LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
In what could only be described as a brutal clash on the field, Brisbane Broncos' rising star Reece Walsh found himself on the receiving end of a facial fracture during a skirmish against Penrith.
The young gun wasn't able to hop on a plane back to Brisbane after news of his injury was confirmed, leaving his playing future uncertain.
The collision, which occurred early on in the game at BlueBet Stadium, saw Walsh tangled up in a head clash with Penrith's Taylan May, who was promptly placed on report.
The impact left Walsh with a nasty cut around his eye, causing him to bleed profusely and prompting a quick exit from the field for a head injury assessment.
Despite passing the assessment, Walsh's vision impairment forced him to sit out the remainder of the match.
The Broncos' Head of Performance, Dave Ballard, revealed that Walsh had to undergo stitches and a CT scan which ultimately revealed the unfortunate facial fracture.
As a result, the young star was grounded in Brisbane, with the team arranging for his return via road trip.
This setback is a blow to both Walsh and the Broncos, with the fullback's absence potentially lasting longer than initially anticipated.
As they say in the world of Rugby League, it's all about taking hits and bouncing back stronger.
Hopefully, Walsh will make a speedy recovery and return to the field with even more determination and grit.