NSW coach Brad Fittler has put a target on the back of Queensland fullback Reece Walsh, vowing to make the Maroons rookie feel the heat of the State of Origin furnace.
The 20-year-old will make his Origin debut on Wednesday night at Adelaide Oval after some blistering early-season form for Brisbane.
Walsh has 13 try assists, eight linebreaks and four tries in 11 games this season for the Broncos.
But Walsh has also made 19 errors in the NRL - the most of any Queenslander.
NSW halfback Nathan Cleary will be given instructions to test the Queensland No.1, with Fittler keen to exploit Walsh's inexperience.
“Any fullback you need to put under pressure, they’re isolated at the back,” Fittler said.
“Daly (Cherry-Evans) will be doing the same to our fullback.
“Reece, you've got to watch him everywhere, he’s a pretty fit bloke who is in the game a lot.
“It’s his first game and that’s important so we’re going to make sure he understands it’s a step up.”
Put to Billy Slater at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference Walsh could struggle with the heightened stakes of Origin football, the Maroons coach retorted: “Have you seen Reece Walsh play?
"... We all make mistakes, I’ve made a few in my time and I’ll probably make a few in the future too.”
NSW captain and opposing fullback James Tedesco said there was nothing the youngster could do to prepare for the pressure when fielding a towering bomb.
“It doesn’t matter if you play one or 20 (Origins), you’re still pretty nervous on your first catch,” said Tedesco.
“He’s been in great form and we’ve got to cut down his time and space, that’s when he’s most dangerous.”
Five-eighth Cameron Munster said Slater’s experience would ensure Walsh would be ready for the rise in standard.
“Billy is one of the players that changed the position of fullback,” Munster said.
“Reecey is obviously going to elevate his game even more under Billy.
“He will keep it simple for Reecey. Reecey has got the pace and he's got the skills.
“It is just about making sure we bring out that X factor when we need it. I am sure he will light up Adelaide Oval.”
Munster is the Maroons talisman but said he would be applauding on Wednesday night as Walsh strutted his stuff.
“I will stand right out of his way and make sure I can give it to him … but I won't be supporting him,” Munster grinned.
“He is that fast. I'll just be watching from afar, clapping my hands and saying, 'Go Reecey, go'.”
Cherry-Evans said Walsh was more of a complete player than when he was forced to rule himself out of a debut with injury in 2021.
“He is going to add excitement, he is going to bring youth and energy and I can’t wait to play alongside him,” Cherry-Evans.
“We almost had the opportunity a few years ago to play for Queensland when he trained the whole week before that moment was taken away from him through injury.
“He is so much more prepared now than he was then because of his experiences through footy. I think he is in a really good spot. He understands what his best footy looks like.”
