The Panthers host the Broncos in the grand final rematch on Thursday night and there are two players that epitomise each team.
The fullbacks Reece Walsh and Dylan Edwards.
On one side we’ve got the brash, all-or-nothing speedster in Walsh, who wears flashy jewellery and oozes all the confidence of a fearless 21-year-old.
Then there’s Mr Consistent in Edwards, who turns up time and again for his teammates like an ever-reliable working dog that seldom needs a pat on the back.
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Edwards, 28, has an overflowing trophy cabinet which includes three premiership rings and a Clive Churchill Medal, while Walsh led the NRL in errors last season.
But NRL great Gorden Tallis says ask anyone outside of Penrith who they’d rather have on their team and it’s the cocky kid from the Gold Coast.
“Reece takes more chances and he passes more, so of course he has more errors. But he created about 100 scoring opportunities last year,” Tallis told foxsports.com.au.
“His numbers were incredible, they shocked me. He had something like nine tires, almost 40 linebreak assists and over 25 try assists.
“The opportunities that he creates for himself and his teammates… all rival sides know about him now, he’s played Origin, but when something happens at the Broncos it’s almost always Reece.
“Reece Walsh will win a Dally M Medal one day.”
Walsh may have topped the NRL errors (2.4 per game) count in 2023, but he led the competition in linebreak assists (1.7 per game) and was third in try assists (1.2 per game).
Edwards led the NRL in run metres (207m per game) and kick return metres (72m per game) last season, while he was second in tackle breaks (5.9 per game).
“You can’t compare them. You know what, actually you can, they both wear No. 1 on their back,” Tallis said.
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“They’re two totally different players, one creates so many opportunities and one makes 300m every game and is one of the best support players.
“Walsh gets into first receiver, they do two totally different roles for their team.
“But Edwards played against Souths in the 2021 grand final with a broken foot and then he got Clive Churchill (in 2022) and then he was close to getting it again (in 2023).
“He’s the fittest guy at the club and he does everything that is ever asked of him. All the Penrith players are going to take Edwards over Walsh… but taking my Broncos hat off, I’d still pick Walsh.
“At the end of the day when they both retire and you say Dylan Edwards won four grand finals, he’s a four-time premiership winner… you’re still not going to say he was a better player than Reece Walsh.
“If they were both 15 years old and the experts said this is what these players are going to be… I reckon Penrith sign Reece.”
The Broncos are without two of their best players on Thursday night in halfback Adam Reynolds and prop Payne Haas after both succumbed to knee injuries.
Jock Madden comes into the halves while Fletcher Baker replaces Haas in the starting pack and Tallis said Brisbane can, but won’t, win in Penrith.
“I’ve tipped the Panthers though because it’s close to impossible to win in Penrith even with your best team,” Tallis said.
“They’re going into the premiers backyard without their main front-rower and halfback.
“So they won’t have the same kicking game or go-forward and they’re playing against the toughest team in the competition. In saying that though, I think Jock Madden is really safe. Whenever he’s played he’s been really good.
“But I just think the Panthers have been fantastic again this year. For those guys to still be where they are, it’s pretty freakish. They’re unbelievable how they just keep on keeping on.”
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