With Reece Walsh reportedly agreeing to terms on a four-year, $5 million extension with the club, it could force out one of two of Brisbane’s gun centres while also knocking them out of the race for a star half.
The Courier Mail’s Pete Badel wrote on Sunday that Walsh and the Broncos have agreed to terms on a deal that will make the fullback the second-highest paid player in the league at $1.25 million annually.
It’s not the first time this season that the news of Walsh and the Broncos coming to an agreement has been reported, but as veteran journalist Brent Read revealed on NRL360, the deal is closer than ever to being announced.
“He has agreed to terms. It’s been coming for a while,” Read said.
“It’s been in the works for a long time, he was never going to go anywhere was Reece. The basic framework of an agreement has been in place for a while now but I think they’re close to formalising it.
“It’s a four-year extension Pete’s reporting around the $5m mark. He’ll get a little more next year because he’s only on $600k next season so he’ll get a bump there as well.”
The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield noted that Walsh is worth every cent, especially if you take his commercial value into account.
“So $1.25 million a year. That would make him the second highest paid player in the game behind Kalyn Ponga,” Rothfield said.
“Some players you have to add a percentage because of their commercial value and sponsors just walk into the Broncos wanting to be involved with the club that Reece Walsh is at.”
While Walsh was a must for the Broncos, his new deal means much of Brisbane’s salary cap is allocated to just a handful of players.
In addition, two star centres in Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo are both free agents on November 1 and free to negotiate and sign with rival teams for 2026 and beyond.
The Walsh extension will make it near impossible for Brisbane to re-sign both.
“Does it put the Broncos under cap pressure?” NRL360 co-host Braith Anasta asked.
“It will do. You look at the two centres they have, Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo, both are guys who are free agents on November 1. They (Broncos) probably won’t be able to keep both of those guys I imagine,” Read replied.
“They probably have to make a decision, unless they want to take significant haircuts.”
Rothfield then said: “The Broncos’ problem is Mam got a massive upgrade last year around $800k, Payne Haas got a big one, so did Patrick Carrigan, so they’re chewing up a lot of their cap on four great players.”
Not only will the salary cap squeeze force the Broncos to let some players walk, but it will also make it hard to sign high quality free agents.
One of those is Roosters half Sam Walker, who is another player to hit the market on November 1.
The Roosters are expected to re-sign the gun halfback, but with Walker being an Ipswich boy, it wouldn’t be ridicuolous to suggest he could look for a way back to Queensland.
However, the Walsh signing seems to signal that the Broncos are now out of the race for Walker, who will command north of $1 million.
“What’s going on with Sam Walker? Is he a chance (of going to the Broncos)? Do they want Sam?” Anasta asked.
“I think half the clubs in the comp want him, whether it’s realistic. I don’t think they could squeeze him in at a million could they?” Rothfield said.
Read said Brisbane have some talent in the pipeline that the Broncos have “earmarked” as a replacement to current half Adam Reynolds.
“They’ve got a young kid in their system named Cody Black that they’ve put a lot of time into and he’s been earmarked to be their long-term No. 7. I don’t think they’re willing to give up on him,” Read said.
“And Sam’s asking price, I mean you’re talking well over $1 millon. Buzz is right, I don’t think they can afford to fit him in.”
This doesn’t necessarily mean the Broncos will stop looking for a half though, with one shock name raised, that won’t be nearly as expensive as a Sam Walker.
“Maybe the Broncos will have to look at a Toby Sexton-type halfback,” Rothfield said.
This led Braith Anasta to reveal that a rumour was circulating that the Broncos were interested in the Bulldogs playmaker.
“I heard a rumour about that that the Broncos were interested in him for [2026]. It could just be pub talk, but now that you bring it up, it’s probably an option.”
