Coach makes wild claim over Reece Walsh headbutt as ban looms after NRL finals blockbuster

Michael Maguire has attempted to dismiss Reece Walsh’s headbutt of Hudson Young as two players having a “conversation”, with the fullback’s season now hanging in the balance.

Walsh’s wild afternoon headlined the Broncos’ epic 29-28 qualifying-final win over Canberra, with Ben Hunt winning the golden-point thriller with a 94th-minute field goal.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Reece Walsh in hot water after dramatic NRL finals blockbuster.

Walsh produced arguably the finest seven-minute stretch in finals history to get Brisbane back into the game, after they trailed 28-12 with 14 minutes to play.

The mercurial Broncos fullback scored one try, set up another and kicked a booming 40-20 to give Brisbane the ball for a third before the game went to extra time.

But his afternoon will also be remembered for pushing his head into Hudson Young’s face, as the pair became entangled in a second-half scuffle.

Walsh and Young were both sin-binned over the incident, while Canberra coach Ricky Stuart was adamant the Broncos No.1 should have been sent off.

On Monday, the match review committee will have their say.

The incident is the second time Walsh has been accused of a headbutt in his career, with the Queenslander previously copping a grade-two striking charge in State of Origin in 2023. A grade-two dangerous contact or striking charge would this time be enough to end Walsh’s season, unless he was able to successfully fight it at the NRL judiciary.

“I’d have to have a look at it, they were at each other a little bit,” Broncos coach Maguire said of the matter.

“It was probably more just conversation, we’ll have a look at it down the track.

“There is emotion out there. They were both sent for a reason, so you move on.”

Stuart was less forgiving.

“Well, they’ve set a precedent now, you’re allowed to headbutt,” Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said.

“If Joe (Tapine) or Hudson had used their head on Reece Walsh, what do you think would have happened to them?

“They got it 100 per cent wrong, but we shouldn’t make it about that because it was an unbelievable promotion of the game itself.”

Tapine was perplexed Young was sent to the sin bin after the fracas.

“The ref said he got in his face, I said you’re allowed to celebrate a play,” Tapine said.

“We just got a good play. If I was to celebrate and someone punched me, am I in the wrong for celebrating something, that’s all I said.”

Walsh could also face sanction for sticking the finger up at the GIO Stadium crowd as he left for the sin bin.

However that would likely only be a fine, and would not carry any risk of him missing Brisbane’s preliminary final against either Canterbury or Penrith.

Walsh has not spoken seriously about the headbutt so far, only saying he was “disappointed with myself” to miss crucial time during the match.

He also jokingly said Young had called him “a weak-gutted dog” in reference to the famous Stuart sledge on current Bulldogs player Jaeman Salmon.

The other judiciary concern for the Broncos is captain Pat Carrigan, who was sin-binned shortly after Walsh for a shoulder charge on Morgan Smithies.

But even for all the drama, what can’t be denied is the brilliance of Walsh and the importance of him being available for Brisbane’s title shot.

Neither he or Carrigan saw Canberra take charge of the game while sitting in the sin-bin together, but when the fullback returned he made the match his own.

“The conversation was pretty clear, it was just let’s get out there and have a crack,” Carrigan said.

“He was just saying let’s go after this game, let’s get another shot ... He’s clear and he backs himself.”

Brisbane are, meanwhile, hopeful that Payne Haas’s left ankle issue is not serious.

But there are real concerns over second-rower Brendan Piakura, with fears he suffered a depressed cheekbone in the first half of Sunday’s match.