The Broncos fullback is remaining humble as his teammates look to shut down the critics in 2025.

Reece Walsh has revealed a special moment with his daughter during the 2023 NRL grand final week that helped ground him as the fullback moves to shut down the ‘rockstar’ claims. Walsh and the Broncos have been battling speculation the dressing room is full of ‘rockstars’ with the players becoming too big for their boots.

The Broncos failed to back-up the heights of their 2023 campaign the following year as they tumbled out of the eight. Kevin Walters was axed as head coach with Michael Maguire was brought in to shake things up with claims standards had dropped

Meanwhile, Walsh has been the centre of attention at the Broncos after signing a new $5 million deal with the club. With that, scrutiny has followed with questions over his off-field life.

Walsh caused a stir among some in the NRL community after he was captured wearing sunglasses in the sheds ahead of the 2023 grand final. The Broncos lost the final to Penrith and criticism gathered steam with the team following it up with a dismal year in 2024

Doubts crept into the fanbase with some questioning whether the players had bought into the media hype around how good the team was after many suggested a Broncos dynasty was on the horizon. And while Walsh has already hit back at the ‘rockstar’ claims, he has also revealed the role his daughter plays in his life.

Walsh was quick to reiterate how – just like all parents – his life revolves around his daughter Leila. This is despite going about his day as an NRL superstar. And after all the hype and chaos leading into the 2023 grand final, Walsh revealed it was his daughter that brought him back to earth. And she continues to do so

“Everyone is going through tough moments, whether it’s at work or you have a shit day or wake up and don’t feel your best. I will go to training and come home and in a crappy mood – but she doesn’t care about that,” Walsh said about Leila to Channel 9’s Marlee & Me podcast.

“I look back to the grand final [in 2023], emotionally I was in another world, but she told me how much she loved me. She doesn’t know what’s going on or anything like that. In those moments, it brings out your true self and you forget about expectations.”