How injury carnage unlocked Walsh, and the glaring numbers to prove it

Pat Carrigan offers a sheepish chuckle and shake of the head when asked about how his close mate, Reece Walsh, handles the scrutiny that seems to surround his every move.

Last week’s toilet bowl antics, a video of the mercurial Broncos fullback drinking from the newly installed loo, was suddenly blown up as a national headline.

The arguments for the jest have been polarising: is it really the crime of the century? But also, why was it necessary days out from their most important clash of the NRL season, where a win would cement Brisbane in the top four?

It was just another reminder of the profile Walsh has, following the public fallout of another ill-fated social media clip of him jokingly punching a friend with a boxing glove.

What is clear, however, is the trial by media has not deterred him – his try-scoring heroics against the Melbourne Storm lauded by halfback Ben Hunt as his “most complete performance for a while”.

When asked if the constant noise around his and his teammates’ actions had become a frustration, Carrigan replied “sometimes”, but suggested some onus still needed to fall on the players to hold themselves with dignity.

However, the interim captain expressed his belief Walsh would remain unfazed by the negative attention he receives.

“When you’ve been here for a few years you become accustomed to it … the one thing you can control is playing good footy,” Carrigan said.

“Unless you’re an apprentice plumber, not many blokes would have installed a toilet and drunk the water out of it. So it’s a bit of a funny joke, but I think among the working class they may have had a different reaction to some people.

“Everyone always wants to ask me about what version we’ll get, but you just get Reece Walsh to be Reece Walsh. I’ll always support him and back him, and I think that’s our job as teammates, to let him play what he sees.”

Leading into Sunday’s Qualifying Final clash with the Canberra Raiders, Brisbane have been unbeaten in four-straight games without star halves Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam (hamstrings).

Hunt and Billy Walters have stepped up to fill the void, and in doing so, appear to have brought the best out of Walsh – who has scored five tries and set up six, while averaging 195 running metres a game in that time.

“I’m just trying to get Reece involved in the game as much as he can because the more touches he has of the ball the better we’re going to be for it,” Walters said.

“He doesn’t need anyone pumping him up for confidence, he’s one of the most confident players I’ve ever met, which is a good thing.

“He makes an error, and he’ll back it up with the same play the next set and get it right. If he gets it right more often than not, which he’s doing, we’re going to be a really big threat.”

Brisbane’s form has led to questions about how Reynolds would fit into the team upon his return, with Mam also spotted running at Red Hill.

Maroons coach Billy Slater even suggested on the Sunday Footy Show he would bring the 35-year-old Reynolds off the bench to avoid disrupting a winning spine.

But of the four wins, the 30-14 triumph of the Storm was the most convincing.

The other three came against the wooden spoon-winning Knights, injury-ravaged Dolphins and a 38-30 shootout with the Cowboys – none of who are playing finals football.

As Carrigan affirmed Broncos’ attack coach Trent Barrett would be masterminding how Reynolds can best exploit Walsh – should the halfback be ready to return – Hunt declared a fit Reynolds needed to be a certain inclusion.

“Reyno’s too good of a player to leave him out of your side. If he’s healthy and ready to go, you’ve just got to get him in somewhere,” Hunt said, despite his preference to don the No.7 jumper, rather than shift to hooker.

“He’s our captain, he’s our little general, he gets us around the field, and I think it would be pretty hard to put him on the bench.”

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