Walsh makes Origin case as Broncos pip wounded Warriors
An improved Reece Walsh has pushed his State of Origin case as Brisbane held on for a 26-12 win over an injury-hit New Zealand Warriors.
The Broncos fullback laid on a try assist, his 11th of the season, on the cusp of halftime and also made a remarkable try-saving tackle against his former team at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
The performance came in a third-straight win for his side (8-7) and hours after incumbent Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was ruled out of the Origin series decider with a foot injury.
Walsh has battled knee soreness of his own in recent weeks but was unflinching in his final test before coach Billy Slater, who picked Walsh at fullback for all three games last season, names his Queensland side for the July 9 clash on Monday.
"Reece is ready, it's whether or not they decide to go that way," Brisbane coach Michael Maguire, who led the Blues last year, said.
"I actually think Reece's footy is getting better.
"He was spoken about earlier in the season about where he was at when he first came into rounds one to five, but I think defensively Reece really grew through that period."
A crowd of 43,434 piled in for the first of two games at the venue on Saturday, with the relocated Dolphins v South Sydney clash at night a separately-ticketed event.
Seeking a record seventh-consecutive victory away from Mt Smart Stadium, Andrew Webster's Warriors (10-5) were off the pace but then rallied despite losing key troops in the second half.
Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (knee) didn't return after the break while halfback Luke Metcalf (knee) also hobbled off after Brendan Piakura, who was placed on report, folded him as he passed.
Both will have scans on their return to Auckland and fears are the injuries could be long-term ones.
"Spoke to the doctors, they said it could be a number of things," coach Andrew Webster said.
"Two weeks in a row we haven't executed ... but so much spirit.
"That crowd out there, playing in moments like that, we're only going to get better.
"I said to the boys, 'A lot of other clubs would love what you guys have got'."
Adam Reynolds' pinpoint grubber kick found a rampaging Kotoni Staggs for the first try before Ezra Mam's long cut-out pass put Josiah Karapani over.
Walsh set up Gehamat Shibasaki on the bell for an 18-0 halftime lead, the centre's body landing awkwardly on Nicoll-Klokstad's legs as he attempted to save the try.
Walsh then beat four men only to be held up over the line to begin the second half.
The Broncos fullback had earlier denied Chanel Harris-Tavita a try when he somehow got his body under the ball.
Harris-Tavita then missed another chance when he knocked on attempting to ground a loose ball.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck finally had the visitors' first try after 45 minutes as they attempted to drag themselves into the contest.
Walsh got involved again, earning the ire of Warriors fans when he won a penalty for being taken out while chasing a Reynolds kick.
Reynolds' two-pointer made it 20-6 and then Shibasaki fumbled what would have been the match-sealer with 15 minutes to play.
Leka Halasima collected a bomb at the other end to give the Warriors life at 20-12.
But wide-open Warriors winger Edward Kosi knocked on with the line in sight and the Broncos got out of jail, Shibasaki eventually scoring the match-sealer.
An improved Reece Walsh has pushed his State of Origin case as Brisbane held on for a 26-12 win over an injury-hit New Zealand Warriors.
The Broncos fullback laid on a try assist, his 11th of the season, on the cusp of halftime and also made a remarkable try-saving tackle against his former team at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
The performance came in a third-straight win for his side (8-7) and hours after incumbent Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was ruled out of the Origin series decider with a foot injury.
Walsh has battled knee soreness of his own in recent weeks but was unflinching in his final test before coach Billy Slater, who picked Walsh at fullback for all three games last season, names his Queensland side for the July 9 clash on Monday.
"Reece is ready, it's whether or not they decide to go that way," Brisbane coach Michael Maguire, who led the Blues last year, said.
"I actually think Reece's footy is getting better.
"He was spoken about earlier in the season about where he was at when he first came into rounds one to five, but I think defensively Reece really grew through that period."
A crowd of 43,434 piled in for the first of two games at the venue on Saturday, with the relocated Dolphins v South Sydney clash at night a separately-ticketed event.
Seeking a record seventh-consecutive victory away from Mt Smart Stadium, Andrew Webster's Warriors (10-5) were off the pace but then rallied despite losing key troops in the second half.
Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (knee) didn't return after the break while halfback Luke Metcalf (knee) also hobbled off after Brendan Piakura, who was placed on report, folded him as he passed.
Both will have scans on their return to Auckland and fears are the injuries could be long-term ones.
"Spoke to the doctors, they said it could be a number of things," coach Andrew Webster said.
"Two weeks in a row we haven't executed ... but so much spirit.
"That crowd out there, playing in moments like that, we're only going to get better.
"I said to the boys, 'A lot of other clubs would love what you guys have got'."
Adam Reynolds' pinpoint grubber kick found a rampaging Kotoni Staggs for the first try before Ezra Mam's long cut-out pass put Josiah Karapani over.
Walsh set up Gehamat Shibasaki on the bell for an 18-0 halftime lead, the centre's body landing awkwardly on Nicoll-Klokstad's legs as he attempted to save the try.
Walsh then beat four men only to be held up over the line to begin the second half.
The Broncos fullback had earlier denied Chanel Harris-Tavita a try when he somehow got his body under the ball.
