Reece Walsh was involved in a tense exchange with a reporter who quizzed him about his club form at the Queensland camp.
The Brisbane Broncos star was somewhat controversially selected for Origin II due to his poor club form this season.
Billy Slater has refused to elaborate on his decision to recall Walsh to his 20-man Maroons team.
And tensions seemed to boil over somewhat during Queensland’s media day on Tuesday as Walsh faced some questions over his performances.
During the exchange a reporter asked the 23-year-old, ‘A lot of people have made comments, talking about your form for the Broncos, how do you feel about your own form? Will you be able to lift your game for an Origin game?’
‘I think the only opinion that matters is you guys,’ the champion fullback said while cutting a frustrated figure.
Reece Walsh cut a frustrated figure as questions were raised around his club form
Reece Walsh has been called up to the Queensland bench despite a poor run of form for his club side
The Brisbane Broncos find themselves in 12th this season having lost eight games
The reporter then continued to push him on his form as Walsh fired back, ‘Well what do you think of it?’
The journalist then responded, ‘I think you go alright, better than I can do.’
Walsh replied: ‘I appreciate that’, triggering another question from the same reporter, who said: ‘How do you go? What do you think of your own form? I’m not being a smarta**.’
Walsh then added, ‘I know. It’s alright. I’m looking forward to working here in Queensland and putting my best foot forward for Queensland.
‘That’s where my mindset is at.
‘The way the game is going these days, the ball-in-play and the penalty count, it’s crazy at the moment.
‘To have some big bodies tired through the middle … if I get an opportunity to do a job in whatever position, I will do it.’
Walsh has been named on the subs bench for the Maroons for Origin II, and it is a role he is fully embracing.
‘I can bring some spark, I can be that point of difference.
‘Tired bodies … that’s something I hunt for in games and if I do play a short or long time (in Origin II), I’m prepared to do it for the team.’
He has also opened himself up to the possibility of playing in the halves and believes linking up with Billy Slater could be what he needs to get himself back to his best.
He has also said he will try to use his 2025 Premiership final heroics as a point of inspiration.
‘I have been in big games, I have experienced big games and I know what it takes to play in a big game,’ he said.
‘That’s confidence in itself.’
‘I played in the halves until I was about 17,’ he said.
‘Obviously it’s a bit different in the NRL, but the way I watch footy and the detail that I go into about footy, I wouldn’t be shy of stepping into that position.
‘I wouldn’t say I was expecting a call or anything like that, but I was pleased I got the call from Bill.
‘I’ve played in the Queensland jersey before. It’s a challenge every time you run out there and it’s a game you want to be a part of.
‘I feel like us (Ponga and Walsh) together would be pretty cool, it would be pretty scary to be honest.’
