Chad Townsend's message for Reece Walsh after narrow defeat to Brisbane
WRITTEN BYBRENDAN BRADFORD
@1bbradfo
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NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS V CANBERRA RAIDERS
BRISBANE BRONCOS
BRISBANE BRONCOS V NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
CANBERRA RAIDERS
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Warriors playmaker Chad Townsend backs Reece Walsh to learn and grow from last weekend's heartbreaking defeat to the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
Still in his first season in the NRL, Walsh is already a proven match-winner for the Warriors, but was left crestfallen after missing a tough conversion and a long-range two-point drop goal attempt in the dying stages of Sunday's 24-22 loss to Brisbane.
Townsend, who was playing his first game in the halves in a month after recovering from a shoulder injury, said the side wanted Walsh to have the ball in his hands in the closing stages of the game.
“
You want the ball in those situations. It’s what you live for. You dream about it and practise it.
“We backed him to kick it, it’s just unfortunate it didn’t go our way.”
After spending two seasons with the Warriors in no 2014 and 2015, Townsend is back at the club for the second half of 2021 before taking up a contract with the Cowboys next year.
With Tohu Harris injured, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Leeson Ah Mau granted releases, the 191-game 30-year-old is the most experienced player in Nathan Brown's squad.
He made a point of speaking with Walsh, who, despite being drafted into the Queensland State of Origin squad in June, has still only played 14 first grade matches.
“He was one of the first guys I saw after the game,” he said.
“I went over to him and just asked how he was feeling. He was devastated, he couldn’t really talk. He was speechless.
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I got him to make eye contact with me and just told him, ‘you’ve got a long career ahead. You’re not going to get every single opportunity, you’re going to make mistakes, you’re going to win the game sometimes and you’re going to lose the game sometimes. What’s important is you take a lesson out of it and learn from it.’
“An NRL career isn’t all rosy. It’s not all up the top. It’s a dead-set rollercoaster.
“The best thing about it is that he wanted the ball in that situation. You want your key guys to step up and want the ball. We can’t fault and will continue to back him.”
One of the most talented young players in the game, Walsh joined the Warriors from Brisbane in April.
Brown eased him into first grade, resisting the urge to play him in the halves full time despite a solid performance at five-eighth in a round eight win over North Queensland.
Townsend says there's a huge amount of pressure on Walsh's shoulders, and urged Warriors fans to be patient with his progression.
“People need to appreciate what he’s doing at such a young age,” he said.
“I think Reece has handled it really well. He’s got pressure, but he wants to step up, learn, and be a great player. We need to support him and find a way to take some pressure off as well.
“He handles the responsibility. He’s a huge part of this club and the way we play. He’s a big part of our attack and his positional play at fullback.
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He’s still learning the game and learning to become an NRL player.”
