- Reece Walsh has reportedly agreed a new deal with Brisbane
- It will allow him to earn 5 million dollars throughout his contract.
- But Andrew Johns says the new deal is a bargain for the Broncos
Reece Walsh has reportedly agreed a contract extension with the Brisbane Broncos that will see the youngster earn $5 million.
But according to Andrew Johns, the Broncos got a much better end of the deal.
The star full-back has been the subject of a contract saga that has dragged on for almost 12 months, but the Courier Mail reports the Broncos have broken the deadlock and reached an agreement with their top player.
As a result, Walsh will not be free to negotiate with rival clubs after November 1, as NRL stars are permitted to do when they enter the final year of their contract.
Despite receiving a significant pay rise and becoming the club’s highest-paid player in history on $1.1 million a year, Walsh’s value is understood to be much higher and other clubs could have offered him more money.
But such is Walsh’s love for Brisbane and his team-mates that he has backed away from his initial demand for $6 million.
Johns believes Brisbane will be absolutely delighted with the deal.
“He’s a bargain. He’s an absolute bargain. If he stays on the field,” Johns said.
Former NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler added: “From the Broncos’ point of view, it’s a bargain.”
Reece Walsh has reportedly agreed a new deal with the Brisbane Broncos
Football great Andrew Johns says the Broncos have got a real bargain
Walsh’s Queensland coach Billy Slater said: “He’s 22 and he’s played 75 NRL games, the next 125 games will be with the Broncos and that will be the best period of his career.
“I’ve worked very closely with Reece, he has a great work ethic. He’s a very respectful young man, you get the impression he’s a bit of a joker and likes to be the centre of attention, but he works very hard and loves football.
“The best thing for the Broncos is that they have this young star who wants to be a Bronco – imagine how many clubs would love Reece Walsh.”