Maroons fullback Reece Walsh has vowed not to take a backwards step in his first game back from the concussion which ended his night in Origin I after just eight minutes.
Having sat out Round 14 and 15 for the Broncos as he worked through the NRL’s concussion protocol, next Wednesday’s interstate showdown at the Melbourne Cricket Ground will be Walsh’s first taste of footy since the incident that saw Blues debutant Joseph Sua'ali'i sent off and banned for four games.
When asked if it will change his game at all, Walsh said if there was any doubt in his mind about his ability to return to the field and be himself then he wouldn’t have put his hand up for selection.
“If I had any doubts or I was scared, I wouldn’t pull on the Queensland jersey,” Walsh from Queensland camp in Toowoomba on Tuesday.
“I know how much it means to the people of Queensland and the past players, and they need a team out there that’s willing to put their body on the line and do whatever for their state.
“If I was scared or shy in any way, I think I’d pull myself out.”
The 21-year-old said he’d spoken to Sua'ali'i since that night and declared there was no lingering bad blood, with his main concern being that young daughter Leila – who was sitting in the stands at Accor Stadium when he lay injured on the ground – will remember the incident.
“She was a bit upset there when she saw me on the floor… hopefully she doesn’t remember it when she gets older,” Walsh said.
“He [Sua'ali'i] sent me a nice message and I sent him a nice one back as well.
“You want to go out there and represent your state with pride and do whatever you can for your team and things happen.
“I wouldn’t say it was too hard [for me to deal with], that’s footy at the end of the day, stuff happens and you have just got to adapt.
“I am just glad the boys went out there and worked their backsides off and got a good result.”
Walsh joked that he had to twist coach Billy Slater's arm to keep him in the team for Game Two, after Dolphins flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow played a starring role in his place as Queensland ran out 38-10 winners in the series opener.
After watching on from the stands as 'Hammer' equaled the State of Origin record for most tries in a game with a hat-trick, in addition to running for 224 metres, Walsh said he is excited to see what they can do together on the field as the Maroons look to wrap up a third-straight series win.
“He is phenomenal, even just his game on the weekend, what he brings to a footy team; you can’t coach speed and it’s hard to go up against speed,” Walsh said of ‘Hammer’.
"There was a bit of persuading there for Bill to give my job back because Hammer killed it. I’m just glad he’s in my team. I can use his skills and back him up and I know he’s going to do the same to me.”
NRL.com
