https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/8eb790b839119b56c4d7c1ec6b524564
Reece is 18. He’s young,” he told media on Wednesday.
“People probably aren’t aware of it but he played two years ago at the end of the year for the Australian Schoolboys. Last year he didn’t play and he’d played two or three Q Cup games before he got to us.
“So for an 18-year-old to have only three or four games of footy in 18 months, then to become a starting first-grader in one of our more demanding positions is probably a little unrealistic or not fair to do every week.”
Brown added the club is “fortunate” to have a player with “Roger’s resume” who is willing to move to free up a spot in the side for Walsh.
But he adds that the club will “continue to manage him the best way we feel”, revealing he feels a sense of responsibility to the youngster’s parents.
“I do get when people watch him come on and see what he does and think I’m a bit of a dumbo,” he said.
“I’m happy to cop the medicine. Reece’s parents took a big punt on coming to us, so I’ve got an obligation to protect him somewhat.
“Am I overprotecting him? Maybe a little bit. But he’ll certainly start some games for us.
We want to win now but we’ve also got a kid who’s got a lot of years in the game.
Those comments and in particular the reference to Walsh’s parents changed Mannah’s mind.
“My view just changed in the last 30 seconds,” he said on NRL Tonight on Wednesday.
“I was of the opinion, get him in the team, he’s playing great, you’re a better team when he’s on the field, why wouldn’t you have him there?
“But watching that it’s actually coming from a good place that he wants to protect him and hearing that he owes it to his parents goes a long way.
