Reece Walsh has paid a lovely tribute to daughter Leila amid revelations from the Brisbane Broncos’ chairman that the star fullback could help the club make $100 million in a single year. Walsh is the toast of the NRL world after a stunning performance in last weekend’s grand final that saw him win the Clive Churchill medal.
He was all smiles as he celebrated with daughter Leila – a complete contrast to two years ago when he was in tears while holding her at a Broncos fan day. On that occasion, the Broncos had coughed up a 16-point lead to lose to the Panthers in the 2023 grand final, and Walsh was caught out of position when Nathan Cleary scored the winning try.
Reece Walsh has paid tribute to daughter Leila. Image: Reece Walsh
On Friday, Walsh re-posted the photo of him holding Leila while in tears, as well as three more from the aftermath of this year’s decider looking much happier. He wrote: “My strength through it all. I won the day you entered my life. The rest is just a bonus.”
Reece Walsh moved back to Brisbane for daughter
Walsh became a father at the tender age of 18, before splitting with Leila’s mother. He moved to Auckland to play for the New Zealand Warriors after Leila was born, but two years into a three-year deal he realised he needed to be back by her side in Brisbane.
The Warriors granted Walsh a release on compassionate grounds, and he returned to the Broncos in 2023. “I had a decision about making him a footballer or the best dad he could be,” Warriors CEO Cameron George said earlier this month.
“I could either stand in his way from being a dad, and take on that responsibility, and make him live in Auckland for another 12 months. Or we could do the right thing by the person, consider it on its merits, and let him come back to Brisbane to be a father. That is what makes Reece Walsh tick.”
Reece Walsh can help Broncos make $100 million in one year
Meanwhile, Broncos chairman Karl Morris has made the stunning prediction that Brisbane’s first premiership in 19 years and the presence of Walsh could result in a $100 million windfall for the club. Walsh is said to have the most marketable ‘brand’ in NRL history, and has a bigger social media following than the Broncos itself.
The Broncos are listed on the stock exchange, and last year turned an $81.5 million profit despite missing the finals. Their share price has risen 48 per cent in the last 12 months, including a 20 per cent surge in the last month alone.
RELATED:
The Broncos make the most revenue from merchandise sales among all NRL clubs, and have 66,000 registered members. According to Morris, the Broncos can become the first club in the history of professional rugby league to crack $100 million in revenue in one year.
Karl Morris (L) with Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy (centre). (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“There’s no doubt how important Reece is for our brand and the NRL,” Morris told The Courier Mail. “He is an absolute superstar and anyone who gets the Clive Churchill Medal is a special talent. What he does for this club is unbelievable, I’ve never seen so much support for one player.
“A lot of things have to go right for us to reach $100 million. Merchandise, corporate sales, number of people who attend the games and of course continually winning … but there’s no doubt that (the $100m mark) is our aspiration. Whether it happens next season is a pretty hefty jump, but I would expect that in the next few years for sure.
“There’s no doubt when a club wins, it does financially better. It does better because we sell more merchandise, and the following year you usually find more people become members, so crowds are bigger, and success breeds success. People are seeing all the benefits of winning a grand final and it will play out over the next 12 months.”