Walking back through the doors at Red Hill, Walsh is among his childhood friends – in many ways it’s like he never left.
But there is no doubt the 20-year-old has returned with much more confidence and experience.
“I’m really excited to be back. I spent two years away and it was a really big learning curve for myself,” Walsh said.
“I really took a lot out of those two years away, I think I’m better off for it, now I’m back, I’m bit more experienced and can bring a lot more back to the team.
“It feels good to be back, around the boys and the staff and the facilities, it brings me back to when I was a bit younger, I’m really enjoying it at the moment, it’s really exciting times.”
Walsh has been around the Broncos since he was 14.
Before that, he was a fan, dreaming of playing in the NRL.
He came up playing with a core group of young players who have now all transitioned into the top squad.
20 of the Broncos top 30 have come though the Broncos elite development pathway, many of whom, played alongside Walsh in the junior grades.
“It’s awesome to have home grown and local talent, it makes it an awesome culture and club,” he said.
“It’s interesting for me, I never really thought about first grade when I first got signed.
“I followed the Broncos ever since I was a little kid, when I got the opportunity to come up into the EPD system when I was young, there were a lot of good players in there. It was awesome.”
Walsh left for an opportunity to play at the Warriors – one he took with both hands.
He returns to Red Hill with 38 NRL appearances — and had it not been for an unfortunate injury — an Origin jersey to boot.
“I still get those butterflies, because I haven’t pulled on that Broncos jersey yet,” he said.
“Every time I think about it I get a bit emotional, I just think about the jersey presentation and what that is going to be like when I do get that jersey, and the number. I’m really looking forward to it, I can’t wait.”
While Walsh is yet to pull on the Brisbane jersey, it is clear he has an innate connection to the club.
“It means everything being here, If I’m being honest, it wasn’t until I left the Broncos it really hit how much I love the club and I want to put on that jersey.”
Reece Walsh
“I didn’t miss any games when I left, even though I was playing for the Warriors, I still watched every single Broncos game.
“I still had a lot of mates who played for the Broncos, that’s when I really thought that I loved the club and that I hoped one day if I get the opportunity to go back, I will.
“Being back feels like I’m at home, brings back a lot of memories and I can’t wait to make a lot of memories too.”
His time at the Warriors gave him a lot of lessons on and off the field, and he’ll be forever grateful to the club who gave him his first grade debut.
“When I left and went to the Warriors – I’m a kid now – but I was a lot younger – I think I had only played two Q Cup games and went straight in and was playing first grade,” he said.
“I took a lot out of those two years, I had a really good coaching staff and senior players around me, I loved my time there, they taught me a lot. I’ve come back a much more mature player, I’ve learned a lot of lessons on the ball and off it.
“It was a blessing in disguise to leave and come back, I don’t think I’d be in the position I’m in now, had I not taken those learnings and the opportunity. I learned a lot about what goes into being a first grader, what are the right and wrong things to do.
“I learned a lot of Nathan Brown and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck about finding a voice and telling the team which numbers and where to go, because if I don’t do that, I’m not doing my job for the team.
“I’ve come back and I want to bring that knowledge into here and then have a growth mindset and keep growing as a player. When you think of good fullbacks, you think of Teddy, Gutho, Papenhuyzen, Drinkwater, you watch them and they are doing everything. Their defence is good, they are involved in the game for 80 minutes.
“I look at my time at the Warriors and I’d have a moment in the game, then I would float in and out. Here I want to be on the ball, in the defence, I want to be doing everything and keep working hard. Those are my goals.”
Walsh knows there are no guarantees – he won’t simply be handed the fullback role – but he didn’t return to Red Hill to make up the numbers.
He desperately wants the No.1 jersey. He’s prepared to fight for it too.
“There’s obviously a lot of depth through the whole squad, in the fullback jersey you have Tesi, I think Herbie wants to have a crack there and then Me and Cobbo, have been doing reps there at fullback, it’s awesome competition and we are all pretty close, I think it makes it even better,” he said.
“It’s healthy competition, but I didn’t come back here to play any other position, I signed as a fullback and I want to take that jersey.
“I’ve got to keep working hard and keep trying to get better every day, I think it is really good and healthy for the squad. For myself, it will keep me accountable and keep me working hard, I’m really looking forward to it.”
And the ultimate goal is well and truly in his sights.
“It would mean everything to me to be able to be in a team that goes all the way and wins a grand final one day,” he said.
“When I was younger I was watching all these players, I watched Oatsey a lot, it would be pretty awesome to look back one day if we are really successful – the impact it has on the kids, that will bring more talent who wants to come to the club and pull on the Broncos jersey and represent the club.”
Source:broncos.com