Reece Walsh urged to ‘make a decision’ as Broncos face $5 million issue after Adam Reynolds blow

Former Broncos player Denan Kemp has called for Reece Walsh to figure out how he wants to improve as a star with the fullback’s erratic form taking its toll on the team. Walsh is arguably the poster boy of the Brisbane Broncos with the fullback a must-watch show when at his best in the No.1 jersey.

Walsh was a standout in last week’s thrashing of the Rabbitohs, despite still coming up with a number of frantic errors as he plays the game at breakneck speed. But Walsh showed the other side of his game as he tried his best to lift the Broncos out of a hole against the Melbourne Storm when they lost both Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam to hamstring injuries.

Walsh’s efforts on the field didn’t come to fruition with the Broncos going try-less in the 22-2 defeat at AAMI Park. Walsh came up with three handling errors and gave away a penalty, despite trying everything to inspire his side against a relentless Storm team orchestrated by Harry Grant.

There was one moment when Walsh passed the ball forward when trying to find his winger on a break to score a try. Although his effort seemed audacious and he could have taken his time. Walsh has thrown a number of questionable passes in recent weeks, which has frustrated supporters as he plays the game at such speed.

While he is only 23 years old, many Broncos teammates will be looking for Walsh to lead the team without first-choice playmakers Reynolds and Mam in the coming weeks. The Broncos now face a real tough task of remaining in the top eight. Although Kemp feels going forward Walsh needs to make a decision on the type of player he wants to become.

Kemp and Broncos supporters are calling for Walsh to have a more calming presence on the side with the fullback often looking to play one-step ahead of his teammates. And with the Broncos spending $5 million to keep Walsh in the No.1 jersey for the long haul, Kemp suggests he needs to become the player the coach can build a squad around with more consistent performances.

“I will say, Walshy he’s got to make a decision. He has to make a decision as a player, what he wants to be. If he was on $600,000, that’s fine, he can be up and down and have your big moments. But you can’t build a club around a guy that is so up and down. And it’s not just on the field. I think even off the field, mentally, he needs to find a way to calm his mind,” he said on SEN Radio.

“He needs to take a step back and get level. Otherwise you are not going to be able to build a club around him and he is just going to get more and more frustrated and it’s going to get worse and worse.”

This isn’t the first time Walsh’s rollercoaster form has frustrated Broncos supporters. Earlier this season, Walsh struggled to link with new recruit Ben Hunt in the halves. Walsh injured his knee ahead of the State of Origin schedule and took some time off with Maguire experimenting with a number of fullbacks in his absence.

Walsh returned and looked to have rekindled his form having linked up with Mam. The Broncos surged up the ladder off the back of his X-factor. Although Walsh has once again let errors slip into his game with Kemp feeling the fullback still needs to show consistency and prove the $5 million deal price tag. One thing that can’t be doubted, Walsh gives it his all in every NRL game, which is why Broncos fans are willing the star to keep going.

Michael Maguire facing halves dilemma at Broncos

Speaking after the game, Maguire admitted he hadn’t thought about how his team will line-up after the injuries, but Hunt will most likely move into the halves in Reynolds’ absence. And Kemp claimed Maguire will be hesitant to throw highly-touted youngster Coby Black into the starting XIII this early and suggests Jock Madden will jump in.

“They’ll probably bring in Madden, Ben Hunt will probably go into 7,” Kemp said. “I think it might be a bit too soon, I reckon,” Kemp added about Black. “Maybe off the bench, just to see how he goes. But if you got a guy like Hunt…just chuck Ben Hunt in there.”