Ex-NRL player believes Rugby Australia should offer Reece Walsh stunning $15m deal

Former NRL star Joel Caine has called on Rugby Australia to offer Queensland Maroons fullback Reece Walsh a mammoth deal worth $15 million over five years.

Walsh, 21, is in the midst of a career-best season with the Brisbane Broncos. After returning to the ‘Bronx’ after a stint with the New Zealand Warriors, the fullback has been superb.

In just 18 NRL games for the Broncos this season, the exciting playmaker has crossed for seven tries and registered 19 assists. Walsh has also broken 97 tackles and averages more than 150 running meters per game.

Walsh, at least this season, is the very definition of what it means to be a superstar.

As discussed on SEN radio, videos that include Walsh on the NRL website attract an average of 493,000 views. That figure is almost five times the average for other video content.

Walsh is also front and centre in five of the NRL’s top 10 videos on TikTok – in total, this content involving Walsh has generated more than three million views.

If Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and Rugby Australia knocked on the NRL door again – after singing Sydney Roosters flyer Joseph Suaalii earlier this year – they could do a lot worse than Walsh.

Former St George and Tigers outside Joel Caine has, after reflecting on the recently released Johnny Manziel documentary, implored rugby to see the benefits of signing a genuine star like Walsh.

“There’s your number one target,” Caine said on SEN’s The Run Home with Joel & Fletch.

“If you’re rugby right, you don’t have the salary cap… why wouldn’t you say to Reece Walsh, ‘Hey mate you’re getting maximum dollar at probably 1.5 (million) with third parties, I’ll give you three million.'

“How do you honestly say no to that?

“Rugby would honestly get a return if you said, ‘Listen, we’re gonna give you a 15-million-dollar deal for five years.’”

The Brisbane Broncos are second on the NRL ladder with only a few rounds to play. They’re equal on competition points with defending premiers the Penrith Panthers.