Brisbane players have weighed in on Reece Walsh giving veteran Cory Oates a public spray, explaining the outburst as “passion”.
Fullback Walsh threw a hospital pass to winger Oates in the dismal 46-18 NRL loss to Gold Coast and gave him a serve for dropping it.
It’s not the first time Walsh has voiced his displeasure at teammates. Last year he launched a verbal tirade against lock Pat Carrigan when things weren't going his way.
He has also been seen doing the same kind of thing at training.
In the Titans match last year, when Carrigan was his target, Walsh was subsequently suspended for an unacceptable verbal wrangle with referee Chris Butler.
At the time the Broncos said Walsh had been counselled, was young and would learn his lesson.
The incident on Saturday, in the Broncos’ eighth loss in nine games, came in a rocks-and-diamonds display by Walsh who scored two scintillating tries early before overplaying his hand on several occasions, once with a poor kick option that went dead on the second tackle.
Walsh was completely outplayed by Titans No.1 Keano Kini.
Tristan Sailor, named on the bench to play North Queensland on Saturday night in Townsville, said Oates and Walsh were both “sweet".
"There was nothing malicious in it. I think it was just a matter of accountability," Sailor said.
"It wasn’t Walshy blaming Oatesy or Oatesy blaming Walshy. It was just the frustration of the game.
"Walshy, it doesn’t come across in the media, but he is very fastidious about what he does.
"He is only (22) so I guess with age everyone mellows out a bit. It is just passion for Walshy. That is what makes him the player he is."
Sailor excused Walsh's behaviour by referring to two alltime greats, who both set the highest on-field standards and lived by them.
"It is nothing personal and it is something he is learning as he gets older, to remain calm. That is what makes him human," Sailor said.
"All the best players I have seen ... JT (Johnathan Thurston) sprayed people in games and Cam Smith. It is something the best players do because they want people to be on a high level. He is doing everything he can to get there as well."
Winger Jesse Arthars took a similar line.
“He is just passionate, mate," Arthars said.
“What Reece said to Oatesy is between those two.
“Reece is a passionate footballer and he might have been a bit upset with it, but I’m sure they’ve both moved on from it. Everyone is all good at the club."
The Broncos' form is far from "all good". It is dire, leaving them six points outside the top eight and on the cusp of missing the finals for the third time in four seasons.
