NRL round 18: eel v warriors
Where: CommBank Stadium, Sydney When: Friday, 9.55 pm
Live coverage: Sky Sport 4, live updates on stuff
Reece Walsh’s teammates with the Warriors do not hold a grudge about the star fullback’s decision to leave the club at the end of the season.
Walsh, who was under contract until at least the completion of the 2023 season, with further options in his favour, messaged his Warriors teammates to confirm that he would be leaving the club and returning to the Brisbane Broncos when he was in Covid- 19 insulation sat .
Warriors Utility Chanel Harris-Tavita said he was proud of Walsh for taking the bold decision and putting his young daughter first.
Harris-Tavita who himself will leave the club at the end of the season to pursuing opportunities outside of rugby leaguesaid after speaking to Walsh about the move, he knew he was in a difficult position.
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walsh assured the club’s fans in May that he was committed to the move across the Tasman but recently separated from his partner meaning he was faced with the prospect of living in a different country from his 1-year-old daughter Leila if he moved to Auckland with the Warriors in November.
Darren England/Photosport
Reece Walsh returns to the Warriors lineup this weekend after missing out on the Tigers win.
Harris-Tavita said Walsh had to do what was best for him and his daughter and he fully supported his decision.
“Reece is a really talented player, but he’s also a young boy and he’s just trying to do his best for him and his family.”
However, some media reports have claimed “bad blood” between Dolphins recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan and his former employer the Warriors cost Walsh the chance to do the best for his family.
Ben Dobbin, a 9News Brisbane sports radio reporter and NRL commentator, has claimed that Walsh was denied a lucrative deal on the expansion franchise worth double his contract with the Broncos.
Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
Chanel Harris-Tavita supports Reece Walsh’s decision to put his family first.
Walsh has yet to speak on whether he had a preference for returning to his old club or staying at Redcliffe – where the Warriors are currently based – to liaise with the Dolphins ahead of their inaugural season in 2023.
But rival clubs were unable to talk to Walsh’s management before the November 1 deadline, so if Walsh only got permission from the Warriors to talk to the Broncos, the Dolphins won’t have a fight.
walsh missed the Warriors’ homecoming win against the West Tigers due to being in Covid-19 isolation and with media reports of his Broncos move, he was forced to notify his teammates by message.
“I know he would have loved to have told us in person, but that’s how it turned out,” said Harris-Tavita.
Walsh will return to the fullback’s jersey in Friday night’s Round 18 game against the Parramatta Eels, but the presence of interim head coach Stacey Jones is questionable as he is isolating with Covid-19.
Missing are Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Covid-19), Ronald Volkman (non-Covid-19 virus) and Bayley Sironen (broken eye socket).
Harris-Tavita, who will replace Volkman in the six jersey, supports Walsh to finish the season strong.
“I am convinced that Walshy will do his best.
“When you know you’re leaving a club, you want to leave on good terms,” said Harris-Tavita. “You want to make sure you’re remembered for playing your best and I think he’s putting his best foot forward and we’re all behind him.”
ANDREW CORNAGA/Photosport
Warriors players celebrate a try during their homecoming win over the Wests Tigers.
“When he told us, everyone supported him,” Harris-Tavita said.
Walsh made just one attempt in 14 appearances in 2022 with eight try assists, seven line breaks and 34 missed tackles.
Given his quick start to the NRL in a sub-season in 2021, expectations on all those numbers would have been better, but Walsh is only 20 and his trade behind a struggling team.
warriors whore Wayde Egan said the group has made it a point to digest the news and then put it aside and accept that this is the best-case scenario for Walsh and part of professional sport.
“Reece has done what’s best for his family, so we can’t hold a grudge against him at all.”
Egan said it would be difficult to see Walsh leave, but believes no one at the club is talking to him.
“It would have been quite tough not to see his daughter to be back in New Zealand.”
warriors: Reece Walsh, Edward Kosi, Jesse Arthars, Adam Pompey, Marcelo Montoya, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Shaun Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan, Tohu Harris (c), Euan Aitken, Josh Curran, Jazz Tevaga. Exchange: Freddy Lussick, Bunty Afoa, Aaron Pene, Jack Murchie; Elisa Katoa, Rocco Berry, Daejarn Asi, Pride Petterson-Robati, Jackson Frei.
eel: Clint Gutherson, Maika Sivo, Will Penisini, Waqa Blake, Bailey Simonsson, Dylan Brown, Mitchell Moses, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Reed Mahoney, Junior Paulo, Shaun Lane, Isaiah Papali’i, Marata Niukore. Exchange: Makahesi Makatoa, Jake Arthur, Oregon Kaufusi, Ky Rodwell; Tom Opacic, Elie El-Zakhem, Nathan Brown, Ofahiki Ogden, Hayze Perham.
Referee: Todd Smith
TAB odds: Eel $1.16, Warriors $5.