Reece Walsh’s “unfair” treatment has been highlighted after Brisbane’s fiery finals victory over the Raiders.
The Broncos fullback was hit with $4,800 in fines from Sunday’s clash — $3,000 for headbutting Hudson Young and another $1,800 for flipping off Raiders fans.
Walsh was loudly jeered by Canberra supporters throughout the match, with the abuse intensifying after he was sin-binned. As he made his way off the field, the 23-year-old responded by giving the crowd the middle finger.
On Monday, Karl Stefanovic suggested Walsh’s daughter had been dragged into the taunts, though the Raiders strongly denied that claim.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire, however, condemned the hostility, calling it “unfair” and praising Walsh’s character and commitment to fans.
“He cops plenty, and you don’t realize how much until you see it firsthand,” Maguire told The Courier Mail. “Reece loves family life, he gives back to the fans, and he’s always the last one on the bus because he’s signing autographs. The abuse is part of the game, but it’s not fair on him. I’ve seen a lot of growth and maturity in him this year.”
Teammate Ben Hunt also backed Walsh, saying the crowd had targeted him from the opening whistle.
“They were on to him from kickoff, trying to rattle him,” Hunt told 4BC. “It wasn’t smart for him to headbutt Hudson, but Hudson was in his face the whole time. Players and fans were booing him non-stop. Reece is still young and learning how to handle it. I’m sure he regrets it, but he just reacted.”
