Billy's Origin clue as selection headache looms

1 year ago 82

Queensland manager Billy Slater hasn't ruled retired young Broncos fullback Reece Walsh from lining up successful the No.1 Maroons jumper successful crippled one, arsenic uncertainty lingers implicit Kalyn Ponga's future.

Speaking connected Nine's The Billy Slater Podcast, the Maroons large said Walsh had impressed him "since the archetypal time I saw him play".

"He grabs your attraction … He's truthful superb with the footy successful hand," Slater said.

"He's fast, he's explosive and helium conscionable creates opportunities astir him. So he's casual to watch."

Former Broncos fullback Darius Boyd has stepped successful to mentor Walsh, who has scored 3 tries from his archetypal 2 appearances for Brisbane.

Slater believes Boyd's guidance could fast-track the 20-year-old into a Maroons jumper.

"Darius was 1 of the champion positional fullbacks, and I deliberation that's what Reece needs to absorption on," Slater said.

"He needs to absorption connected the small things successful that position, (like) keeping your errors to a minimum, and that's truly hard to bash erstwhile you've got truthful overmuch brilliance and endowment that you conscionable privation to spell and amusement it disconnected each the time.

"Picking and choosing your moments is truly important for Reece, but he's lone going to get better."

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Walsh has emerged arsenic a contender for Queensland's No.1 jumper aft Ponga suffered different caput sound successful circular two, ruling him retired indefinitely.

Walsh rockets distant connected Broncos debut

Walsh was successful campy with the Queensland squad past season, but is yet to marque his debut.

Another imaginable enactment for Slater could beryllium Dolphins speedster, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

Walsh's Broncos and Tabuai-Fidow's Dolphins are some undefeated and volition conscionable connected Friday nighttime astatine Suncorp Stadium successful a top-of-the-table blockbuster, which Slater indicated could play retired arsenic an Origin enactment battle.

"[Tabuai-Fidow] is already a State of Origin subordinate [and] he's been 1 of, if not their best, subordinate done the opening 3 rounds," helium said.

"It's going to beryllium a immense battle. They've some got truthful overmuch excitement and Reece is astir apt the astir breathtaking subordinate successful the NRL.

"Whenever helium gets the shot he's got truthful overmuch velocity and power, and you conscionable don't cognize what's going to happen. It could beryllium good, it could beryllium bad.

"But I'm definite each clip erstwhile Reece Walsh gets the footy successful his hands, I reckon some coaches, Kevin Walters and Wayne Bennett, volition person their bosom successful their mouth."

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