Brisbane Coach Michael Maguire Remains Untroubled by Reece Walsh’s Mistakes in Victory Over Cowboys

Brisbane’s coach, Michael Maguire, opted to highlight the positive elements of Reece Walsh’s performance during their victory over North Queensland, despite the Broncos No.1 experiencing a night of mixed results.

Walsh found himself on report for a shoulder charge on Cowboys winger Murray Taulagi and accumulated five errors; however, he also played a crucial role in setting up winger Jesse Arthars for a try and executed a pivotal 40/20 kick in the first half that led to another try.

It was a tough match for the Broncos fullback the previous week as well, where he committed four errors in their loss to Canberra.

Nonetheless, Maguire stated he was particularly impressed with Walsh’s defensive efforts in what was a fiercely contested local derby against the Cowboys.

“We maintained a strong defensive line due in large part to what Reece contributes from the back. There’s an equal balance to the game—defence and attack—and I felt Reece was outstanding defensively,” Maguire commented.

“The attacking side will fall into place. You could see him inspiring the team. You don’t defend as we did without a fullback who can motivate his teammates. I was very pleased with that.”

Despite his performance being marred by mistakes, Walsh remained active, making 23 runs for a total of 137 metres against the Cowboys. Maguire asserted that this persistence is exactly what Walsh needs.

“I’ve seen players like Reece go through challenging phases in their careers, and it’s these moments that help shape who they are and ultimately make them better players,” Maguire added.

“He might not recognise that right now, but I firmly believe he will come out stronger by working through these challenges. He has a supportive team to back him up. Reece will be just fine.”

Team captain Adam Reynolds echoed similar thoughts as the Broncos prepare for their upcoming clash against the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

“We consistently refine our skills in training. Things will turn around, but I thought he had a solid game tonight,” Reynolds stated.

“He ran purposefully into the line, organised the defence, and scrambled to save tries.

“We might focus on the small mistakes he makes, but it’s important to recognise all the great things he is contributing as well.”