NSW players have declared they are coming for Reece Walsh – again. And they’re making no apologies for it.
Walsh lasted just seven minutes in game one before he was knocked out by Joseph Suaalii in a hit which, some Maroons have suggested, was part of a deliberate ploy to take Walsh out of the game.
Back-rower Liam Martin flattened Walsh at the end of Queensland’s first set in Sydney, then launched himself into the fullback after he slipped with his second carry of the game.
Martin – once dubbed a “grub” by the Queensland press – said he could not wait to terrorise Walsh again in game two a week on Wednesday.
“We’ll make it tough for him,” Martin said. “He’ll certainly know that from the first minute of the game. If you give him time and space, he’s such a skilful player and will do some incredible stuff. It was everyone’s role to go after him.
“It was unfortunate that accident happened. It’s the Origin arena. You try to find moments to get into them, and get under their skin.
The Blues are coming for Reece Walsh – again – in Melbourne.Credit: Getty
“He’s such an integral part of their team – you have to go after him. Nothing will change [in Melbourne]. You never intentionally look to hurt or injure anyone, but that physicality will certainly still be there.”
Martin said he had not bothered to listen to the complaints from north of the border. The likes of Johnathan Thurston, Gorden Tallis and Walsh’s Brisbane coach, Kevin Walters, wanted more to be done to protect the fullback.
NSW coach Michael Maguire fired a shot at Queensland on Monday when he urged them to “make sure you don’t live in glass houses” when it came to making accusations.
Walsh was stood down under the game’s concussion protocols having been knocked unconscious in game one, and the clash in Melbourne will be his first hit-out in 21 days.
Martin was unsure if Walsh would carry any emotional scars, but was happy to test him out – and expected his teammates to try and shield him.
“The last couple of years we’ve seen what he’s capable of,” Martin said. “Like I said, if you give him time and space, he can do some pretty freakish stuff.
“I can’t speak about his mentality. I heard he passed his HIAs. Hopefully he didn’t have too many symptoms afterwards.
“But it’s Origin, it’s footy. Once you’re on the field, you do whatever you can. You have each others’ backs. You have to look after your mate.”
Martin received a painkilling injection for a toe injury he suffered just before half-time at Accor Stadium, but returned for Penrith against Newcastle on Sunday.
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