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Brisbane Broncos to sign Reece Walsh: details of star Warriors’ transfer move revealed
Reece Walsh is a Bronco once again - with a three-year deal secured from next season. We reveal the remarkable salary cap plan which has landed the game’s hottest talent.
Peter Badel, Michael Carayannis and Brent Read
Reece Walsh is officially a Bronco with Brisbane having freed up more than $1 million in the salary cap to bring the Warriors whizkid home to Queensland.
News Corp can reveal Walsh has inked a deal with the Broncos in a bombshell developmentthat will see the 19-year-old reject a massive $2.8 million offer from Brisbane’s expansion rivals the Dolphins to return to Red Hill next season.
It is understood Walsh has agreed terms on a three-year deal until the end of 2025.
Warriors CEO Cameron George confirmed he’s granted Walsh an early release on compassionate grounds in the coming days _ clearing the path for one of the code’s hottest prospects to reunite with the Broncos from 2023.Brisbane bosses were left devastated when Walsh – a Broncos Academy prodigy – sensationally quit the club in March 2021 to sign a three-year, $1.3 million deal with the Warriors.
Warriors head of football Craig Hodges confirmed Walsh will return to the Broncos for family reasons.
“Reece came to us about a month ago and said he couldn’t commit to coming back to New Zealand,” Hodges said.
“Reece has had a relationship breakdown and he has a young daughter and he said he simply couldn’t be away from her in another country.
“We totally understood that so we said what do you want to do and he said, ‘I would like to go to the Broncos’.
“On that basis, we said OK you can negotiate only with the Broncos, we didn’t want to turn it into a circus with Reece talking with all sorts of clubs and ending up going to a Sydney team.
“We wish him all the best. He is a great young kid who is putting his family first.”
George noted the situation relating to Walsh’s family situation was key in granting the release.
“There has been a major change in Reece’s personal circumstances in the past two months which have impacted on his ability to move to Auckland with the club next season,” George said.
“We’re working through his situation and have given him permission, with some conditions, to look at options in Brisbane. It’s not the way either Reece or the club had wanted this to play out but we respect the issues he has.”
The Warriors also confirmed Nicoll-Klokstad is returning on a three year deal from next season.
“He brings undoubted qualities as one of the best fullbacks in the game as well as so much off the field as a wonderful young man,” George said.
“He’s so excited about coming back to the Warriors, being home and being closer to his family.”
While questions have been raised as to how the Broncos can afford the fullback sensation, Brisbane chiefs have shrewdly crunched the numbers to make the transfer happen.
It can be revealed the Broncos will sever ties with as many as six top-liners to fund the purchase of Walsh, whose Brisbane contract will not be as expensive as widely anticipated.
Veteran Broncos duo Ryan James ($180,000) and David Mead ($120,000) are set to retire at season’s end, instantly freeing up $300,000.
Off-contract hooker Jake Turpin, on $300,000 this season, has been granted a release to leave, while Brenko Lee ($200,000) and Rhys Kennedy ($150,000) will link with the Dolphins and Hull KR respectively next season.
Kiwi Test winger Jamayne Isaako was released to the Titans two months ago, clearing another $200,000 under the salary cap, while Te Maire Martin ($60,000), Albert Kelly ($80,000) and Corey Oates ($500,000) remain off-contract.
The Dolphins were prepared to offer Walsh a four-year deal worth $700,000 annually, but the teenager has only been given permission to negotiate with the Broncos as part of his release request.
That shuts the door on the Dolphins, representing a gut-wrenching blow for the NRL’s 17th franchise, who were privately confident of sneaking under Brisbane’s guard for the Queensland Origin squad member.
Instead, it’s the Broncos who have pulled off a Walsh ambush.
Walsh’s Broncos deal will not break the bank. It will not greatly exceed the value of his existing Warriors contract, which is worth around $400,000 a season.
Even with a recent upgrade for newly-minted Queensland Origin winger Selwyn Cobbo, the Broncos will not have trouble affording Walsh, whose return home is motivated more by family reasons than money.
Last year, Walsh, aged 18, celebrated the birth of his first child, a baby daughter named Leila, with partner Freda Puru.
The pair have recently separated and Walsh wishes to remain in Brisbane to be close to his daughter, triggering the request for a release from the Warriors, who returned to New Zealand last week after their two-year, Covid-enforced stay in Australia.
