Rookie halfback Joey Walsh has produced a spectacular performance for the club's Jersey Flegg Cup side in his first match in Manly Sea Eagles colours.
Sidelined for the club's pre-season matches due to illness, it took the 18-year-old less than 20 minutes to show fans that he is the 'Future of Manly' as he scored three tries in quick succession against the New Zealand Warriors in the Jersey Flegg Cup competition.
Touted as Daly Cherry-Evans' future success at Manly, he took apart the Warrior's defence whenever the ball landed in his hands and showed that he had earned the right to be considered one of the best young playmakers in rugby league.
View this post on Instagram
A star cross-code athlete, Walsh was a member of the CABE Junior Blues squad in 2022 alongside the likes of Jesse McLean, Blaize Talagi, Samuela Fainu and Chevy Stewart after spending time in the Sydney Roosters pathways system.
He was also named the captain of the U18s Australian rugby union team last year and played alongside future NRL talent Mitchell Woods and Alex Conti for the NSW Waratahs at the U16 National Rugby Championship in 2022.
Transitioning from the 15-man code to rugby league, Walsh will remain with the Sea Eagles for the next three seasons after signing a three-year deal with the club until the end of the 2027 season.
"He's electric. Fantastic young player with all of the skills and abilities," Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans told Zero Tackle in December about his future successor.
"I've only met him once, but he was a fantastic kid, and I reckon he's just going to absorb everything that our club and the game has to offer.
"No doubt he's going to be there one day playing for Manly for sure."
Hailing from Narraweena Hawks Club, big things are expected of Walsh, and he has continually been named as the player who will take over from skipper Daly Cherry-Evans once he retires.
Considered the future of the halves alongside Onitoni Large, the duo are seen as long-term players at the club and could potentially get their first taste of first grade this season.
"Joey is a Northern Beaches boy who went to St Augustine's College, Brookvale. He was an elite schoolboy rugby player who captained the Australian U18 side at flyhalf," Anthony Seibold told Manly Media.
"He has played junior representative rugby league and is someone who we have been tracking for the last 18 months. We feel Joey can be an NRL player in the future.
"The transition from union to rugby league means there will be a lot of learning for him in his first year, but we feel like he can be an elite half-back.
"We've got some really good players that can mentor him and some really good coaches to help him grow.
"I'm really pleased that we have been able to give him this opportunity, being a local guy. We feel he can really progress his game over the next 12-24 months.โ
