Reece Walsh denied last-ditch match winner as Eels snatch epic boilover

News.com.au

5 days ago

The Eels have beaten the Broncos 22-20 on the back of a Mitchell Moses masterclass after Reece Walsh was denied a last-ditch match winner in a thriller at Suncorp Stadium.
Moses was superb in his return from injury finishing with a linebreak assist and three try assists, while Origin winger Zac Lomax had a classy double and Josh Addo-Carr scored his 150th try and the match winner.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer >
Walsh had 147 run metres, a try assist and almost the match-winning try, but he finished with three errors in a rocks and diamonds display.
Xavier Willison was penalised for being third man in and making dangerous contact below the knee as the Eels took the lead through Mitchell Moses' boot.
Addo-Carr was penalised for an escort to give Adam Reynolds the chance to lock up the scores.
Walsh let a Moses bomb bounce to allow Sean Russell to produce a freak chip and chase try to give the Eels the lead.
Reynolds pounced on an intercept from Dean Hawkins' pass to run away and score a long-range try to square it up again.
Reynolds turned provider to put Kobe Hetherington through a hole and he did the rest to charge 30 metres to score and give the Broncos the lead before the break.
Moses put the ball on a dime for Lomax with a pinpoint try assist off the boot just before half-time.
Moses and Will Penisini combined to put Lomax over for a double as the Eels took back the lead.
Walsh produced a brilliant sidestep to slice through and set up Billy Walters for a try as the Broncos took back the lead.
Addo-Carr dived over in the corner for his milestone 150th try as the Eels took the lead yet again.
Walsh looked to have pounced on a Joash Papalii blunder to score a late match winner, but the try was ruled out due to the Broncos fullback being off-side.
The Eels held on for a deserved win in a seesawing epic to all but end Brisbane's top four hopes.
MOSES STARS IN 'BITTERSWEET' MOMENT FOR EELS FANS
Mitchell Moses proved why he's considered a top three halfback in the competition, starring for the Eels in his first game since Origin II.
Moses has endured a wretched run with injury over the past two seasons and in 2025, has only played in seven games.
It's no coincidence that Moses' poor luck with injury has correlated with the club's ordinary form but with the star half back on deck, Parramatta handed in one of their best performances of the season.
Moses was in everything good the Eels did and his elite kicking game was evident for all to see.
'It's probably bittersweet for Parra fans as it's an insight into what they've missed,' Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.
WALSH'S ACHILLES HEEL REARS UGLY HEAD
At his best Reece Walsh is the best attacking weapon in the game, but unless he cuts the errors out of his game he won't be the best.
Walsh put in a rocks and diamonds display to nearly pull the Broncos out of the fire, but his penchant for errors came back to bite him and his team.
Walsh had 147 run metres from 14 runs to go with three tackle busts, a linebreak and a try assist and nearly the match winning try.
But the fact he was off-side blew his chance at scoring the game winner and he also had three errors, a missed tackle and gave away the crucial penalty.
Walsh is an absolute freak of a player, but he needs to cut the errors out of his game if the Broncos want to go all the way to a drought-breaking premiership.