Marcelo Montoya opens up on Warriors' top-8 hopes ahead of critical Cowboys clash.
Reece Walsh is set to stay at fullback for the short-term at the Warriors, though coach Nathan Brown will take a week by week approach with the teenager.
The 18-year-old was the talk of the NRL after his performance in the 30-26 win over the Tigers last weekend,which underlined his immense potential.
Walsh has been selected in the No 1 jersey for Friday's clash with the Cowboys, with captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck named on the right wing.
It will be his fourth start in five weeks, sandwiched around stints off the bench against the Sea Eagles (26 minutes) and Eels (46 minutes).
"He is quite a talented kid and he obviously looks to be handling first grade," Brown told Newstalk ZB. "But it's a long year and fullback is a very tough spot.
"So, we will play it week by week but at this stage we will certainly leave Reece there for a short period. If it does come to a stage where he needs a bit of a spell, we can obviously just shuffle Roger straight back there anyway."
The Warriors have a bye next week, which will allow Walsh to rest, freshen up and be assessed. With his body still developing, the club need to monitor how he is handling the contact, as well as the aerobic demands, with more running at fullback than any other position.
An exhausted looking Reece Walsh post-game after beating the Tigers. Photo / Photosport
There's also the mental side of the sport, handling the pressure, expectation, praise and brickbats at such a young age.
"He seems good - he's been raised pretty well," said Brown. "He's a polite kid, quite confident but not overconfident.
"I'm sure being around the footy team, all the staff and everyone will make sure they help him along the way and his parents will help him as well.
"[It's] certainly a different stage of his life, where he will get a lot of adulation from a lot of different people and he will also come across his knockers along the way, which is professional sport."
Brown named an unchanged 17 to face the Cowboys, the first time this season that injuries or suspension haven't forced a reshuffle. It's a luxury, and Brown's options are set to increase after the Townsville match.
He confirmed that prop Addin Fonua-Blake should be back for the clash with the Storm (June 13), with Josh Curran (elbow) and Bayley Sironen (knee) also in the mix.
It will give Brown almost a full squad to pick from, at a crucial stage of the season, with three games against mid-table rivals (Knights, Dragons, Sharks).
"It will enable us to build a few combinations," said Brown, who added he would have a few "hard decisions to make."
Another tough call was the recent decision around Peta Hiku. The centre has signed a two-year deal with the Cowboys, after only being offered a one-year extension at the Warriors.
The emergence of Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey and the signing of Euan Aitken (until 2023) means the Warriors have options at centre but the reluctance not to offer a longer deal is a brave call.
Hiku was outstanding last year (eight tries, eight try assists) and the talented Kiwi has been one of the most creative, consistent and versatile players at the club since 2018.
"We would have liked Peta to stay," said Brown. "We offered him another year on his contract. In an ideal world he would have been around, we have some exciting young backs and Peta has a lot of experience and he is a very smart player."
"[But] North Queensland offered Peta an extra year and he was put in a situation where he didn't really have a decision to make. Going to North Queensland is certainly the right opportunity for Peta."
