NRL Controversy Erupts as Reece Walsh Escapes Ban for Shoulder Charge, While Injury-Plagued Rabbitohs Sink Further Under Wayne Bennett
Reece Walsh has once again found himself at the center of an NRL storm after a controversial tackle in the Broncos’ dominant 60-14 victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday night. The Brisbane fullback delivered a standout performance—scoring a try, providing three try assists, and slicing through the line for a break—but it’s his defensive effort in the 70th minute that’s triggered intense backlash across the league.
Walsh was caught on camera delivering what many have described as a “blatant” shoulder charge on Rabbitohs winger Tyrone Munro. The hit, which occurred during a desperate Broncos scramble following a Rabbitohs intercept break, was not penalized on the field. However, the Match Review Committee later reviewed the incident and issued Walsh a charge—but only a $1,500 fine, with no suspension.
The lenient response has left fans, pundits, and even current and former players scratching their heads, especially considering recent NRL crackdowns on shoulder charges. Just last week, Rabbitohs five-eighth Jack Wighton received a four-match suspension for a similar incident.
“Absolute Disgrace”: NRL Figures Slam Decision
The disparity in punishment between Wighton and Walsh sparked immediate outrage, with 2GB’s Mark Levy leading the charge against the NRL’s perceived inconsistency.
“We saw a shoulder charge last night from one of the poster boys in the game. It wasn’t penalised, it wasn’t put on report… the fact that he’s only copped a $1,500 fine is an absolute bloody disgrace,” Levy fumed on Saturday. “It’s all well and good for Reece Walsh to be the golden child of rugby league, but rules are rules.”
Levy wasn’t alone in his criticism. League legends Mark Geyer and Paul Gallen also voiced their confusion over the decision, drawing attention to the NRL’s inconsistent officiating and lack of transparency.
“It was a textbook shoulder charge,” Geyer said. “No wrap of the arms, just shoulder contact that knocked Munro’s head back. And the commentators barely mentioned it during the game—it was like it never happened.”
Fans Fume Over ‘Double Standards’
On social media, the reaction was swift and brutal. Footy fans called out what they viewed as a double standard, with many accusing the NRL of showing favoritism toward high-profile players like Walsh.
“Wighton gets four weeks, Walsh gets $1,500 and a wink. Make it make sense,” one fan posted.
Others questioned why the incident wasn’t at least penalized during the game. “How does something like that get missed in real-time?” another fan wrote. “If it was any other player, we’re talking suspension by Monday morning.”
Despite the uproar, the Broncos will have Walsh available for their next match, a huge boost as they gear up for finals football. But the decision has left a sour taste for many, especially fans of a Rabbitohs side that continues to fall apart under the weight of injuries.
Wayne Bennett Battles Historic Injury Crisis
While the Walsh controversy stole the headlines, Friday’s blowout loss marked yet another chapter in a nightmare season for South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett. The 60-14 defeat to Brisbane was the Rabbitohs’ ninth straight loss, leaving them anchored at the bottom of the ladder with only two games left—and now staring at the prospect of the club’s first wooden spoon in decades.
“I haven’t gone close to this,” Bennett admitted after the match. “Not in all my years coaching.”
The 74-year-old master coach, who has never received a wooden spoon in his illustrious NRL career since 1987, is now in unfamiliar territory. And it’s not due to a lack of effort—but rather a brutal injury toll that has gutted the Rabbitohs roster.
South Sydney was forced to play with just 17 fit players on Friday night after 18th man Peter Mamouzelos was ruled out minutes before kickoff. Despite being cleared of concussion protocols from a knock suffered two weeks earlier, Mamouzelos began experiencing headaches again, prompting team doctors to make a last-minute decision to pull him from the squad.
No Relief for Battered Rabbitohs
The withdrawal of Mamouzelos was a microcosm of the Rabbitohs’ ongoing misery. Already missing key stars like Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray, Campbell Graham, and Cody Walker, the club was pushed to breaking point when another player—dummy-half Ryan Gray—suffered a shoulder injury early in the match, leaving them short-handed and scrambling.
“We had no one else to put in that 18th man spot,” Bennett revealed. “Too many injuries. And then Gray goes down early. It’s been like that all season.”
The Rabbitohs were forced to cobble together a side featuring inexperienced and fringe players to face a red-hot Broncos outfit—and the result showed. Brisbane ran riot from the opening whistle, exploiting every gap and dominating in both territory and possession.
Though Lachlan Hubner managed to score a late consolation try for Souths, it did little to soften the blow. The result cemented South Sydney’s place at the bottom of the ladder, and they now face a desperate scramble to avoid finishing last.
Finals Hopes Gone, Spoon Looming
With only two games left—against the Eels and the Titans—and one remaining bye, the Rabbitohs’ fate hangs in the balance. The Titans, who also sit on 16 points, play the Penrith Panthers this weekend in what could determine the dreaded wooden spoon recipient.
Bennett remains defiant in the face of adversity, but even his stoic demeanor showed cracks in the post-match presser. “We’re hanging on,” he said. “But there’s only so much you can do when you don’t have the bodies.”
Whether Bennett can avoid the first wooden spoon of his storied coaching career remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the Rabbitohs are in crisis, both physically and mentally—and the NRL’s disciplinary controversies are only adding fuel to the fire.
As for Reece Walsh? He’ll suit up next week, the shoulder charge saga fading fast for some—but not for those still wondering how the NRL’s rulebook applies so differently to different players.
