NEWS Reece Walsh sells his soul to Warriors. No big deal.

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Yes, fullback next year. Presumably preceded by game time this year. I was expecting to see him within the next month, tbh. Anyone who watched the trial knows he's up to it. I feel way worse about losing this kid than Fifita, Staggs or Dearden.

All broken up over a kid playing out of his skin in 40mn of a trial.
Meh

 

[TariqT]

He got thrown big bucks and he chose the $$. Money talks, but lots of rash decisions that led to being unhappy have been made in the name of money. It's a balance.
I was surprised at how small Reece Walsh was when I saw him. Reminds me of a young James O'Conner in his build. Playing him at fullback in first grade NRL next year could hinder his development. Will be interesting to see how his body holds up.
When Fifita signed with Titans I never wanted to play him again. I'd have Walsh cleaning the toilets for the rest of the year on his development deal. I really would.

 

[nopatience101]

Yes, fullback next year. Presumably preceded by game time this year. I was expecting to see him within the next month, tbh. Anyone who watched the trial knows he's up to it. I feel way worse about losing this kid than Fifita, Staggs or Dearden.

I don’t think you can declare he’s up to it after a single trial game, NRL coaches could figure him out pretty quick if he’s got any flaws to his game. Like I said earlier, there’s not a lot of him. It will be interesting to see how he progresses, we may still see him run out for us this year, I wouldn’t be releasing him when we are a bit skinny in the backs.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Tough loss for sure, until he's played a couple seasons in first grade we won't know if we should have matched their offer or not. Unfortunately we don't have a crystal ball too know the answer so its hard to be critical for letting him walk.

I was at a function a couple of weeks ago with Shane Webcke as the guest speaker. It was in a rural area with a very strong Bronco's fanbase so the majority of questions where geared towards the broncos current situation.

He made very clear that him and the majority of other old boys who have now been welcomed back to the club are of a smilair opinon that a huge issue is the trend of paying guys on potential and not proven abiliy. That and giving these guys a debut without earning it. He also mentioned that Kevvie and the club have been told this numerous times over since he took over the club.

He made an example of guys like Darren lockyer were playing A grade for Roma cities in the bush as a 17 year old earning stuff all while these kids these days are sigining 300,000 dollar contracts having not faced a grown man.

If Brisbane let Dearden walk now after letting Walsh walk it will be very evident that they're taking the old school approach and making guys earn their contract and if none of them do then we hit the market and pay for guys that are proven and are the current big thing rather then trying to pick the next big thing.

It's great to hear that the old boys are back making a pact to make the joint great again.

 

[McHunt]

All broken up over a kid playing out of his skin in 40mn of a trial.
Meh

I don’t think you can declare he’s up to it after a single trial game, NRL coaches could figure him out pretty quick if he’s got any flaws to his game. Like I said earlier, there’s not a lot of him. It will be interesting to see how he progresses, we may still see him run out for us this year, I wouldn’t be releasing him when we are a bit skinny in the backs.

His performances at schoolboy/trial/jr level were enough to convince Gus Gould, who's seen the odd game in his time.

 

[Fernando]

Pretty sure he's going to be a star. He has all the attacking weapons you can ask for, but he is also a tough nut with some aggression in his game. He doesn't just do the flashy stuff so doesn't seem like the type of player to dominate lower grades and go missing at higher levels to me.

Hard to take when we have absolutely bog average guys like Tom Flegler contributing next to nothing on 600k, who himself never played QCUP, and with the jury still out if he'll ever make it in his 3rd season. And at the same time we have probably the worst fullback in the comp in Isaako lmao.

 

[theshed]

Pretty sure he's going to be a star. He has all the attacking weapons you can ask for, but he is also a tough nut with some aggression in his game. He doesn't just do the flashy stuff so doesn't seem like the type of player to dominate lower grades and go missing at higher levels to me.

Hard to take when we have absolutely bog average guys like Tom Flegler contributing next to nothing on 600k, who himself never played QCUP, and with the jury still out if he'll ever make it in his 3rd season. And at the same time we have probably the worst fullback in the comp in Isaako lmao.

Yeah he was brave and solid when he defended in the line during his stint off the bench for QLD.

 

[nopatience101]

His performances at schoolboy/trial/jr level were enough to convince Gus Gould, who's seen the odd game in his time.

All it shows is he is a star at that level, for every one that goes on and replicates that form in the nrl there’s one that doesn’t. The Warriors are paying him as a ready made NRL player, which he isn’t. The jury is still out on whether he will be.

 

[Alec]

It's going to keep happening until the Broncos become a club players want to play for again IMO. For that to happen, the Broncos need to become successful again...and for THAT to happen, you probably need to do less developing and hoping the players end up good and go for some big signings instead. Not that you shouldn't develop at all, just need to balance it better.

 

[McHunt]

It's going to keep happening until the Broncos become a club players want to play for again IMO. For that to happen, the Broncos need to become successful again...and for THAT to happen, you probably need to do less developing and hoping the players end up good and go for some big signings instead. Not that you shouldn't develop at all, just need to balance it better.

Exactly. Kids coming through now don't think of the Broncos as the club of Lewis, Langer, Walters, Tallis, Lockyer or Hodges. To them the club is Boyd, Milford, Lodge and maybe whoever's been captain the last couple of years. How we see the Broncos is not how they see the Broncos. To them the Broncos are perennial losers torn by strife. A club that sacks coaches and doesn't play with any discernible flair.

Never mind when these kids were born, their rugby league is mostly shaped by events of the last three or four years. I doubt many of them would have even watched videos of Langer and Walters, if they even know who they are.

 

[FaceOfMutiny]

I am in the camp of being happy they didn't pay 500k for someone who hasn't played any NRL but at the same time it sucks that we keep losing our juniors but we can't match that money for someone at that level. If the Broncos stop developing him he will remember that when it comes to signing his next contract if he does become a star so it's better to not burn the bridge.

 

[big k]

Can't blame the Broncos here or the kid. No fucking way should we have matched that offer and if you were 19 in an industry that spits most out in under 10 years that was offered 600k, don't fucking lie and say you wouldn't take it guaranteed for 3 years.

 

[nopatience101]

Gus doing wonders to improve the Warriors development pathways...

 

[Broncapz]

Everyone here did the right thing except for the Warriors.

Broncos/Kevie did the right thing by not paying 1.8M for an unproven player.
Walsh did the right thing by taking such an outlandishly good offer.

By the time Walsh's contract expires :

A) he'll have the good experience of working under Kevie, not the sour Siebs broncos
b) well know if he's a dud or not
c) Broncos will be back to regular finals footy.

 

[1910]

His performances at schoolboy/trial/jr level were enough to convince Gus Gould, who's seen the odd game in his time.

It'd be O'Sullivan not Gus.

 

[McHunt]

It'd be O'Sullivan not Gus.

Well Gould is taking credit and bragging about it.

 

[1910]

Pretty sure he's going to be a star. He has all the attacking weapons you can ask for, but he is also a tough nut with some aggression in his game. He doesn't just do the flashy stuff so doesn't seem like the type of player to dominate lower grades and go missing at higher levels to me.

Hard to take when we have absolutely bog average guys like Tom Flegler contributing next to nothing on 600k, who himself never played QCUP, and with the jury still out if he'll ever make it in his 3rd season. And at the same time we have probably the worst fullback in the comp in Isaako lmao.

Flegler played ISC for Souths in 2018.

 

[Foordy]

Well Gould is taking credit and bragging about it.

because Gould isn't much better in that regard than Vlandy's ... knows a **** load more about rugby league than PVL though