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Walsh "should be nervous" over headbutt amid ban threat
SEN • September 15th, 2025 10:53 am
Reece Walsh, Pat Carrigan and Michael Maguire “won’t have slept a wink” on Sunday night ahead of the NRL releasing their match review decisions from the Broncos’ incredible 95th minute victory over the Raiders, according to Michael Ennis.
Walsh copped 10 minutes in the sin bin after a run-in with Hudson Young which some have labelled a full-on head butt while others describe as more of a nudge.
Carrigan meanwhile was sinbinned for a shoulder charge on Raiders forward Morgan Smithies just moments after Walsh left the field.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart was adamant Walsh should have been sent-off for his conduct and says the NRL will “set a precedent” if he’s not banned.
“It will be a really nervous day for Brisbane,” Ennis who used to work alongside Stuart, said on SENQ Breakfast. “As high as they were last night it will instantly turn to nerves.
“I’m not sure McGuire Carrigan and Walsh will have slept a wink last night.
“There was so much carnage going on. When I initially watched it, I thought they’re in each other’s grill a bit.
“I watched it later and I think he will be nervous, he really leans in with some force. They will look at it closely.
“We love Walsh, no one wants him out of the prelim.
“There will be so much pressure today. If there’s a job you don’t want it’s being on that Match review committee. You would not want to be in there today.”
When Walsh returned from the sin bin he produced 15 of the best minutes Ennis has seen of an individual player.
A Ben Hunt field goal ensured the Brisbane Broncos will host a preliminary final at Suncorp in two weeks time after a resounding 29-28 win.
“Everything good yesterday that happened around Brisbane’s attack was because of Walsh,” Ennis continued. “Brisbane went in there to play Origin style.
“There’s Nathan Cleary and Walsh that seem to be able to do things on a field at times in the games that others can’t.
“That 15 minutes from Walsh was as good as I’ve ever seen from any individual.
“They were sinking and suffocating, they were gone at 28-12, it was all over.
“Brisbane’s attack was finding no holes.
“At times it looked like they were on different pages. Then the camera pans to Walsh who comes on the field and on he went and he destroyed them it was phenomenal.”
