“I kept telling Kev it was sweet but I wasn’t sweet,” Reece Walsh told BBC Sport, reflecting on the ankle injury that forced him to battle through the Rugby League World Cup.
The Brisbane Broncos full-back played through severe fitness issues after an eight-week layoff, famously doubled up and vomiting before Australia’s opening fixture against New Zealand.
- Tedesco’s Legacy: James Tedesco’s international retirement follows his role at the World Cup and his career with the Sydney Roosters and the national side.
Walsh acknowledged that his desperate race against time left him completely unfit and unable to touch a ball prior to the tournament opener.
“It was hurting that first game. Coming off eight weeks of rehab, I was unfit, I didn’t touch a ball but the belief Kev had in me, all the boys made my job so easy. To be out here now and win for Australia, I am so proud,” Walsh told BBC Sport.
Head coach Kevin Walters leaned heavily on his squad’s depth and maintained absolute faith in the young number one despite the physical limitations.
Walsh’s retention in the starting lineup meant James Tedesco spent the tournament in a back-seat role.
The 33-year-old Sydney Roosters full-back announced his immediate international retirement following the conclusion of the match, adding another chapter to a career that includes three NRL Premiership titles, two World Cups, and the 2026 Clive Churchill medal.
“Teddy has been such a great player for a long time. We can only have one full-back but James with his season, it was just reward,” Walters told BBC Sport. “He didn’t tell me [he was retiring]. The reason James got on was because I respect him as a player and a person and what he has done for our game and as a former Australia captain.”
Walters brought Tedesco onto the field late in the contest as a specific mark of respect.
While the Kangaroos peaked at the right moment, New Zealand delivered their worst performance of the tournament in their first final appearance since 2013.
“Any time you get to a final and don’t get the result it is always going to be a missed opportunity,” Kiwis head coach Stacey Jones told BBC Sport.
Jones pointed directly to unforced errors and poor discipline as the primary factors that derailed their championship bid.
“It was our worst performance. We got off to a bad start and could not fight our way out of it. When you make errors and your discipline is poor and give them all that ball, no matter what team you are it is just too hard,” Jones told BBC Sport.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
