Kangaroos star Reece Walsh has been wowing fans in England during the Ashes tour but is clearly missing his No.1 supporter – daughter Leila. The Australian fullback is preparing for the Kangaroos’ third and final Test against England in Leeds on Sunday morning (Aussie time), as Kevin Walters’ side looks to complete a clean sweep of the Ashes series.
Walsh has again been named at fullback, with Walters resisting the urge to ring the changes despite Australia holding an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Skipper Isaah Yeo comes back into the side after missing the second Test with concussion, and he’ll replace Penrith teammate Lindsay Smith in the only change for the Kangaroos at Headingley.
Kangaroos star Reece Walsh is missing his daughter Leila as he takes England by storm on Australia’s Ashes tour. Pic: Getty
For Walsh, it’s another chance to continue his remarkable season, having won the Clive Churchill Medal for his remarkable display in Brisbane’s NRL premiership triumph. And another strong showing in the third Ashes Test for Walsh could go a long way to see him claim the Golden Boot award as the best international player of the year.
Walsh has been greeted like a rockstar around England, with fans lining up in droves to get autographs and pose for photos with the Aussie fullback. But amidst the fanfare and the incredible experience of his first Ashes tour, Walsh revealed that being away from his young daughter Leila has been pretty tough.
Taking to social media on the eve of the third Test, Walsh shared a beautiful video post on Instagram captioned: “Miss my baby girl.” It shows the Broncos star and his daughter sitting on the footy field together in a pile of confetti after Brisbane’s grand final triumph last month, with an Adele backing track accompanying the clip.
Walsh revealed how much Leila means to him after also sharing a beautiful tribute to his daughter after last month’s grand final victory over Melbourne. “My strength through it all. I won the day you entered my life. The rest is just a bonus,” he wrote alongside a number of images of the Broncos star and his daughter in the aftermath of the premiership triumph.
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Reece Walsh has been subjected to abuse in England
The Australian fullback has been the talk of fans in England during the Ashes tour, but he’s also been subjected to plenty of ‘vile’ abuse from home supporters. And The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that much of it has centred around Walsh’s sexuality and the fact he paints his nails.
Reece Walsh paid tribute to daughter Leila after Brisbane’s grand final win. Image: Reece Walsh
But as Kangaroos coach Walters revealed last year, the reason why Walsh wears nail polish is because of the beautiful bond he shares with his daughter. “Do you know why he paints his nails? His daughter wants to paint his nails and Reece does it,” Walters told The Courier Mail last year. “If Reece Walsh wants to paint his nails, and do his hair nicely and have the cool sunnies on, that’s not hurting the Broncos.”
Walsh has been the main name on the lips of league fans in England, even more so than the home team’s biggest stars. And he’s been generously giving his time to fans and engaging with local communities alongside the Kangaroos players, while the England squad has been largely unseen.
And England will get another taste of ‘Reecemania’ in February when the Broncos lock horns with Super League champions Hull KR in the World Club Challenge. The match will almost certainly be a sellout in Hull and Walsh’s presence could make it the biggest game in the club’s history.
“You don’t need to be a Hull KR fan to get excited about that game, probably for reasons like Reece Walsh,” Hull CEO Paul Lakin said. “The chance to see him play in Hull… I would expect there are a lot of rugby league fans who will want to get a ticket for the game.