NZ Warriors are reportedly poised to farewell one star fullback and welcome another for the 2023 NRL season.
According to Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Walsh will be granted an early release from his Warriors contract to return to Brisbane Broncos.
But the club appears to have a ready-made replacement, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to be released from the final year of his contract with Canberra Raiders on compassionate grounds to rejoin the Warriors from 2023.
The Warriors' hunt for a head coach is also reportedly coming to a head, with Penrith Panthers assistant Andrew Webster shaping as the favourite to take the reins from interim head coach Stacey Jones, who stepped up after Nathan Brown's mid-season departure.
Teen sensation Walsh has long been rumoured to head back to Brisbane - the team he left in April last year to replace rugby-bound Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. The 19-year-old has previously denied such speculation, insisting he plans to move to New Zealand to play out the final year of his deal.
Since his arrival, Walsh has been one of few highlights for the embattled Warriors, with his dynamic running game instantly making him a fan favourite and earning call-up to the Queensland State of Origin squad.
"We haven't spoken to any other clubs," he told Fox Sports in May. "I have a contract in place, which means I am 100 percent going to New Zealand next year."
The Raiders were apparently reluctant to allow Nicoll-Klokstad to leave early, but ultimately agreed to let the NZ Kiwis fullback rejoin his family back in his native New Zealand.
The 26-year-old played seven games for the Warriors, before signing with Canberra in 2019, where he shot to stardom as a key piece of the side's run to the NRL Grand Final. He made his Kiwis debut later that year.
Webster was a part of the coaching staff that led the Panthers to the NRL Premiership last season. He previously spent two years as a Warriors assistant under Andrew McFadden.
