Reece Walsh’s ex-girlfriend, Freda Puru, has shared a heartwarming message on social media revealing how her mother has inspired her to be the best parent she can to her young daughter, Leila.
The Brisbane star and Freda reunited on Sunday evening at the NRL Grand Final, as the 23-year-old full-back led the Broncos to a sensational comeback victory against the Melbourne Storm in Sydney.
After the match, heartwarming scenes erupted as the 2025 Clive Churchill Medallist welcomed his daughter Leila onto the pitch. He held Leila’s hand as he walked onto the trophy podium to collect his premiership ring and was later seen putting the ring on Leila’s finger as the pair celebrated Brisbane’s first NRL Grand Final victory in 19 years.
In May 2023, Daily Mail revealed that Walsh and Freda had split after having been together for nearly five years.
And since then, the pair have been candid about their lives as parents and how they are raising Leila together, with Freda taking to Instagram this week to hail her own mum for teaching her several important messages about life.
‘Appreciation post to my lady,’ Freda wrote, publishing a heartwarming picture of her mum, Ellen, holding her daughter, Leila, who was tucking into a bowl of ice cream.
Reece Walsh’s ex-girlfriend Freda Puru has shared a heartwarming message revealing how her mother has inspired her to be the best mum she can to her young daughter, Leila (pictured: Freda’s mum Ellen with Freda’s daughter Leila)
It was revealed that Freda and Reece Walsh (pictured) had split up in 2023 but the pair have been open on how they have been navigating parenthood, with Freda revealing that her mum has been her inspiration
‘For everyone who compliments me on being a mum, it’s because I have the best example in front of me.
‘My mum has always shown me to put God first in everything I do. The good, the bad, the happy and sad.
‘She told me for years that love conquers all things.
‘When people are hard to love, love on them even harder.
‘She’s always said to “set the example” for my daughter. The ways of the world may be normal to everyone else, but I didn’t want that to be our normal.
‘If I lead with love in all things I do, at least I’d have no regrets.
‘When I look back, I’ll know I did everything I could and tried my hardest for my daughter. It wouldn’t matter how anyone else took it.
‘Best mum/nan ever I know.’
On Sunday, Walsh guided the Brisbane Broncos to their first premiership win in 19 years. After the game Walsh brought his daughter Leila onto the pitch to celebrate the victory
Leila was born in March 2021. Walsh made his State of Origin debut that year at the age of 18
Walsh has also previously opened up on his parenting journey, recently noting that Michael Maguire gave him some important advice earlier this year while he was injured.
Walsh spent around seven weeks on the sidelines after suffering a PCL injury during the Broncos’ victory against the New Zealand Warriors in April.
It was here that his coach, Maguire, told the 23-year-old to just spend some time with his young daughter and not think too much about playing football.
‘Mate to be honest, when I got injured, I had a lot of time away from the game, away from the boys and that was from Madge [Maguire].
‘Telling me, when I am at home, be at home and enjoy those moments. I think at the start of the year, I was so heavily invested in footy. Which is obviously a good thing.
‘But sometimes it gets a little bit too much, you’re sitting up at night watching a film at home and my little one is there playing and I’m on my phone looking at clips.’
‘To be honest, I felt like it got a little bit too much for me. When I got that injury, I reset, I let myself be the footy player at work.
‘When I was at home, I just enjoyed being dad, being a son to my old man. We got on the tools together, we were enjoying those moments.
Walsh and Puru are pictured at a game with their daughter, Leila, when the footy star was playing for the New Zealand Warriors
The footy star was seen hoisting Leila onto his shoulders as Brisbane lifted the trophy on Sunday
‘When I came back, I sort of had the mentality of when I am in the building work hard, when I am out enjoy my time… that was probably it.’
Walsh has also been open on his own upbringing, revealing that his relationship with his mother had been difficult after his mum had struggled with drug issues.
The 23-year-old, though, is doing everything he can to be the best dad for his daughter.
‘I love being a dad and I wouldn’t be back at the Broncos if it wasn’t for her [Leila],’ he said to Code Sports.
‘She is the best girl in the world and we do a lot together.
‘Not everything is about footy and a job. When I am in the facility, I am the footy player, but when I step out and see my little one and my family, I am a dad.’
He also paid tribute to his family and friends, who have played a huge part in helping him navigate being a parent and a professional footy player.
‘Having my mum and dad around, and my siblings there, they’re always willing to help out,’ he explained.
‘It just shows the quality of people I have around me. That’s what it comes down to.
‘There’s a saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ and it’s so true. I’m just really grateful and thankful I’ve got awesome people around me to help me out (with raising his daughter).
‘The reason I am who I am is because of them, so I’ll never forget that.’
