One of the most memorable things about the 2025 NRL season that will always stick with me was watching the rise of Reece Walsh from being a mercurial, sometimes erratic game breaker, to a premiership deciding superstar.
It takes a special type of player to do what Walsh achieved in the 2025 NRL Finals series. Only truely great players have the ability to decide games the way he did in every game he played. That is why I can’t wait to see he does during the 2026 NRL season.
Premiers Face A Tough Road
Every NRL Premiership winning team faces a gauntlet of team that focus on putting on their best performance against the champions from the pervious season. Thats what makes defending your title so difficult. It turns the season into a grind, where every single game you play is an important game.
How the 2026 Brisbane Broncos react to this new reality of how they will be viewed by opponents will be really interesting to watch. They go from being the hunters, to becoming the hunted. They go from looking to improve on the deficiencies of their rivals, to trying to stay one step ahead of the chasing pack.
This is where I think we could see a new level of performance out of Reece Walsh. To become a leader when ever team in the competition is out to get you, to show maturity when the grind of the season really kicks in, thats what I want to see out of him.
The Broncos may have other veteran players who you can look at as the clubs leaders, but the Broncos will only go as far as Reece Walsh takes them. That is a lot of pressure, and he showed in last years finals series he can handle it, but to now take that into every single game of the season and be expected to play his best, no excuses, no off games, it will be interesting to see how he handles the extra burden.
The Focus Of Every Single Opposition Coach
Every singe team will game-plan around Reece Walsh. Every opposition coach will be looking to break down his game and try to find weaknesses. The focus every week of every team will be to stop Walsh.
That is easier said than done…
Walsh showed in the finals series and by winning the Clive Churchill Medal in the 2025 Grand Final that when he is at his best, he simply can’t be stopped. His ability to inject himself into the play in the big moments, to lift his team, to make his teammates better, and to do it all while being absolutely immense in defence at the back, it was incredible to see.
I am looking forward to watching Walsh have those type of games again this season. It is something only the true greats can do. When all the pressure is on them, the opposition has planned every part of their game to try and shut them down, they still rise to the occasion and decide the contest.
In the past Walsh could have moments, but he could try too hard, make mistakes, or even float a little in and out of the contest. I don’t expect we will see that going forward however.
With the experience he picked up in last years finals, and even on the 2025 Kangaroo Tour, I think the next step in his development as great player will be there right from the first game.
Can The Broncos Defend Their Title?
I personally have the Brisbane Broncos as the title favourites in 2026. They didn’t lose any of their key players, I think overall they will grow from winning the Premiership, and with Walsh leading the way I think they will be very hard to beat this season.
Look for the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm to push them all the way, but right now, I can’t see a reason why the Broncos can’t win back-to-back Premierships in 2026.