Harris-Tavita then missed another chance when he knocked on attempting to ground a loose ball.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck finally had the visitors' first try after 45 minutes as they attempted to drag themselves into the contest.
Walsh got involved again, earning the ire of Warriors fans when he won a penalty for being taken out while chasing a Reynolds kick.
Reynolds' two-pointer made it 20-6 and then Shibasaki fumbled what would have been the match-sealer with 15 minutes to play.
Leka Halasima collected a bomb at the other end to give the Warriors life at 20-12.
But wide-open Warriors winger Edward Kosi knocked on with the line in sight and the Broncos got out of jail, Shibasaki eventually scoring the match-sealer.
An improved Reece Walsh has pushed his State of Origin case as Brisbane held on for a 26-12 win over an injury-hit New Zealand Warriors.
The Broncos fullback laid on a try assist, his 11th of the season, on the cusp of halftime and also made a remarkable try-saving tackle against his former team at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
The performance came in a third-straight win for his side (8-7) and hours after incumbent Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga was ruled out of the Origin series decider with a foot injury.
Walsh has battled knee soreness of his own in recent weeks but was unflinching in his final test before coach Billy Slater, who picked Walsh at fullback for all three games last season, names his Queensland side for the July 9 clash on Monday.
"Reece is ready, it's whether or not they decide to go that way," Brisbane coach Michael Maguire, who led the Blues last year, said.
"I actually think Reece's footy is getting better.
"He was spoken about earlier in the season about where he was at when he first came into rounds one to five, but I think defensively Reece really grew through that period."
A crowd of 43,434 piled in for the first of two games at the venue on Saturday, with the relocated Dolphins v South Sydney clash at night a separately-ticketed event.
Seeking a record seventh-consecutive victory away from Mt Smart Stadium, Andrew Webster's Warriors (10-5) were off the pace but then rallied despite losing key troops in the second half.
Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (knee) didn't return after the break while halfback Luke Metcalf (knee) also hobbled off after Brendan Piakura, who was placed on report, folded him as he passed.
Both will have scans on their return to Auckland and fears are the injuries could be long-term ones.
"Spoke to the doctors, they said it could be a number of things," coach Andrew Webster said.
"Two weeks in a row we haven't executed ... but so much spirit.
"That crowd out there, playing in moments like that, we're only going to get better.
"I said to the boys, 'A lot of other clubs would love what you guys have got'."
Adam Reynolds' pinpoint grubber kick found a rampaging Kotoni Staggs for the first try before Ezra Mam's long cut-out pass put Josiah Karapani over.
Walsh set up Gehamat Shibasaki on the bell for an 18-0 halftime lead, the centre's body landing awkwardly on Nicoll-Klokstad's legs as he attempted to save the try.
Walsh then beat four men only to be held up over the line to begin the second half.
The Broncos fullback had earlier denied Chanel Harris-Tavita a try when he somehow got his body under the ball.
Harris-Tavita then missed another chance when he knocked on attempting to ground a loose ball.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck finally had the visitors' first try after 45 minutes as they attempted to drag themselves into the contest.
Walsh got involved again, earning the ire of Warriors fans when he won a penalty for being taken out while chasing a Reynolds kick.
Reynolds' two-pointer made it 20-6 and then Shibasaki fumbled what would have been the match-sealer with 15 minutes to play.
Leka Halasima collected a bomb at the other end to give the Warriors life at 20-12.
But wide-open Warriors winger Edward Kosi knocked on with the line in sight and the Broncos got out of jail, Shibasaki eventually scoring the match-sealer.
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"He's three metres onside. So it's like they just made that up. "They (the NRL) probably will give me crap that it's foul play or something. That's the first infringement. I don't know how they miss it. "I'm not a touch, I'm not a ref. I was down there and I could see it." The prospect of charging on without his influential pair hasn't dented Webster's hopes though, given the talent underneath them. "Going into Round 1, we've got four elite halfbacks," Webster said. "We have Tanah Boyd, Te Maire Martin, Chanel (Tavita-Harris), Luke Metcalf. So we've got a lot to choose from there. "But if Charnze is out, we've got Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck." Bench utility Martin impressed at hooker, fullback and halfback on Saturday night as the injuries mounted. "I don't think many clubs have a bloke who can do that," Webster said. "We've got lots of options. "That's why we've got heaps of faith." NRL Swiss army knife Te Maire Martin has helped to quell the despair after a pair of potentially serious injuries and some questionable calls in the New Zealand Warriors' Brisbane loss. The Warriors' (10-5) second-straight defeat, 26-12 on Saturday, came as Luke Metcalf and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad both limped off with knee injuries. They'll have scans on their return to Auckland and coach Andrew Webster conceded the star halfback and fullback could be out for the season. Nicoll-Klokstad's legs were pinned awkwardly as Gehamat Shibasaki scored the first of his two tries while Metcalf was hammered as he passed the ball by Brendan Piakura, who was later placed on report. "We're going to have to get back to New Zealand and find out," Webster said. "But certainly won't be playing in two weeks, I can tell you that much ... all possibilities on the table at the moment." 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