Reece Walsh's talent is undeniable, but NRL legend Matt Bowen believes the Broncos fullback is still behind the elite level of players like Dylan Edwards, Kalyn Ponga, James Tedesco and Tom Trbojevic.
Walsh's 2024 season was marred by inconsistency and fitness concerns, with the 22-year-old playing just 14 games as Brisbane missed the top eight.
Bowen, a Cowboys great and one of the most dynamic fullbacks of his era, toldย Fox Sports Australia what he thinks is the missing piece in Walsh's game.
โI just think being fitter,โ Bowen said.
โWe know he has that spark, but if he can pop up everywhere like Dylan Edwards does on a weekly basis and be that ultimate competitor in games and the training paddockโฆ If Reece can improve that part of his game, he'll be a quality fullback for years to come.โ
Reports from the Broncos' pre-season suggested Walsh was at the back of the pack during fitness drills, raising questions about his conditioning.
His struggles with positioning and endurance in the latter stages of games have also been noted, casting doubt on his ability to match the consistency of the NRL's top fullbacks.
Despite these concerns, Walsh recently signed a lucrative $1.1 million per-season contract, placing even greater expectations on his shoulders.
The appointment of Michael Maguire as Broncos coach was expected to address Walsh's fitness issues, but questions remain about whether he has made the necessary improvements.
However, not everyone agrees that Walsh's fitness is a problem.
AAP reporter Joel Gould, who has closely monitored Walsh at Broncos training, dismissed the criticism during an appearance onย SEN radio.
โI have watched Reece Walsh train at the Broncos โ week-in and week-out โ and I don't see any difference,โ Gould said.
โHe may have come back not as quick and not as good as some of the other players. I don't see anything other than Walsh putting everything into it.โ
โHe doesn't look off the pace. If he was, he has fixed it.โ
