Raiders fans have been accused of targeting Reece Walsh’s daughter after the Broncos star headbutted a rival in one of the greatest NRL final games ever.
Walsh’s wild afternoon headlined the Broncos’ epic 29-28 qualifying-final win over Canberra, with Ben Hunt winning the golden-point thriller with a 94th-minute field goal.
Walsh produced arguably the finest seven-minute stretch in finals history to get Brisbane back into the game, after they trailed 28-12 with 14 minutes to play.
The mercurial Broncos fullback scored one try, set up another and kicked a booming 40-20 to give Brisbane the ball for a third before the game went to extra time.
But his afternoon will also be remembered for pushing his head into Hudson Young’s face, as the pair became entangled in a second-half scuffle.
Walsh and Young were both sin-binned over the incident, while Canberra coach Ricky Stuart was adamant the Broncos No.1 should have been sent off.
Reece Walsh flipped off the crowd after receiving his marching orders on Sunday
The footy star’s season hangs in the balance after being put on report for a headbutt
Unsubstantiated reports have since emerged that Raiders fans referenced Walsh’s daughter in verbal abuse during the match, as reported by Today host Karl Stefanovic on Monday morning.
‘I’m hearing this morning that the crowd was yelling stuff out about Reece’s daughter, so that is horrendous in its own way,’ he said.
Maroons coach Billy Slater was appalled by the report, saying it was the first he’d heard of it.
‘I know Reece personally and I know how much he cops,’ Slater told Today.
‘To be fair when you pay your $20 for a ticket to come into a footy game it doesn’t give you the right to abuse people.
‘I wasn’t aware of that, that’s the first time I’ve heard of that kind of content being delivered towards Reece, and that’s terrible.
‘Like seriously, why would you say stuff like that?
‘He wears his heart on his sleeve and it’s an emotional game. He probably shouldn’t have done what he did.’
Reports have emerged that Raiders fans referenced Walsh’s daughter Leila (pictured) in verbal abuse during the match
Walsh was behind one of the finest comebacks in NRL finals history despite the drama
The headbutting incident is the second that Walsh has been accused of in his career, with the Queenslander copping a grade-two striking charge for one in State of Origin in 2023.
A grade-two dangerous contact or striking charge would this time be enough to end Walsh’s season, unless he was able to successfully fight it at the NRL judiciary.
However, it was reported on Monday morning that the NRL is preparing to fine Walsh rather than suspend him.
‘I’d have to have a look at it, they were at each other a little bit,’ Broncos coach Maguire said of the matter.
‘It was probably more just conversation, we’ll have a look at it down the track.
‘There is emotion out there. They were both sent for a reason, so you move on.’
Stuart was less forgiving.
‘Well, they’ve set a precedent now, you’re allowed to headbutt,’ the Raiders coach said.
‘They got it 100 per cent wrong, but we shouldn’t make it about that because it was an unbelievable promotion of the game itself.’
Walsh could also face sanction for sticking the finger up at the GIO Stadium crowd as he left for the sin-bin.
However that would likely only be a fine, and would not carry any risk of him missing Brisbane’s preliminary final against either Canterbury or Penrith.
The other judiciary concern for the Broncos is captain Pat Carrigan, who was sin-binned shortly after Walsh for a shoulder charge on Morgan Smithies.
But even for all the drama, what can’t be denied is the brilliance of Walsh and the importance of him being available for Brisbane’s title shot.
Neither he nor Carrigan saw Canberra take charge of the game while sitting in the sin-bin together, but when the fullback returned he made the match his own.
‘The conversation was pretty clear, it was just let’s get out there and have a crack,’ Carrigan said.
‘He was just saying let’s go after this game, let’s get another shot … He’s clear and he backs himself.’
Brisbane are, meanwhile, hopeful that Payne Haas’ left ankle issue is not serious.
But there are real concerns over second-rower Brendan Piakura, with fears he suffered a depressed cheekbone in the first half of Sunday’s match.
