims for the custodian role.
Walsh’s proven game experience and the fact he has handled the rigours of week-to-week NRL relatively well have him in the box seat to start in the spine for Round 1.
While there will no doubt be more pressure on him to perform given the expectant fan base at Brisbane and the increased scrutiny of being at a club like the Broncos, Walsh appears to have ‘grown up’ during his time away with the Warriors and is well-placed to handle anything that comes his way, becoming a father himself and also navigating some off-field issues with maturity, taking responsibility for his actions and recognising that actions have consequences.
On the field, he has always shown plenty of attacking spark and provided sparkling moments for the highlights reels, but in a good sign for the Broncos, he has now tasked himself to be more involved for the full 80 minutes.
“Something I’m really going to try and get better at this year is pushing around my forwards and being more involved instead of having one moment in a game and then not really doing much,” Walsh said.
With Te Maire Martin, who filled in at fullback along with Niu and Dolphins recruit Jamayne Isaako this past season, moving to the Warriors, the Broncos have a ready-made replacement in Walsh.
