‘Had a conversation’: Real reason behind Walsh’s QLD snub for Origin opener — Origin Daily
Blues great James Maloney has lifted the lid on the real reason behind Broncos star Reece Walsh’s shock omission from Billy Slater ’s Queensland team for State of Origin I. Despite being the incumbent Kangaroos fullback, Walsh was overlooked for a Maroons recall in favour of Knights star Kalyn Ponga and he couldn’t even grab a spot on the bench.
Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports |WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. The unusual snub of Walsh, given his heroics in leading the Broncos to the 2025 title and the Kangaroos to an Ashes series sweep was a huge point of conjecture when the Queensland team was named.
However, Maloney revealed on the Extended Bench Podcast that the call came from Walsh due to his limited game time since returning from a facial fracture.
“I heard that Reece Walsh had a conversation with Billy Slater and he just said with his facial fracture that he just isn’t 100 per cent,” Maloney revealed on news.com.au’s Extended Bench. “To me that makes sense. I don’t know why else you’d leave him out and I don’t think Billy would leave him out if he was alright.
“But if he’s said I’m not quite right then he went okay I’ll leave you and I reckon he’s a big chance of being involved in Game 2 and 3. “If you’re not 100 per cent confident and you have to put your body on the line and you’re concerned about it, it would be a problem.
”Maloney conceded the Blues would be happy not to see Walsh’s name in the team sheet, but feels it is the right call if the Broncos star was not 100 per cent fit.
“I think as a New South Welshman I am happy for Reece Walsh not to be there. If we’re talking about leg speed and as guys get tired the last thing you want is Kalyn Ponga, Hammer and Walsh somewhere that’s a scary prospect as people are getting tired on the field,” Maloney said.
“ if you’re not at full strength and you can’t train, you can’t do all that stuff and everything to the you know to your best abilities. “If you got to sit out of sessions and different things, then it’s sort of you’re better off to go with someone who’s 100 per cent fit.
”Earlier former Blues five-eighth Luke Keary felt there was more to Walsh’s omission than Slater was letting on, especially given Cameron Smith left him out of his Origin team weeks ago.
“Last week Cam Smith, Queensland legend and very close friend of Billy Slater, named his Queensland team and it didn’t have Reece Walsh in it. “Cam Smith works at the Brisbane Broncos as a leadership consultant, so he’s obviously close with Reece and that team, for him to not have in that team, it was very, very bizarre to me. Very bizarre.
'Sua'ali'i send off, winning QLD decider | 06:35 Keary agreed that Walsh may have had a conversation with Slater that ruled him out of contention for game one. “It’s obviously a conversation Billy will have with Reece in the background. “I just find it very hard to believe that the Clive Churchill medallist, the best player in the Ashes series, he’s probably the best player, behind Nathan Cleary, when he’s on — and he hasn’t been off this year.
“He got injured, but he hasn’t been off, and Kalyn’s been injured too. This isn’t like Kalyn’s absolute lit up the competition. ”
Please follow us on Google to support us Cameron Smith Luke Keary Season Opener Australia And New Zealand Real Reason Billy Billy Slater Facial Fracture Team Weeks Jake Trbojevic Real Reason Reason Billy Slater Shock Omission Rebuilding Team Oceania New Zealand Reece Walsh Origin Michael Maguire Leadership Consultant James H. Maloney Series Sweep Mitch Barnett Brisbane Broncos Team Sheet
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
QLD State of Origin Squad Unveiled: Ponga & Walker Selected Ahead of Walsh, Cherry-Evans & PlathQueensland coach Billy Slater named his squad for Game 1 of the 2026 State of Origin series, with selectors having to grapple with intriguing picks and promising performances.
Read more »
Newsworthy Decisions and Origin Call-ups in NRLThe text discusses the potential changes made by the Warriors regarding their star player Tanah Boyd and the challenge posed by upcoming Origin call-ups, which will impact NRL teams' rosters.
Read more »
Origin teams in the dark with season-long fears lingering: ‘I don’t know’A worst-case scenario threatens to detract from the fabric of what makes State of Origin so popular.
Read more »
Making sense of Reece Walsh's State of Origin omissionReece Walsh's generational run to end 2025 was almost without peer, but he has rejoined the ranks of the mortals to start this year.
Read more »