New Zealand Warriors rookie Reece Walsh had an exemplary start to his career in the NRL this season, seamlessly filling the role of fullback for an outgoing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and winning the RLPA Rookie of the Year award.

In 2021, Walsh scored nine tries, assisting 11, making 53 tackle breaks, 14 line breaks, averaging 119 run metres per game and making 81 tackles for an efficiency rate of 72.3%.

However, for the first time in his career, Walsh has found himself caught up in an off-field situation, with footage emerging overnight of the 19-year-old talking to police officers and the Queensland Police putting out a statement via the Australia Associated Press.

“At 0.15 am this morning, a 19-year-old Nerang man was issued with a direction to move-on from an area in Surfers Paradise,” stated the Queensland Police.

Club statement: Reece Walsh

Read: https://t.co/qHoNWXXgSD pic.twitter.com/Dz9b4NuoFf

— Vodafone Warriors (@NZWarriors) September 26, 2021

“Around 1.00 am, police saw the man had returned to the same area in an alleged contravention of this direction.
“The man was arrested and taken to the Surfers Paradise Police Station where he assisted police with their inquiries.

“He was released a short time later with police now investigating whether the man was involved in drug and public order offences.”

As this investigation is ongoing, the public will not hear about any further developments until said investigation is complete.

For now, Walsh will be aiming to take home the Dally M Rookie of the Year award on the second night of the 2021 Dally M Awards event tomorrow evening, but will be up against some stiff competition as this year’s rookie class is arguably the greatest of all time.

Other contenders include Manly Warringah Sea Eagles second-rower Josh Schuster, who transitioned to the role with ease after coming through the ranks as a half, Daine Laurie from the Wests Tigers who cemented himself as a first-grade fullback this season, and Sam Walker from the Sydney Roosters, who at just 18-years-old was tasked with coming into the Roosters first grade squad early in the year for an injured Luke Keary who would go on to miss the rest of the season.