Reece Walsh Faces Criticism After Controversial Moment
Reece Walsh has come under scrutiny for a concerning moment during a match against the Dragons, which could negatively impact his chances of being selected for the Origin series. The situation arose when Queensland coach Billy Slater was criticized for not having a fullback on his bench during the second half of Origin 1. This decision became apparent when Kalyn Ponga was sent off, leaving the team vulnerable.
Slater made a tactical shift by moving second-rower Kurt Capewell to the centres and having Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow take over as fullback. Unfortunately, this move exposed Capewell’s lack of speed, especially with a man disadvantage. The Blues capitalized on this weakness, and James Tedesco out-jumped Tabuai-Fidow for the match-winning try, leading to a dramatic comeback by the NSW team.
This incident highlighted the absence of a player like Walsh on the bench, which raised questions after the match. Walsh had an opportunity to prove his worth to Slater in the NRL, aiming to secure a spot back in the Queensland squad for Game 2. However, he struggled during the 65 minutes against the Dragons, failing to spark the Broncos’ attack effectively.
Walsh appeared rushed in his attempts to control the play, and veteran NRL reporter Dean Ritchie pointed out a “poor” moment from the fullback against the Dragons that likely didn’t impress Slater. During an aerial duel in the second half, Walsh hit the ground hard and failed to get up quickly enough after a collision with Dragons winger Setu Tu. Although the ball went backward and play continued, it resulted in Tu scoring in the corner.
In Walsh’s defense, he was dealing with heavy contact, but his inability to get back to his feet allowed the Dragons to score. The Dragons executed three passes to send the ball back across Walsh on the blind-side while he remained on the ground, leading to Tu’s try. Ritchie believes Walsh’s effort was lacking during the match.
“That was poor from Reece Walsh… just lying there on the ground is a poor look,” he said on NRL 360 on Monday night. “It only vindicates my assessment of Reece this year, he has been off from the start. If that was your teammate, would you be dirty?”
Walsh’s Chances for a Recall
Despite these challenges, Walsh still has a chance to earn a recall to the Queensland squad. Injuries to key players on the Queensland bench could work in his favor. Pat Carrigan and Gehamat Shibasaki were ruled out on Monday due to injuries sustained in the loss to the Dragons. Shibasaki, who was an unused interchange in Game 1, won’t be available for the Melbourne trip. Ezra Mam was also on the bench for Slater but wasn’t used, and he looked out of sorts against the Dragons, raising doubts about his selection for Game 2.
Slater might consider giving Walsh a chance on the bench, given the fullback’s X-factor. Walsh demonstrated his ability to turn things around in the final 10 minutes against the Dragons by setting up two tries with his electric speed. He can cover fullback and play in the halves, or potentially push Kalyn Ponga to five-eighth. With the current circumstances, Walsh’s performance could be crucial for his chances of making a strong case for inclusion in the Queensland squad.
