MARK ‘SPUDD’ CARROLL: Reece Walsh proves he’s better than Nathan Cleary with epic NRL grand final performance

I thought I’d go to my grave having seen the greatest grand final performance of all time when Nathan Cleary put Penrith on his back and single-handedly dragged them across the line to win the 2023 premiership.

I was wrong.

Reece Walsh’s stunning 11 out of 10 display to end Brisbane’s 19-year title drought in Sunday night’s decider against Melbourne has topped Cleary’s 10 out of 10 just two years later.

Mind you, I needed a developed print to separate the two because I know it’s a massive call.

But after sleeping on it, I think Walsh’s effort on either side of the ball just edges Cleary.

As does the fact the Brisbane superstar’s brilliance was on display for the full 80 minutes, whereas Nathan – as magnificent as he was – turned it on in the last 15 minutes.

The Broncos don’t win without their No.1.

He kept them in the game when Melbourne had Brisbane on tilt.

When he was needed most, Walsh stood tall and scored the greatest solo grand final try I’ve witnessed.

The aerial footage shows him coming from the right to left on the back of a quick play-the-ball from Kobe Hetherington.

At full pace, Walsh beats six defenders off the left foot, then right foot while fending away tacklers at top speed.

It was the sort of try that gives a side reason to believe.

As do big defensive efforts.

If Walsh doesn’t knock the ball out of Tui Kamikamica hands to deny Storm a try minutes into the second half, it could have been game over.

Melbourne would have gone 28-12 up and I’m not sure Michael Maguire’s men would have recovered despite their ability to escape from seemingly impossible positions.

But Walsh wasn’t finished with there.

When he wasn’t setting up tries, he was saving them with courageous defensive reads late in the piece.

It was the lift his team needed in the absence of skipper Adam Reynolds and, later in the game, Ben Hunt.

I particularly liked the way he was first over to Hunt when the veteran staggered out of a tackle, heavily concussed.

Hunt whispered some words of advice to his younger teammate and it was all on taken onboard and acted upon.

It was true leadership material from Walsh.

This bloke is without doubt the most dangerous player in the comp with ball in hand, either as a run threat or with those bullet-like cut out passes that hit his outside men on the chest.

He attacks with his defence, throwing his 88kg frame at much bigger players with no thought of self-preservation.

His kicking game is near flawless and he lands goals when Reynolds is not at the tee.

But what I most admire about him is his toughness.

He may look like a Hollywood star with his painted black fingernails, styled hair and beautiful eyes.

That’s why I call him the Italian Greyhound.

But he packs a punch.

He is in the lightweight category when it comes to size but have you ever seen him take a back step?

I played with a few pretty boys during my career and not all of them put their body on the line like Walsh.

Some say he should have binned for a high shot on Xavier Coates and maybe they have a point.

But the special ones always seem to get treated a little different to us mere mortals.

Walsh won’t care about that controversy. He has a bit of lair about him, which I love.

How good was it to hear him shout “Plumber Out” on the podium and parade a mini toilet around Accor Stadium during Brisbane’s lap of honour.

I also hear he was drinking out of a dunny-shaped mug in the dressing-room after the game.

Rock star behaviour from a genuine rock star of the game.

And the best part is he is just 23.

His legend will only grow larger over the next decade.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED

I sent Maguire the following text shortly after fulltime: “You bloody beauty - f.ck yeah. I am writing this with tears in my eyes, mate.

“Memories are flooding back to 1996 and what it means to win a comp.

“You went up there with a broken jigsaw puzzle and put the pieces in place.

“And to think the media gave it to you for training too hard!

“Enjoy, coach. Love ya – Spudd.”

We touched on Madge’s record last week – a Super League title at Wigan, drought-breaking premiership with Souths, an against-the-odds NSW State of Origin victory, New Zealand’s 30-0 thumping of Australia in the Pacific Championship final and now this.

He joins a short and illustrious list of coaches to have won premierships at two different clubs.

You can now put Maguire’s name alongside Wayne Bennett, Tim Sheens, Chris Anderson, Phil Gould and Jack Gibson as the only men to achieve the feat.

That’s some company to be keeping.

I knew the Broncos were capable of producing a special second half when I heard Madge interviewed at halftime.

He was calm, assured and confident despite his team being down by 10 points.

As he said, Brisbane had been here before in their previous finals games and not panicked or blinked.

All that hard work done in the pre-season – for which he was bagged by some – paid off big time.

We’d seen this movie before.

What a team, what a win, what a coach.

Enjoy the party, boys.

As for Melbourne, well, what can you say.

Losing one grand final is bad enough but to suffer back-to-back defeats is devastating.

It’s going to be a long, hard summer down south.