Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has come to the defence of star fullback Reece Walsh following his inconsistent form throughout the 2025 NRL season.
Walsh was instrumental in the Broncos’ comeback victory over the Dolphins, silencing critics who have questioned his error rate.
The 23-year-old has committed 32 errors across 15 matches this season but reminded fans of his game-breaking ability with a standout display.
Tensions have occasionally been visible on-field, with Walsh spotted in heated exchanges with teammate Kotoni Staggs.
MORE: Reece Walsh fires back at critics over his playing style
While their combination has at times resulted in mistakes, the duo have also linked for several spectacular tries.
On Nine’s 100% Footy, Maguire was asked by Phil Gould whether he ever knows what to expect from Walsh.
“Believe it or not Gus, I actually do,” Maguire replied.
“A lot of people look into his game and have a lot of opinion but if you saw the practice Reece does in the background to create the things he does, there’s reasons why he comes up with the brilliant plays and I’m fortunate to see that quite often at training.
“That’s what he’s practicing and sometimes it doesn’t come off but because he’s so quick, over the last few weeks we probably had a couple of forward passes because blokes on the edges are trying to chase him and start a little bit ahead rather than being with Reece.
“He is electric and he’s great to coach and the players appreciate him and back him up when things don’t quite go so well.”
Gould labelled the Broncos “the thrill seekers,” noting their free-flowing style is unusual compared to Maguire’s typically structured teams.
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Their inconsistency was highlighted when Dolphins fullback Trai Fuller crossed just seconds into the second half, only for Brisbane to surge back into the contest. Maguire admitted the try even caught him off guard.
“I’m not quite sure where that one came from so things like that are happening,” he said.
Despite the lapses, Maguire said he sees significant development in his squad.
“What I’m seeing is a real growth in the group. They love their footy, Reece, our younger guys, Deine Mariner, Josiah Karapani, I’ve just got this young, youthful group that has some good leaders helping the group out to develop what we want to play.
“I enjoy them having a crack but they’ve got to have understanding of what win’s a big game and they’re moving towards that really quickly.”
The Broncos currently sit sixth on the NRL ladder, just two points outside the top four.
Their finals hopes face a major test in upcoming clashes against the Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys and Melbourne Storm.
Maguire also confirmed captain Adam Reynolds is expected to return in a “couple of weeks,” while Ezra Mam and Selwyn Cobbo remain unlikely to feature in the short term due to hamstring injuries.