The Broncos are reportedly in talks to extend star duo Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam on a “$5 million package deal” which would keep them at the club until 2027.
Brisbane are busy preparing for a preliminary final against the Warriors, but it hasn’t stopped the front office from setting themselves up for retaining two of their best players before they go on the market from November 1.
The Courier Mail’s Peter Badel says the potential deals offered to Walsh and Mam will be for a further three years (2025-2027) with Walsh expected to become the NRL’s newest million-dollar man.
Watch every game of The 2023 NRL Telstra Finals Series before the Grand Final Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo Sports. Join now and start streaming instantly >
“Their retention drive is in overdrive. Of course they’ve retained Payne Haas recently, they’re about to extend Adam Reynolds and now they are making moves to retain their wonder boys Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh,” Badel said on NRL 360.
“They’ve started talks the Broncos with their dynamic duo Walsh and Mam to extend them beyond 2024. At the moment Reece Walsh, 21 year-old, he’s off contract at the end of next year, as is Ezra Mam, but the Broncos insist the duo are going nowhere.
“They are looking to extend them on what I hear is a potential $5 million package deal, at least three years for each of those players.
“Reece Walsh would become a $1 million player potentially… and Ezra Mam could earn upwards of $700,000 a season.
“I’m told those deals will be done after the finals but I don’t think they will go on the open market.”
As Fox League’s James Hooper noted, Walsh is currently on just $450,000 a season for this year and next. The livewire fullback has throughly outplayed that contract this season.
“We’ve talked up Adam Reynolds deluxe about how influential he’s been at the Broncos but there’s no question the signature of Reece Walsh to return to Red Hill has been just as important,” Hooper said on NRL 360.
Johnson v Reynolds 2010 U20s Grand Final | 01:23
MORE NRL NEWS
EELS BRUTAL REVIEW: ‘Waste’ exposed as gamble backfires; big recruitment win
‘WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BRONCO’: Inside Kevvie’s old boys ploy to spark season
WHISPERS: Roosters set to offload Origin flyer; new club joins race for Souths star
“He’s on an absolute steal of a deal at the moment, Brisbane only have to come up with $450,000 this season and next season. They need to upgrade him, they recognise that.
“It’s a great sign for the Broncos if these two aren’t going to wait until November 1 and test the open market.
“It’s a huge vote of confidence for the club because rival clubs would be absolutely queued up and you’d throw the chequebook at Reece Walsh from what we’ve seen this season.”
Braith Anasta agreed, believing Walsh would be able to command in excess of $1.2 million on the open market.
“Walsh would get $1.3 million at the moment. These playmakers who can change games and win games are few and far between,” he said.
“If he went to market I’d believe he’d get $1.2-$1.3 million.”
Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan have already been re-signed by the Broncos and those two players, alongside Mam and Walsh, are considered the future of the club.
Halfback Adam Reynolds is also expected to ink a contract extension shortly which should see out the 33-year-old until the end of his NRL career.
Journalist Michael Carayannis believes the play of Walsh and Mam in the spine has greatly helped Reynolds and the Broncos this season.
“The speed that is the key for mine, because you have Adam Reynolds who is such a controlling half and a great general but he is complimented so well by having these elusive players on the outside of him,” Carayannis said.
“So, as important as Adam Reynolds is, he can’t do what he does without the speed of these sort of players.”
“They are only going to get better are these two and they are the next generation,” Anasta added.
“When Adam moves on in the next couple of years, these are the guys who are going to take over (at the Broncos).”
Discussion about this post