Reece Walsh has produced a statement performance to seal a top four finish for his Broncos with a 30-14 win over the Melbourne Storm, who lost halfback Jahrome Hughes to a fresh injury.
After a week of headlines, Walsh silenced critics with a red-hot game that included two tries, a try assist and a 40/20.
But the big storyline was the Storm’s major halves blow. Hughes left the field in the 24th minute clutching at his wristin a major blow for the 30-year-old, who was in his return game from a shoulder injury that had sideline him for six weeks.
To make matters worse, the Storm also face a nervous wait on the availability of Nelson Asofa-Solomona after the towering prop was sin-binned and placed on report for a shoulder charge.
Asofa-Solomona wasn’t the only player binned with Brisbane’s Deine Mariner sent for 10 for a professional foul — but that didn’t rattle the Broncos, who extended their lead to 12-4 heading into half time.
Superstar fullback Walsh set up that try with a clever pass to Piakura out of dummy-half in just one of his many big players in the opening 40 minutes.
Walsh — who had a dramatic week due to a controversial social media video — scored the opening try of the night and also came up with a brilliant one-on-one tackle on Xavier Coates.
Walsh backed it up on the other side of the break with a 40/20 and his second try of the night in the space of a minute.
The Storm didn’t give up though, scoring two second half tries to make it three tries a piece, but Walsh’s boot proved to be the difference, with the Broncos No.1 kicking four penalty goals.
They put an exclamation mark on the win in the final minute of the game when Billy Walters intercepted a pass and found Josiah Karapani, who ran 65 metres to score.
‘FREAK’ WALSH DELIVERS WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
It seems toilet water is a magic potion after all because Reece Walsh has delivered a statement performance to seal a top-four finish for his Broncos.
Walsh was in the headlines this week for all the wrong reasons after a video went viral of him drinking water from a toilet.
But the superstar fullback shrugged that off to run riot, scoring 22 of the Broncos’ 30 points.
On top of his impressive stats, Walsh also produced a brilliant tackle on Xavier Coates that took the Storm winger over the sideline.
“He’s turned up to play tonight,” Fox League’s Crooper Cronk said in commentary.
“He’s been pumped up from the word go and this is the best tackle one-on-one that Reece Walsh has performed in his career. That’s a big shot from the Broncos fullback.”
After an eye-catching first half, Walsh came out even hotter in the second half as he kicked a 40/20 and then scored his second try of the night all in the space of a minute.
“This kid is a freak,” Cronk said.
“Oh my goodness, Reece Walsh, take a bow. His performance here tonight, when his club has needed him to stand up, he has delivered… Reece Walsh you are a star.”
The 23-year-old celebrated the try with a drinking action — you’d imagine that was a cheeky reference to the week that was.
“He’s not just leading the Broncos tonight, he’s making a statement,” commentator Dan Ginnane said.
CARNAGE AS STORM’S PREMIERSHIP CHANCES COP HUGE BLOW
The Melbourne Storm’s premiership chances have copped a major blow with star half Jahrome Hughes suffering a suspected broken wrist.
Hughes, who had just returned from a shoulder injury, looked concerned as he left the field in the first half while clutching at his wrist.
Tyran Wishart moved into the halves and had some nice moments, including a show-and-go in the lead-up to a late try, but there are now big question marks over whether the Storm can win the premiership without Hughes.
“After five weeks on the sideline with a shoulder injury, he now breaks his wrist, which is a devastating blow for the Storm,” Fox League’s Greg Alexander said.
“Immediately we said ‘can they win the comp without Jahrome Hughes?’ I’m not going to rule them out but what a challenge it would be without the No.7.
The Storm will host the Bulldogs next week in a qualifying final at AAMI Park. There’s a chance they could also be without enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who was sin-binned and put on report for a shoulder charge.
WHERE TO NOW FOR STORM?
The Storm are going to have to navigate most — if not all — of the finals series without their conductor with Craig Bellamy revealing post-game Jahrome Hughes was already in plaster.
And if you go off Thursday’s performance, that is a big concern.
Sure, Harry Grant will return from a suspension in next week’s qualifying final against the Bulldogs and will no doubt transform the Storm’s attack.
But can they go all the way without Hughes?
Star five-eighth Cameron Munster stepped up when his halves partner left the field. He started having more touches of the footy and also kicked a 40/20 out of dummy-half.
“When the Melbourne Storm have needed something it’s been Cameron Munster who has stood up numerous times,” former Storm half Cooper Cronk said in commentary.
But he’s going to need more help, particularly from fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen.
“Melbourne Storm’s attack has looked flat tonight,” Cronk said.
“I think Papenhuyzen needs to help out Munster.
“Papenhuyzen needs to stand up, do a bit of ball-playing and with that speed on the edges, he needs to connect with his five-eighth to be a threat for the Melbourne Storm.”
Despite scoring three tries to the Broncos’ four, it was an overall forgettable night for Melbourne, who had 10 errors and completed at 78 per cent.
Everything seemed to go wrong and perhaps their night was best summed up in the dying stages of the match when Papenhuyzen completely butchered a kick-off attempt.
“We just haven’t seen Melbourne like this coming into finals. Obviously the injuries have been paramount and Harry Grant being suspended… but they’re rattled,” Fox League commentator Dan Ginnane said.
