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Walsh's cheeky Panthers sledge highlights mindset switch
SEN • September 24th, 2025 2:02 pm
A cheeky six-word quip directed at Nathan Cleary highlights the incredible mindset shift Reece Walsh has undergone in recent months, according to Corey Parker who has hailed the Broncos star’s handling of pressure.
Walsh and his Brisbane teammates host the Panthers on Sunday afternoon with a place in the 2025 NRL Grand Final on the line.
With Ivan Cleary’s side looking to secure their sixth consecutive final and fifth straight premiership, the Broncos go into the clash as the underdogs, but Walsh is refusing to be written off.
Asked during a media day how he and his peers will handle superstar Nathan Cleary, Walsh said: "How does he deal with us?".
Then there is the question of how Broncos players will handle the lingering sting of the 2023 Grand Final ahead of this weekend’s re-match.
Two years ago, the Broncos led the Grand Final by 16 points before the Panthers did the unthinkable to claim the hat-trick.
But Parker believes the mindset shift we are seeing in Walsh signals a new approach from Brisbane and he is thrilled.
“It’s a big game, everyone is around, all the media attention, you’re in the spotlight,” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast. “They always ask about 2023, the scars, Nathan Cleary etc.
“For Reece, the easy thing would have been to flat back and say the Panthers are a great team and we will have to be at our best and just roll out these rubbish one liners.
“But the mind set we have seen from Reece, he has had time to reflect when he had his injury and his mindset in the last five weeks has completely changed.
“So much so that he gave that answer about Cleary and how they could do it, he said ‘well how will they handle us?’
“Thats the change in how Reece Walsh is thinking and it’s terrific.”
Taking nothing away from Cleary, Walsh was quick to laud his abilities.
"It's exciting and he is a world-class player and if you give him opportunities, he's gonna take it,” he said.
"It's the same as us - if they give us opportunities, we're gonna take it.
"(Penrith) are world-class. It's obviously shown why they've won it for the past four years. They play that long game and that's something that we're trying to get to.
"It's an awesome challenge for us this weekend, it's really exciting and I love playing against the best teams."
