There will likely be no lingering demons with Queensland fullback Reece Walsh from his State of Origin I concussion when he takes to the MCG on Wednesday evening, in keeping with Maroons coach Billy Slater.
The 21-year-old has not performed a sport since he was knocked out within the seventh minute of the Maroons’ 38-10 win within the June 5 sequence opener by a excessive shot from NSW centre Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, which have been his solely minutes previously month, courting again to his final full match in spherical 12 on Might 26.
Walsh has been energetic at coaching and has vowed to not be gun-shy in the way in which he assaults his sport in Melbourne.
Slater was having none of any suggestion that Walsh would carry demons into the match when he spoke at Melbourne’s Fed Sq. in a pre-game press convention.
“That is the primary time I’ve thought of demons and Reece Walsh. He has been unbelievable all week, he was unbelievable in his preparation for Recreation I and he began properly in Recreation I and I anticipate no completely different,” Slater stated.
“I like the way in which that he performs, I like the attributes he has in his sport and I like the way in which he works exhausting to go after it. It has been a pleasure to assist him do this this week and get his sport on.”
Walsh was the final man off the coaching discipline on Thursday in Maroons camp at Sanctuary Cove. He was fine-tuning his kicking and doing extras on features of his working sport.
“Everybody sees the brilliant and glossy stuff that Reece brings to a footy discipline and other people gravitate to our sport for that, however he’s a extremely exhausting employee and needs to be nearly as good as he presumably can,” Slater stated.
“He desires to play our sport and the way good is that? I’ve plenty of time for him and [am] actually wanting ahead to him taking part in his half in our workforce.”
Slater was requested whether or not he suspected the Blues would make use of the identical techniques as they did in Recreation I with Walsh the place he was tackled within the air whereas catching a bomb and roughed up after kicking, on each events by NSW ahead Liam Martin, earlier than being knocked out chilly by Sua’ali’i.
“That is not a query for me I do not suppose,” he quipped.
NSW coach Michael Maguire was quizzed straight about whether or not the Blues would go after Walsh once more as they did in Recreation I.
It was clearly a query that he knew was coming.
“We have now put plenty of deal with all of their gamers. It’s not any particular person,” Maguire stated.
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AAP
