If there’s one thing Ben Hunt has learned in his 15 games playing alongside Reece Walsh in 2025, it’s that there’s no point trying to shackle the free-spirited fullback.
Walsh was at his electric best again on Thursday night as the Broncos secured fourth spot with a 30-14 win over the Storm, and Hunt is adamant the result would have been very different had the gun No.1 not been there.
Not only did Walsh score two tries and pilot seven goals for a haul of 22 points, he laid on a four-pointer for Brendan Piakura with a bullet pass out of dummy half in the final minute of the first half and produced a 40-20 in the first minute of the second half to put Brisbane in position to grab their third try.
“I’m calling plays out there to try and settle him down, (but) he’s like, ‘nah, let me take it, let me do this and that’ and you have just got to set him free,” Hunt said.
“He’s been fantastic and I think he played a great game.
“It was probably his most controlled game for a while… I don’t think we win without him.
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Walsh kicks a 40/20 to start the 2nd half
“He’s really coming into his own.”
After pushing the Panthers to the limit in the 2023 decider, the Broncos lost their way last season and finished 12th, but under new coach Michael Maguire they’re back in the top four with a realistic shot at the club’s first premiership since 2006.
The Broncos will travel to Canberra to take on the Raiders in a qualifying final, with Hunt saying with the right attitude, they can beat anyone.
“(The win over the Storm) gives us a lot of confidence,” Hunt said.
“We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves though, we’re going down to Canberra next week to play the number one team.
“We have got to improve, but we have just got to bring that same attitude I think.
“I feel like if we come with the same attitude we did (tonight), play the brand of footy I know we can play, I think we can go with anyone.”
Ben Hunt has been playing halfback for the Broncos with Adam Reynolds sidelined.
©Zain Mohammed / NRL Images
In the only meeting between the two sides this season, the Raiders got home 32-22 in Round 2 on the back of storming games from Hudson Young and Seb Kris.
“We were pretty disappointed with the performance. it was early in the year, but we definitely didn’t play the style or they type of footy we wanted to,” Hunt said.
“It’s definitely going to be a tougher challenge again – they’ve been the most consistent team all year.
“They’re at the top for a reason, and we’re going to be up against it.”
Since Hunt took over at halfback following the loss of captain Adam Reynolds to a hamstring injury, the Broncos have won four on the trot, racking up 152 points in the process.
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All Tries – Broncos v Storm
The 35-year-old has come up with six try assists across the four games and struck up a potent combination with Billy Walters, but he said he’d be happy to move to No.6 should Reynolds get himself right for the finals.
“Hopefully the old fellow’s back soon, Reyno, he really gets us around the park; his calmness out there, his kicking game, so hopefully he’s back soon,” Hunt said.
“But that’d be the obvious decision (to move to five-eighth), he’s the captain about club, he’s our general and I think that’d be right.”