Reece Walsh is considered one of the most exciting prospects in the game, but Brisbane Broncos coach Kevin Walters isn’t calling for anything too flashy from his fullback when he makes his club debut tomorrow night.
While the stage is set for young gun Walsh – who has been named to return from a facial fracture to take on the North Queensland Cowboys in what is set to be another classic Queensland derby – Walters said he just wanted him to settle into his work.
“He's right to go, which is a big in for us, his first game in the Broncos jersey in the in the ‘real world’, so we're all very excited for him, and also the occasion, tomorrow night,” Walters said.
“Tomorrow night, we just want him to be Reece Walsh, which is the organising fullback; we want him to be strong with his running game and also with his organisation in defence, that’s a big one for us.
“Selwyn (Cobbo) did a terrific job last week organising our defence and Walshy, he loves to chat as well, so it would be good to see him back there and pushing the guys into the right positions defensively.
“With Reece coming back onto the field, we don’t want him to be the best player of the field, we just want him to be a good player for the Broncos.”
Speaking on Walsh, who returned to the club during the pre-season after two seasons spent with the Warriors where he made his NRL debut, Walters said it was good to have him back ‘home’ in Brisbane.
“Firstly, he's a junior from our club, so he's got an instant connection and secondly, his character, I like the way he goes about his stuff,” Walters said.
“Thirdly, he brings a lot to a footy team, which you which you need in that role.
“He's still only a kid, so his best football is going to roll out in the next five or six years, but where he's starting from right now is a good position for us and we need to make sure that we get around him and support him out on the field because that fullback role is one of the major ones in the game.
“We just need to help him there, we have got some great leaders out there with Payne (Haas), Patty (Carrigan), Reyno (Adam Reynolds), Capes (Kurt Capewell), Kotoni (Staggs) who can help him through the game.
“He's been waiting for this time for a long time and we're not expecting huge things from him; just to get through the game, play the footy that we know he is capable of and we will be happy.”
The addition to Walsh into the line-up that claimed a gritty upset win against Penrith Panthers in Round 1 last week is a bonus for the Broncos, who displayed during their undefeated Pre-Season Challenge games and in last week’s win that they are a team with a stronger mental mindset when it comes to defence.
For Walters, defence has been a major focus at training and all pre-season, and one the side will take into this upcoming game at Suncorp Stadium against the Cowboys.
The visitors have a number of strike weapons in their side including fullback Scott Drinkwater and former Broncos halfback Tom Dearden, as well as an enviable forward pack who will take the challenge to the home side.
“Every game is won through that middle part of the field and the last week was no different,” Walters said.
“This week, we'll be there again, so we're very confident with the group of players that we have to control that middle field, that they're good in their roles and they'll be good tomorrow night.
“Defensively, I just think the energy, the communication and the connection amongst the group was good last week and it was good in the trials as well.
“So we need now to maintain that and keep getting better through there because as the season goes on, every team's going to improve … and we want to be one of those teams.
“I'm really confident about tomorrow night.
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“Tomorrow night is about us showing everyone where we are defensively, more than anything else.
“It could be any opposition tomorrow night, we're looking focusing on our defence and making sure that it is in the best possible shape that it can be for this type of thing … there's going to be some errors and some mistakes, I get that, but generally, I want to see everyone showing again how proud we are about our defensive line.”