‘The NRL have got to protect him’: Kevin Walters slams NRL for not doing enough to protect Reece Walsh

Broncos coach Kevin Walters has called on the NRL to do more to protect star fullback Reece Walsh and says a four-match ban for Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii isn’t enough of a deterrent to stop other players from going after his best player.

Walsh was knocked out of the State of Origin opener inside the first eight minutes when the Blues rookie jammed out of the line and whacked him high and late.

Suaalii was sent off and suspended for four matches, but Walters says that while the incident was policed well on the field, he wants the NRL to come down harder on offenders after Walsh suffered his second serious injury this season.

The flashy fullback suffered a facial fracture in the grand final rematch earlier in the year when Taylan May raced out of the line and clashed heads with the speedster, with the Panthers centre avoiding a ban for the tackle gone wrong.

“That’s the second time that it’s happened, and four weeks, for me, is not enough,” a fired-up Walters said, with Walsh to miss Brisbane’s next two games after he showed category 1 concussion symptoms on Wednesday night.

“I’ve got to support our player. That’s twice now, and the first time didn’t even get sin binned or suspended.

“We want our great players to play. It’s not about toughness. Reece is as tough as any player in the game.

“Four weeks for ironing out a bloke the way that he did is not enough.

“The NRL have got to protect him, that’s who’s got to protect him, and be harder on the suspensions.

“Four weeks for what he actually did, Reece will be missing for us for four weeks.”

Walters confirmed his other Origin representatives would be right to face the Sharks, while he stopped short of accusing the Blues of deliberately going after Walsh, who was also tackled late by Liam Martin when he put up an early kick.

“It’s not right for me to try and feel what their plan was, but I saw what their actions were and that was the first block play of the game. You make your own mind up,” he said.

“Teams have been targeting the better players for a long time, but I’m just not in agreeance with the suspension.

“(A four-week ban) is not going to deter another player from coming out next time Reece plays and trying to take his head out again.”

Tristan Sailor will replace Walsh after recovering from an ankle injury earlier than expected.