Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns reckon it’s “nearly impossible”. Billy Slater starts by stressing “I didn’t have to defend him”.
And though Penrith’s defence may be one of the stingiest ever seen in rugby league, keeping a lid on Reece Walsh’s pure pace might be their toughest assignment yet.
Walsh credits Slater’s influence as Queensland Origin coach as a key factor in his stunning 2023 campaign – one that would have him pressing for a Dally M medal if not for suspension, and Brisbane preparing a million-dollar extension to be tabled after Sunday’s grand final in any case.
Slater, and possibly Ben Barba in his prime, are the closest recent comparisons to Walsh’s acceleration and swerve at fullback, which has exposed numerous edge defenders who simply don’t have the speed to keep up with him.
If Adam Reynolds is playing deep into the line before finding his No.1, or Brisbane’s Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan are providing quick play-the-balls or second phase play, “no one can get a hand on [Walsh]” according to Johns.
Fittler confirmed as much on The Sunday Footy Show, pointing to a Selwyn Cobbo try in Origin I when Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o “jammed in perfectly … but [Walsh] still got the ball and hit the winger.”
Walsh’s sweeping runs are straight out of Slater’s own playbook. The Storm champion in turn points to the ‘Double D’ defensive method – where a defender will try to cover a lead runner as well as an intended receiver – to try and counter Walsh’s turn of foot.
“Looking at Penrith, Nathan Cleary, I think he can double defend [Walsh] if he gets the support from his inside,” Slater said.
“It’s got to happen early. If they can get pressure on the ball-players before the ball gets to Reece, then everyone (in the defensive line) can slide off.
“If you’re getting energy from your inside [defence] and they’re putting pressure on the ball-player, you’re going to have that time to slide out and move with your defensive line.
“If that ball-player is going deep into the defensive line, then you’ve got to make a play. But you’ve still got to shut the ball down.”
Easily said. But as 25 try assists, 37 line break assists, and 117 tackle busts – all from just 21 games – attest, not so easily done.
Especially when Walsh is showing hints of one of Slater’s other great footballing traits – a memory like a goldfish, in the best possible way.
Slater’s ability to move on from a mistake almost instantly during his storied career was legendary. Walsh did the same against the Warriors in Saturday’s grand final qualifier, throwing an early intercept that was picked off for a runaway try by Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
A few minutes later Walsh came down the same edge, Walsh learning from the play to dummy and hit Herbie Farnworth with a short ball to answer in kind.
“He showed his footy IQ,” Slater said. “He didn’t shy away from what happened. He would’ve been disappointed with himself when he threw the intercept, that is the play there. You look at Dallin going up past the football looking for that intercept again.
“Then he went back there and fired the ball again. So he’s not afraid to make a mistake Reece. He’s a bit like Cameron Munster.
“They’ll be disappointed with what they have done and the error they’ve made, but he’s so brave that he’ll go for the play again.”
Sydney Morning Herald
