Brisbane Broncos star Reece Walsh has copped widespread criticism for his involvement in his side’s 26-24 loss to the Penrith Panthers in the 2023 NRL Grand Final.
Walsh’s impact on the game flowed as the Broncos battled through a rough first half before going through a purple patch of form to start the second half.
The fullback looked to have suffered a lower leg injury at the start of the game which likely played a part in his defensive capabilities on the night.
SEN’s Matty Johns noted Walsh’s performances at Origin have proven he can star in the big games but admitted he struggled to find a way into Sunday's contest.
“He was very good in State of Origin, let’s not take that away from him,” Johns said on SEN 1170 The Round Up.
“For whatever reason last night, he just couldn’t find his niche in the game, a lot of that can be put down to Penrith and how they defended him.
“It was only one performance, yes, it was a big game, but he's proven himself at Origin level which still is the biggest test.”
“He found it very hard to get into the game… which meant he couldn’t find a rhythm, so when he did get an opportunity, he sort of overplayed his hand and tried to force it.
Johns was full of praise for his counterpart Dylan Edwards but noted Walsh’s age and lack of experience may have played a part in his performance.
“Dylan Edwards, everything he does is so sounds, there’s not a lot of flash about him but he just gets it done,” Johns added.
“On Reece, it’s going to be a tricky off-season coming up, a lot of us have spoken about this because we’ve seen it before, with young Reece, the level of fame, his natural personality, it’s going to be tricky.
“The example was through the week, where some kid gives his mate the camera, stands in the foreground and says, ‘Moses Leota’s going to take your head off’, and he turns around and has a go at the kid.
“This is just a little bit of a snapshot of what is going to happen in Reece’s life, where people will do something and they’re after a reaction.
“There’s going to be aspects of Reece’s life that’s going to be a little bit tricky.”