NZ Warriors coach Stacey Jones has praised the response of young star Reece Walsh, who has lost his No.1 jersey for Saturday's NRL clash against Canberra Raiders.
Struggling to hit the heights he achieved in 2021, Walsh has been demoted to the bench when the Warriors travel to the Aussie capital, replaced at fullback by Chanel Harris-Tavita.
After switching to the Warriors mid-season n 2021, Walsh scored nine tries and created 11 more in his 16 games for the Auckland side.
However, Walsh's numbers make for leaner reading in 2022, with just one try from 15 games and eight assists.
In an effort to help him return to his best, Jones has made the bold call to drop Walsh into the No.14 jersey, tasking him with a role off the bench against the Raiders.
While many players would respond poorly to losing their spot as their team's first-choice fullback, Walsh has impressed the Warriors with his acceptance and willingness to get back to his previous levels as soon as possible.
"He's been really good," Jones said. "The main thing around that is we're just looking for a more consistent performance at the back.
"I thought Chanel, a couple of weeks ago, really showed that. A couple of little effort areas for Reece, it's probably a bit of a learning thing for him.
"One thing he does do, he goes 100 miles an hour, Reece. Sometimes that can become a bit of a downfall for the team, but I thought I needed to make a change in that position.
"Chanel proved the week before... more around defence, where he works hard and he gets the numbers right.
"Reece can learn from that. I'm sure Reece will bounce back and get into the team at some stage - he's on the bench, so he's going to play a role anyway."
By all accounts, Jones' decision is already taking effect, said club captain Tohu Harris, who also believes that being able to emerge from a difficult period as a player will only benefit Walsh in the long run.
"He came out and trained really well today," Harris said. "I'm hoping it's having the intended effect that Stace was aiming for - to give him a bit of a kick to tell him that he's still not quite there as the first-grader he can be.
"He's still got lots and lots to learn, and the consistent grind of the NRL is something he will learn with time and age.
"I think he's responded to what's happened really, really well. He had a great training session out on the field today.
"That seems to be a good sign."
Walsh's poor form is just the latest ebb on a rollercoaster ride through his time with the Warriors.
Last season, Walsh was also picked to make his State of Origin debut for Queensland, before injury curtailed those aspirations at the last minute.
Then, he was also caught up in a drugs scandal at the end of the season, caught in possession of cocaine on the Gold Coast and admirably taking responsibility for it.
To cap things off, Walsh can also be excused for the distraction of the last few weeks, firstly missing the Warriors return to New Zealand after testing positive for COVID-19, before it was revealed he had been granted a release from the club to return to Brisbane Broncos next year.
For Jones, off-field distraction is something Walsh needs to get used to, as part of the pressure of playing at the highest level.
With his axing just the latest in a string of downs to go with his ups, Jones insists Walsh will continue to grow as one of the game's rising stars.
"That's all learning for a 20-year-old," Jones added. "That's about people around him to support him with that stuff.
"He's had a lot on his plate the last two years really. Hopefully, things like this can settle him down a little bit.
"It's tough, but I'm sure you're going to see a lot of him in the future."
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