- Reece Walsh reportedly agrees new deal with Brisbane
- He will earn $5 million over the life of his contract
- But Andrew Johns says the new deal is a ‘bargain’ for the Broncos
Reece Walsh has reportedly agreed a contract extension with the Brisbane Broncos that will see the youngster earn $5 million.
But according to Andrew Johns, the Broncos are the most successful.
The star player has been the subject of a contract saga for almost 12 months, but the Courier Mail reports that the Broncos have broken the impasse and reached an agreement with their best player.
This means Walsh will no longer be able to negotiate with rival clubs after November 1, while NRL stars are allowed to do so when they enter the final year of their contracts.
Despite receiving a significant pay rise and becoming the highest paid player in the club’s history at $1.1 million per year, Walsh is reportedly much more valuable and other clubs could have offered him more money.
But Walsh’s love for Brisbane and his teammates is so great that he has backtracked on his original demand of $6 million.
Johns is confident Brisbane will be extremely happy with the deal.
“It’s a steal. It’s an absolute steal. If he stays on the field,” Johns said.
Former NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler added: “From the Broncos’ point of view it’s a bargain.”
Reece Walsh has reportedly penned a new deal with the Brisbane Broncos
Football legend Andrew Johns says the Broncos have an absolute ‘bargain’
Billy Slater, Walsh’s coach at Queensland, said: “He’s 22 years old and has played 75 NRL games. The next 125 games are with the Broncos and that will be the best period of his career.”
‘I’ve worked closely with Reece, he’s got a great work ethic. He’s a very respectful young man – he feels like he’s a bit of a larrikin and likes the limelight, but he works very hard and he loves the game of football.
“The great thing for the Broncos is you’ve got this young star who wants to be a Bronco. Imagine how many clubs would want Reece Walsh.”