The NRL world saw one of the greatest Grand Final performances of all time after Reece Walsh's heroics earlier this month, but his star was shining bright before the historic match.
One of, if not the, biggest stars in rugby league history, Reece Walsh is a gold mine in terms of fan engagement, boasting over 630,000 Instagram followers, giving him a larger social media following than several NRL clubs, including the New Zealand Warriors.
Legendary rugby league coach Sir Graham Lowe has called on New Zealand Rugby to make a bold move off the back of his increasing stardom, urging them to offer Reece Walsh a $5 million deal to switch codes and represent the All Blacks.
Walsh, who guided the Brisbane Broncos to their first NRL premiership in 19 years with a Clive Churchill Medal–winning performance in the 26–22 grand final win over Melbourne, has quickly become one of the biggest names in the game, both on and off the field.
Speaking to Herald NOW's Ryan Bridge, Lowe said New Zealand Rugby should “throw everything” at Walsh to bring him home — and believes he's worth the price tag.
"The Warriors won't be able to get him over here because of the salary cap in the NRL, but I think there's an opportunity for the New Zealand Rugby Union," Lowe said.
"The going rate for the stars is a million-plus; pay this guy $5 million a year.
"Anywhere else in the world, it's chicken feed. Make a big statement about him."
He went on to emphasise what a once-in-a-lifetime talent Walsh is, believing his star power would be huge for the sport.
"He's the best young player I've ever seen, he's something special," he said.
"The excitement he brings is fantastic, I reckon get him over here, he'll bring 10,000 people on his own.”
Lowe added that even casual fans are captivated by Walsh's charisma and flair.
"Between where I live and the local coffee shop, I've been asked at least 20 times by old ladies about who's this young fella who paints his fingernails and plays for the Broncos."
Although Walsh's time in New Zealand was brief during his stint with the Warriors, he is eligible for the All Blacks through his birth mother, who is from Hastings.
He played 38 games for the Warriors before being granted an early release to return to Brisbane in 2022, following personal reasons involving a relationship breakdown and a desire to be closer to his daughter.
While Lowe's idea has generated intrigue, a move to rugby union appears highly unlikely in the short term. Walsh is under contract with the Broncos until the end of 2029 and has no professional background in the 15-man code.
