The Brisbane Broncos have confirmed the re-signing of star fullback Reece Walsh on a four-year deal.
The contract will see Walsh extend his time with the Red Hill-based operation until at least the end of the 2029 season, given he was already contracted with the club for the coming 2025 season.
The 22-year-old has been in talks with the Broncos over the contract for many months, and it's believed the deal will see him move onto more than a million dollars per season, making it the largest contract in Brisbane history.
"It's a special place here at the Broncos, and I'm definitely happy to be staying here at the club with all my mates – it's a good day. I've wanted to play for the Broncos since I was a little kid, so I'm just really excited to be here and looking forward to getting into pre-season and Round 1," Walsh said in a statement confirming the contract extension.
“I want to be someone who works hard, someone who brings success, someone who helps bring Premierships to this great club, but first of all, I've got to be a good person off the field, a caring dad, a good role model and I've got to work hard on my footy.
“I've had a few conversations with Madge, and hard work is one thing he touches on a lot – I can't wait to be around the boys again and get stuck into it together.
“As a player, you want to win, and being a part of the Broncos, that is expected, it's a massive club with amazing members and fans, and amazing people working at the club as well as all our families, so you're playing for more than just yourself.
“We didn't have the best year last year and we are all looking forward to getting back in and working really hard for each other and getting the Broncos back to where the club deserves to be.”
It comes at an intriguing time, as Brisbane prepares for Michael Maguire to take over the club following the end-of-season axing of Kevin Walters.
The Broncos' salary cap - already stretched - now takes another hit, with Walsh joining Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan as the club's highest-paid players.
It has been widely speculated the deal for Walsh will likely see at least one of Kotoni Staggs or Selwyn Cobbo - both off-contract at the end of 2025 and able to negotiate with rivals from November 1 - leave the club.
Walsh has played 74 NRL games, scoring 34 tries and adding 57 try assists since he made his debut with the New Zealand Warriors in 2021.