Results from another huge weekend of sport. Video / NZ Herald
When Reece Walsh first heard the casual question from Nathan Brown, he didn't know what to make of it.
It was last Tuesday morning, before training at the Warriors' Terrigal base, and Brown ambled over for a chat, as the players were getting ready and warming up.
The teenager hadbeen in camp for barely a week – after the Broncos agreed to an early release – and had only been involved in a handful of training sessions.
The 18-year-old was talking with a couple of his new teammates, when Brown pulled him aside.
"Brownie just came up and he said, 'how do you feel, you reckon you would be ready to play?'," Walsh told the Herald. "I said 'yeah', but then he walked away."
"He said 'mate, I'm going to play you this week'. I was a bit shocked but extremely grateful to him giving me the opportunity and having the belief in me."
After the training session – with Walsh running at fullback and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in the halves – Brown delivered the final confirmation.
"He told me 'I'm going to name you at 21. But just know that you're going to play."
Walsh was on cloud nine but kept his poker face as he faced the Australian and New Zealand media that afternoon, later phoning his parents, siblings and partner to inform them of his stunning promotion.
Reece Walsh made an equal-team-high five tackle-breaks on debut for the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
On Sunday night Walsh made an impressive first bow, in difficult circumstances. It was one of the best Warriors' debuts in recent memory, as the depleted team lost 42-20 to the Storm.
Walsh was a standout in a well beaten side, laying on two tries for wing Ken Maumalo, defending with energy and looking dangerous on attack.
He had a nervy start – as a towering Jahrome Hughes bomb landed awkwardly in front of him – but generally looked composed and confident, belying his youth and inexperience.
His half break gave momentum for Maumalo's opener, before he put Josh Curran in a hole leading up to Ben Murdoch's Masila's try just after halftime. Walsh kicked well throughout and iced a solid performance with the late assists for Maumalo, although the game was well gone by then.
It was the culmination of a hectic, but unforgettable week for the youngster, who was playing for the Broncos feeder team in the Queensland Cup last year.
"I felt like it was going to go really slow, but the week went quite fast," said Walsh. "There was a lot of stuff that had to be put in place for me to be out there and I had a pretty big job out there, you know, helping Kodi and Roger out."
On Saturday night Walsh's family were on hand in Melbourne for his pre-game jersey presentation, after flying in to surprise him, which was "extra special".
A post-match haka from friends and whanau brought Reece Walsh to tears following the full-time whistle. Photo / Photosport
Reece Walsh is embraced by his partner after the full-time whistle. Photo / Photosport
But he endured a fitful night's – "you know when you're asleep but you're not really asleep, with those nerves and stuff" – and eventually gave up at 8am.
Walsh wandered out for coffee with some teammates, then killed time playing X Box with Brown's nine year-old son, before a quick afternoon kip.
The game, understandably, was bit of a blur, though the incredible reality of his situation hit home after Maumalo scored the Warriors first try in the seventh minute.
"Man, it was crazy," admitted Walsh. "I was running back, and it hit me and I was like wow, 'I'm playing first grade'. You know, seeing the crowd, seeing people like Jesse [Bromwich], [Cameron] Munster, Nico Hynes, The Cheese (Brandon Smith), [Josh] Addo-Carr…it made it feel really special."
"I've dreamt of playing at the highest level of rugby league for my whole life and to finally get there [and] come up against one of the hardest teams in the comp, it made it feel really special. I enjoyed it and it is going to be a really good memory for me."
