Historic tragedy: Reece Walsh’s secret gesture for former teammate’s daughter’ as Broncos fullback painted in new light…
Reece Walsh’s popularity has forced the Brisbane Broncos to take some absurd steps, but former teammate Alex Glenn has also shown the young fullback’s tender side. The Broncos had to start hiring security guards earlier this year in order to prevent supporters from invading the field during practices.
In all of NRL history, Walsh is possibly the most popular player. He has more social media followers than the official Broncos pages. His fame has gone so out of control, according to The Courier Mail, that after a training session, he found a young woman waiting in the back of his ute with flowers and a present.
Glenn, a former captain of the Broncos, provided additional information this week regarding Walsh’s fandom and the steps the team has had to take. On the “Ebbs and Flows” podcast, Glenn stated, “His status has been miles above anyone that’s ever been in rugby league.”
Sometimes the club needs to hire its own security for certain locations because he’s similar to Sonny Bill Williams. This, in my opinion, is the first indication that our team has had someone [with that status] enter the game with Reece Walsh. “Over the past two years, the club has had a lot to learn.
Though Reecey didn’t ask for it, when you get a handsome guy with green eyes and tanned skin, like him, you can’t help but notice that he’s killing it. Because our sport is one of entertainment, Walsh’s style of play is exciting, therefore what he does for the game is incredible.”
Walsh couldn’t quite achieve the same heights as he did in 2023 due to a turbulent year. The 22-year-old was a standout player for Queensland during the State of Origin series and assisted the Broncos in making it to the NRL grand final last year.
However, he sustained numerous injuries in 2024 and was unable to lead the Maroons in State of Origin, causing the Broncos to finish 12th and miss the playoffs. “I know he’s still a young man, I’ve got to commend his resilience in terms of how he keeps picking himself up every single day,” Glenn added. “Because that can drain your energy systems.”
Reece Walsh’s gesture that won over Alex Glenn’s daughter
Walsh cops his fair share of criticism and can be a lightning rod for controversy, but Glenn shared a story that shows how good he is as a teammate and club man. Walsh was coming through the Broncos ranks in 2020 when Glenn was captain, just before he retired in 2021.
But one moment at an end-of-season Christmas party told Glenn everything he needed to know about Walsh. “At the Christmas parties you get the rookie to be Santa, he was our Santa in our first year,” Glenn said.
“So my kids were getting presents from him dressed up as Santa, and now my daughter absolutely loves him. It’s cool to see him grow into the athlete that he is, but also as a father and as a person, it’s cool to be part of that journey.”
Walsh became a father at just 19 and credits his daughter Leila with keeping him grounded. She’s been spotted at games a number of times this year, including during the State of Origin series when he suffered a brutal KO in the opening minutes of Game 1.
