Reece Walsh, the Justin Beiber of the NRL?
ARL Commission boss Peter V'landys thinks so.
V'Landys outlined his plan for the Broncos fullback to be the face of rugby league on the NRL's maiden voyage to Las Vegas at the start of next season.
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"He's got charisma and presence, Reece Walsh," V'landys told Nine's Today.
"He's the Justin Beiber of rugby league. They look like brothers."
While some might believe V'Landys is drawing a long bow with the comparison, fans at the NRL grand final fan day in Sydney seemed to agree, with the 21-year-old Maroons star mobbed by fans of all ages.
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The Broncos are one of the four teams who will headline "Australia Week" in Las Vegas next year which will see the NRL kick off its season on foreign soil for the first time.
Walsh has experienced a steep rise as one of the faces of the game, playing a leading role in Brisbane's climb to the grand final and the Maroons' domination of NSW in State of Origin.
Just two years ago, Brisbane coach Kevin Walters told a teenage Walsh he would not play first grade for the Broncos, sparking his move to the Warriors.
While still part of the Warriors squad, Walsh was found to be in possession of cocaine during the 2021 off-season on the Gold Coast strip, was suspended for two games and fined $5000 by the NRL in addition to the good behaviour bond he copped from police.
The fullback then asked for a release from the Warriors citing a relationship breakdown as the reason for the move back home.
He reportedly turned down a $2.4 million offer to join the Dolphins but his move back to Brisbane has been a huge coup for the Red Hill club in its quest for its first premiership since 2006.
Walsh's stats on the field don't lie – in 21 appearances, he has nine tries, 25 try assists, 19 linebreaks and 117 tackle breaks. But off the field, the NRL believes he can be just as valuable.
"He's just something out of the box, he's a brilliant player," V'Landys added. "He's charisma on steroids and we want to promote him in the states and we think we can bring in significant new revenues for the game.
"If we succeed, all sports in Australia can provide content in the US market and that's hundreds of millions of dollars if we do it right.
"It's a great experiment for us and we're going to rely on characters like Reece Walsh."
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