A dash of Lockyer, a sprinkling of Slater: Walters thrilled with Reece lightning rise of NRL's fastest fullback

Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has likened the electrifying movement of star fullback Reece Walsh to club legend Darren Lockyer in a comparison that sums up the impact the 21-year-old is having on the team.

Walsh was rampant in the 42-12 preliminary final win over the Warriors and his performance in next Sunday’s grand final against Penrith will be vital in the outcome.

Walsh had six line-break assists and three try assists against the Warriors. Lockyer won four titles with the Broncos, three of them while playing in the No.1 jersey.

A hallmark of Lockyer’s play was to ghost into the line, beat the outside defenders with speed and set up his centres and wingers for tries with inch-perfect passes.

Walsh is quicker across the turf and has the same influence on play.

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

He has often been likened to a young Billy Slater but the Lockyer reference did not escape Walters.

“It’s not so much his speed, it’s the way he changes direction quickly,” Walters said.

“Billy Slater is the closest I have seen. Darren Lockyer was one of the fastest guys in that sort of movement that I played with. He gets across the ground rather quickly.”

Lockyer, who was working with the Nine Network commentary team on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium, was enthused with what he saw from Walsh.

“The doubt Reece is causing when he skips across the field at pace is causing havoc,” Lockyer said.

“Every time … he is running with speed.”

Those comments could easily have been made about a young Lockyer in his pomp.

Broncos legend and four-time premiership winner Steve Renouf was in the sheds after the Warriors win. 

Many of his 142 Broncos tries came off Lockyer passes and Renouf noted the Walsh similarities.

“Like Locky, what Reece does for this team is amazing. He did it on the left side tonight, as well and what he does on the right side with (Kotoni) Staggs and (Selwyn) Cobbo is lethal,” Renouf said.

“Reece just creates space for everyone outside him. 

“When have we seen Kotoni run a hole? Only with Reece (involved). Kotoni wants to run over people like Justin Hodges used to, but Reece brings Kotoni in.”

Walters said halfback, captain and 2014 premiership winner Adam Reynolds was the “big fish” the Broncos initially signed last year.

Walsh was at the Broncos in 2021 and left for the Warriors before returning this season. “He is a bigger, faster fish … and a younger one too,” Walters said of the Walsh re-signing.

That’s an off-the-cuff Walters-style comment but a telling assessment of Walsh’s pedigree. The young gun threw a cut-out pass early against the Warriors that was intercepted by winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who scored. 

That did not dent his confidence one bit. “I was fortunate enough to coach Billy Slater at the Storm and he had the same mindset,” Walters said.

“It is a great skill of his to do what he does, but then to move on. He is very strong-minded to be able to do that, because a lot of other blokes would fall by the wayside.”