July 22, 2026 — 4:28pmIs this the tactical masterstroke poised to unlock Reece Walsh and deliver the Broncos to a shock finals berth? Pat Carrigan certainly seems to think so.The premiers’ season is teetering on the brink of collapse, but there were signs in the club’s boilover of Penrith last week to suggest an unlikely charge to September beckoned.It all centred on Walsh playing as much a halfback role as a fullback – a ploy set to be replicated come Saturday night’s clash with the Cowboys.Reece Walsh produced his best game this year against Penrith. Will a key tactical shift continue?Getty Images“We’ll have to wait and see,” Carrigan said when asked if Walsh’s increased involvement would become the norm.“When he’s running the ball and he wants to be in the game, he’s got his hands on the ball.“I know if I was an opposition defence, the less he has it in his hands the safer I’d feel too.”The Origin cameoWalsh grew up in the halves before blossoming into a fullback, but it was as a chief playmaker that he threatened to orchestrate a Queensland Maroons’ comeback earlier this month.The 24-year-old frequently jumped into first receiver in State of Origin game three – after being injected in the second half following Sam Walker’s departure for a head injury assessment – and he looked threatening with every touch.He threw the first pass in the procession that led to Selwyn Cobbo’s try, and while Bradman Best would run away to score from his cross-field punt, the kick itself was near perfect.Halfbacks and five-eighths are put through far more rigorous defensive duties in the frontline.But Walsh’s 88.89 per cent tackle efficiency this season is by far a career-best figure – having averaged 70.2 per cent across his past five seasons.His kicking game has long been an asset as well, and was on show once again against Penrith to pin the competition heavyweights deep in their own end.While skipper and No.7 Adam Reynolds possesses one of the game’s sharpest boots, the veteran was credited with just six kicks for 188 metres compared to Walsh’s 15 attempts for 495 metres.Walsh even teased that a long-term move to the halves could be on the cards.“I grew up playing in the halves, so I don’t mind getting my body in front. I’ll obviously do a bit more practice there, so that might be something for the future for myself,” he said from the Suncorp Stadium sheds after the Origin decider.“I actually enjoyed it a lot.”The Penrith masterclassThe signs were ominous early that Penrith would have to contain Walsh at his best.Less than four minutes into the contest, Walsh called for the ball from hooker Cory Paix on the last tackle before placing a perfectly weighted grubber kick behind the defensive line for Jordan Riki to open the scoring.His assist for Kotoni Staggs for Brisbane’s second try was more customary of a fullback – looping out the back and passing for his strike centre.But in setting up the match-winning try for Josiah Karapani, Walsh took it upon himself to be the chief conductor – jumping into dummy half on the final play of the set and targeting the short side, before firing a cutout pass to his winger.He then stood up to truly steal the show – replacing Reynolds as the goal kicker and nailing the sideline attempt.Walsh’s 86 touches for the clash – almost as many as Reynolds (56) and five-eighth Ezra Mam (40) combined – is believed to be a record among NRL fullbacks. His most involvements in 2026 before Friday night was 53.But Carrigan suggested it was not necessarily a game plan to ensure his close mate dominated the possession tally and overcalled Reynolds and Mam when he saw a chance to strike.“That’s just part of professional organisations – there’s no ego there, and if you’re worried about how many times you touch the ball, I think your attention is in the wrong place,” he said.“Those boys are going to get the lion’s share of possession, and rightly so, and we’re going to back what they do.“I’ll just encourage him [Walsh] to keep playing what he sees, and we have to support him in that capacity. If that keeps us getting two [competition] points, then we’re good.”The futureDespite Reynolds’ imminent retirement, a full-time shift to the halves by Walsh is unlikely any time soon, with Jonah Pezet arriving next season and Tom Duffy showing promise in the No.7 jumper.Brisbane would also be hesitant to lose Walsh’s improved defensive positioning at the back after he saved two tries in the opening half against the Panthers – his first with a desperate diving tackle on Scott Sorensen, and the second through his pure speed to win the race to an in-field kick.It’s still far too early to crown the Broncos as premiership contenders once again, as they would need to win all seven remaining games to secure a finals spot.But Walsh proved last year that when he is on his game, he is near impossible to stop, as he inspired a seven-game winning run to the title.The club says it’s not relying on their mercurial custodian to conduct a one-man rescue mission.“We can’t afford to rest on any laurels – that was great that it happened last year, but it’s game by game,” Broncos prop Ben Talty said.Carrigan added: “For sure you take confidence on the back of what we did last year, but there’s no point looking too far ahead because we’ve got a really good challenge on Saturday.”Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. 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