“While we are disappointed, we feel Reece’s reasons are genuine,” Hodges said.
Reece Walsh is a Bronco once again - with a three-year deal secured from next season. We reveal the remarkable salary cap plan which has landed the game’s hottest talent.
Peter Badel, Michael Carayannis and Brent Read
Reece Walsh is officially a Bronco with Brisbane having freed up more than $1 million in the salary cap to bring the Warriors whizkid home to Queensland.
News Corp can reveal Walsh has inked a deal with the Broncos in a bombshell developmentthat will see the 19-year-old reject a massive $2.8 million offer from Brisbane’s expansion rivals the Dolphins to return to Red Hill next season.
It is understood Walsh has agreed terms on a three-year deal until the end of 2025.
Warriors CEO Cameron George confirmed he’s granted Walsh an early release on compassionate grounds in the coming days _ clearing the path for one of the code’s hottest prospects to reunite with the Broncos from 2023.Brisbane bosses were left devastated when Walsh – a Broncos Academy prodigy – sensationally quit the club in March 2021 to sign a three-year, $1.3 million deal with the Warriors.
Warriors head of football Craig Hodges confirmed Walsh will return to the Broncos for family reasons.
“Reece came to us about a month ago and said he couldn’t commit to coming back to New Zealand,” Hodges said.
“Reece has had a relationship breakdown and he has a young daughter and he said he simply couldn’t be away from her in another country.
“We totally understood that so we said what do you want to do and he said, ‘I would like to go to the Broncos’.
“On that basis, we said OK you can negotiate only with the Broncos, we didn’t want to turn it into a circus with Reece talking with all sorts of clubs and ending up going to a Sydney team.
“We wish him all the best. He is a great young kid who is putting his family first.”
George noted the situation relating to Walsh’s family situation was key in granting the release.
“There has been a major change in Reece’s personal circumstances in the past two months which have impacted on his ability to move to Auckland with the club next season,” George said.
“We’re working through his situation and have given him permission, with some conditions, to look at options in Brisbane. It’s not the way either Reece or the club had wanted this to play out but we respect the issues he has.”
The Warriors also confirmed Nicoll-Klokstad is returning on a three year deal from next season.
“He brings undoubted qualities as one of the best fullbacks in the game as well as so much off the field as a wonderful young man,” George said.
“He’s so excited about coming back to the Warriors, being home and being closer to his family.”
While questions have been raised as to how the Broncos can afford the fullback sensation, Brisbane chiefs have shrewdly crunched the numbers to make the transfer happen.
It can be revealed the Broncos will sever ties with as many as six top-liners to fund the purchase of Walsh, whose Brisbane contract will not be as expensive as widely anticipated.
Veteran Broncos duo Ryan James ($180,000) and David Mead ($120,000) are set to retire at season’s end, instantly freeing up $300,000.
Off-contract hooker Jake Turpin, on $300,000 this season, has been granted a release to leave, while Brenko Lee ($200,000) and Rhys Kennedy ($150,000) will link with the Dolphins and Hull KR respectively next season.
Kiwi Test winger Jamayne Isaako was released to the Titans two months ago, clearing another $200,000 under the salary cap, while Te Maire Martin ($60,000), Albert Kelly ($80,000) and Corey Oates ($500,000) remain off-contract.
The Dolphins were prepared to offer Walsh a four-year deal worth $700,000 annually, but the teenager has only been given permission to negotiate with the Broncos as part of his release request.
That shuts the door on the Dolphins, representing a gut-wrenching blow for the NRL’s 17th franchise, who were privately confident of sneaking under Brisbane’s guard for the Queensland Origin squad member.
Instead, it’s the Broncos who have pulled off a Walsh ambush.
Walsh’s Broncos deal will not break the bank. It will not greatly exceed the value of his existing Warriors contract, which is worth around $400,000 a season.
Even with a recent upgrade for newly-minted Queensland Origin winger Selwyn Cobbo, the Broncos will not have trouble affording Walsh, whose return home is motivated more by family reasons than money.
Last year, Walsh, aged 18, celebrated the birth of his first child, a baby daughter named Leila, with partner Freda Puru.
The pair have recently separated and Walsh wishes to remain in Brisbane to be close to his daughter, triggering the request for a release from the Warriors, who returned to New Zealand last week after their two-year, Covid-enforced stay in Australia.
“While we are disappointed, we feel Reece’s reasons are genuine,” Hodges said.
