Was it the act of a show pony who needs to be roped in \u2014 or a kind-hearted gesture taken completely out of context?<\/p>\n
Once again, Reece Walsh has divided the rugby league world.<\/p>\n
Call me a dinosaur, but I\u2019m with Walsh\u2019s former coach Kevin Walters on this<\/a>.<\/p>\n On a day when all anyone should have been talking about was Walsh\u2019s dazzling performance to finish with a try, two try assists, two line-breaks and 13 tackle busts in the Broncos\u2019 thumping 46-12 win over the error-riddled Knights<\/a>, the polarising fullback also came under fire for a play where he \u2018gifted\u2019 Kobe Hetherington a try.<\/p>\n BLOG WITH CRAWLS TODAY FROM 12.30PM AEST BELOW<\/p>\n Broncos lock in finals after big victory | 00:54<\/p>\n It came midway through the first half when Walsh had backed up Jaiyden Hunt and only had to put the ball down to score.<\/p>\n Instead, Walsh waited for Hetherington to catch up, so Hetherington could touch down in his 100th milestone match.<\/p>\n If Walsh was playing under 8s down at the local park, you\u2019d probably smile and say to yourself, \u2018how cute was that\u2019.<\/p>\n Yet the NRL is not under 8s.<\/p>\n And showing this kind of contempt to an injury-depleted opposition is not only disrespectful, but as Walters said in Fox League commentary, it could also come back to bite the Broncos in the weeks ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not a fan of that,\u201d Walters said. \u201cThrowing the ball back in the in-goal \u2026 I don\u2019t agree with it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if he (Hetherington) dropped it \u2026 he (Walsh) is even more in the headlines then\u201d.<\/p>\n And Walters was bang on the money.<\/p>\n FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n Even Walsh was a bit sheepish when questioned about it on Fox League after the game.<\/p>\n Walsh conceded: \u201cI don\u2019t think \u2018Madge\u2019 was too happy when I done that.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll leave that one where it was and not talk about it again.\u201d<\/p>\n Fingers crossed, Walsh learns from it.<\/p>\n You\u2019d hate to see a moment like this come against the Broncos in a big game against one of the NRL\u2019s genuine heavyweights.<\/p>\n Like when they play Melbourne in the final round that could end up deciding if the Broncos finish in the top four or not.<\/p>\n Overall, it summed up a mix-bag by the Broncos.<\/p>\n And while Walsh\u2019s blinding speed made us sit back and take notice of just how dangerous this team is when they get in their groove, there were also a couple other questionable plays from Walsh that not everyone at the Broncos where happy about.<\/p>\n That included a pointless kick over the sideline that had Ben Hunt turning up his hands and questioning, \u2018what the hell was that?\u2019<\/p>\n On one hand, the Broncos showed with an explosive final 20 minutes why they are still capable of doing some damage regardless of when the injured Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam return.<\/p>\n Yet the opening 60 minutes also highlighted exactly why the jury is still out on Michael Maguire\u2019s star-studded team.<\/p>\n In the end the Broncos did run away with a comfortable win.<\/p>\n O’Brien addresses horror show v Broncos | 06:16<\/p>\n But it could have been a lot closer had Jake Arthur been able to catch a pass when he looked certain to score midway through the second half.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget the Knights also blew what looked to be another certain try in the first half that could have easily changed the course of this game.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s for a team who were also without Kalyn Ponga and Fletcher Sharpe.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve been saying in this column for weeks that Walsh needs to pull his head in and start playing with a bit more maturity and a touch less cockiness.<\/p>\n I had a crack at Walsh and Mam after the win over the injury-ravaged Rabbitohs back in round 22 for not showing enough respect to their depleted opposition.<\/p>\n At the time plenty of Broncos fans thought I was being too hard on Walsh and Mam and needed to lighten up.<\/p>\n Plenty will again want to defend Walsh on this one, but for mine it was just another attention-seeking moment that the Broncos could well do without.<\/p>\n BLOG WITH CRAWLS (submit your questions for 12.30pm \u2014 if the blog does not appear, click here<\/a>)<\/p>\n $5K SOUTHS STAR PUTS HIMSELF IN SHOP WINDOW<\/p>\n What does $5000 buy you in the current NRL player market?<\/p>\n Well, that\u2019s what the young Rabbitohs five-eighth with the choir boy looks Ashton Ward is earning this season, along with his match payments.<\/p>\n But that hasn\u2019t stopped the 21-year-old Gerringong junior who works as a part-time teacher\u2019s aide putting his name up in lights in the chase for a new contract after another gutsy effort in the win against his former club the Dragons.<\/p>\n Without a fulltime contract for next year, Ward wants to stay at the Rabbitohs but could be forced to look elsewhere.<\/p>\n South Sydney\u2019s Ashton Ward has impressed since coming into the team.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n With the Rabbitohs still trying to offload Lewis Dodd, they have also committed to Cody Walker for another season, while Jayden Sullivan could also stay, along with Jamie Humphreys.<\/p>\n But depending on where unwanted Rooster Sandon Smith ends up, there could be an opportunity for Ward at clubs like the Dragons, Raiders, Cowboys, Knights and Titans.<\/p>\n Despite his tiny frame, the courage Ward has displayed since getting his call-up late in the season, whether he is running the ball or chopping down blokes twice his size, shows exactly why he has what it takes to be a long-term NRL player.<\/p>\n STRANGE SEALS KANGAROOS SPOT IN \u2018MIRACLE OF MUDGEE\u2019<\/p>\n Ethan Strange has surely confirmed his seat on the plane to England for the Kangaroos\u2019 end of the season tour.<\/p>\n In a game where the Raiders were out to prove they are worthy to be rated alongside the likes of Melbourne and Penrith as a genuine contender for this year\u2019s title, Strange took it upon himself to conjure up a miracle in Mudgee.<\/p>\n After a field goal attempt from Nathan Cleary in the 83rd minute of golden point deflected off the posts, Jed Stuart did exceptionally well to pick up the loose ball before putting Strange into space.<\/p>\n Raiders produce MIRACLE win in Mudgee | 01:09<\/p>\n But what came next just showed what a winner this 21-year-old is, as Strange set sail down the touchline before sending Kaeo Weekes over for the match winner.<\/p>\n It has to be the leading contender for the Peter Frilingos Dally M Headline Moment of the Year.<\/p>\n There has been conjecture about whether the Raiders have the experience and composure to handle the pressure in the big end of season games.<\/p>\n This victory well and truly shows the Raiders have the belief in themselves to go all the way.<\/p>\n PANTHERS ARE ANYTHING BUT DONE<\/p>\n As for the Panthers, it was another tough loss but going down to the Storm and Raiders in back-to-back matches certainly doesn\u2019t mean they can\u2019t recover.<\/p>\n Both games could have gone either way, after Harry Grant stole the match at the death the previous week.<\/p>\n Regardless of if they finish in the top four, no one will be writing off the Panthers after this performance.<\/p>\n Cleary would have nailed that field goal nine times out of ten.<\/p>\n You wouldn\u2019t back against him missing the next one.<\/p>\n CRICHTON A PROTECTED SPECIES?<\/p>\n It was a pathetic response from the NRL\u2019s match review committee only issuing Stephen Crichton with a \u2018concerning act\u2019 notice for his ugly face rake on Ryan Papenhuyzen.<\/p>\n