NRL star Reece Walsh, 20, appears to have quietly ‘split’ from his longtime partner Freda Puru

NRL star Reece Walsh appears to have split from his girlfriend and the mother of his child, Freda Puru.

The 20-year-old Brisbane Broncos fullback and Puru are rumored to have gone their separate ways after reports began circulating on social media that the pair had split.

The couple shares a daughter – Leila Arohamauroa – who they welcomed in March 2021 when the Origin debutant was just 18 years old.

The pair have unfollowed each other on Instagram, with Walsh completely erasing all photos of his partner from his account.

Meanwhile, Puru’s Instagram account has been set to private and her bio reads, “My mini & me” – with no mention of Walsh.

A recent post from Walsh also shows him lying on an outdoor sofa hugging his daughter and dog Moana.

“My girls are growing up,” he wrote in the caption.

The pair appear to have split about a year ago, with Puru becoming conspicuously absent from Walsh’s family events and messages after their daughter’s first birthday.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Walsh’s manager for comment.

Walsh will make his State of Origin debut next week at fullback for Queensland, with Kalyn Ponga dropping out over concerns over his well-being following another headbutt.

Last year, while representing the New Zealand Warriors, Walsh admitted he had become “arrogant” over his partying and drug use leading up to his arrest for cocaine possession.

He was handcuffed in Surfers Paradise in September 2022 after failing to comply with a police ‘move on direction’ outside a nightclub near Cavill Avenue.

The then 19-year-old was filmed arguing with officers before being led away to a police station where an investigation revealed he was in possession of cocaine.

Walsh, who escaped with a $400 fine and good behavior bail, said he is “ashamed” of his actions and wants to be a better role model for his young fans.

“It was huge, I learned a big lesson about not thinking you’re better than everyone else and on top of the world,” he told the Courier Mail.

“I became complacent and arrogant. It’s been a huge learning curve. I’m glad I learned it at this age.’

He was suspended for two games and fined $5,000 by the NRL in addition to his criminal penalty.

Walsh previously said in a candid interview before his arrest that his mother’s drug addiction convinced him never to use drugs.

After having his first child with Puru at the age of 18, Walsh said he would never take drugs after learning his parent’s lessons.

“I wouldn’t say I don’t want to do drugs just because of my mom. It’s just my personal feelings,” Walsh told the Courier Mail in June 2022.

“It hasn’t been easy with my mother, but I still say that not everyone is as lucky as I am, many people have it worse than me.”

Walsh, whose idol growing up was Ben Barba – who was kicked out of the game after being caught possessing cocaine and assaulting his partner – said NRL players had to be “smart” when exposed to drugs.

“As an NRL player you have to be smart. There is always someone watching and there are little kids at home watching NRL players and dreaming of being like us,” he said at the time.

“I don’t want to set a bad example for young kids watching the game. I don’t want them to think it’s okay to do drugs.

“It’s all about setting examples for the next generation.”

Walsh told the Courier Mail he hasn’t had a drink since the arrest and says he’s using the incident as a learning curve.

“While it was disappointing and I was ashamed of what I did, I’m glad it happened now and not five or ten years later. I could have still done the same things and had bad habits,” he said.

“It’s something I can learn from and also tell my story to young kids who will come through when I’m a little older and more experienced.”

Walsh said he felt a lot better as a teetotaler and when he drank he was sometimes hungover from holding his child.

He addressed the Warriors’ fans via video after his arrest to admit he had the drugs on him and apologize for “getting himself into trouble.”

“I was told by some officers last night that I had to move on. I didn’t go any further and that led to me being arrested and taken back to the police station,” Walsh said.

‘When I returned to the police station I was searched and I was in possession of a bag of cocaine, of which I had some during the night.

“No one else is involved. It’s just me and I raise my hand. I never should have. It’s a mistake I made, I’m aware of that and I’m really sorry.’