Brisbane bosses have hatched plans to secure Reece Walsh for the long haul with the club to begin working on a mega extension to cement the superstar fullback as a Bronco for life.

This masthead can reveal the Broncos are determined to secure Walsh as a franchise player in the mould of his World Cup teammate James Tedesco, who inspired the Roosters to this year’s premiership.

New Brisbane recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan begins his role at Red Hill on November 1 and one of his primary objectives is making sure Walsh is never lost to the Broncos.

O’Sullivan, one of the NRL’s top recruiters, is acutely aware of poaching threats for ‘Reece Lightning’ … because he once did it himself.

During his time at the Warriors in 2021, O’Sullivan ambushed the Broncos by signing an 18-year-old Walsh, who defected to the New Zealand club during the Covid crisis by the lure of making his NRL debut.

Walsh ultimately returned to the Brisbane in 2023 after being granted a release by the Warriors for family reasons – and O’Sullivan is determined to ensure the NRL’s most bankable star finishes his career in Broncos colours.

O’Sullivan has been given the power to build a Broncos roster that regularly competes for titles.

Central to his strategic plan is locking up Walsh – Brisbane’s 2025 premiership hero – for a longer term.

The 24-year-old is currently contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2029, but Brisbane want to keep Walsh away from the open market during his prime years as Brisbane’s match-winning poster boy.

The club is wary of emerging market threats.

Papua New Guinea will officially enter the marketplace, armed with tax-free dollars, from next Sunday, when the NRL’s annual November 1 free-market frenzy begins.

The NRL is also planning for a 20th franchise to enter the league in 2029, the year in which Walsh comes off-contract, which will drive further demand for the code’s elite players.

Walsh is happy at the Broncos and coach Michael Maguire believes the Queensland Origin and Test custodian has only scratched the surface of his talent after an injury-plagued 2026 campaign.

“I’ve been really impressed with Reece in my time here,” Maguire said.

“The experiences he’s had over the past two years has shaped his development.

“We want ‘Reecey’ at the club for a long time and I’d certainly love to keep coaching him for as long as I can.

“It was a different journey for Reece this year because of what he went through (two surgeries on his cheekbone and ankle) but he has matured enormously in my time here.

“Reece still has so much upside, not only as a player, but in that leadership space.

“I love his attitude towards getting better.”

O’Sullivan has shown he is not afraid to commit to long-term deals.

Last year, the former Knights recruitment chief brokered the monster 10-year, $13 million contract that convinced Dylan Brown to quit Parramatta for a fresh chapter in Newcastle.

In April, O’Sullivan was also part of negotiations that saw Newcastle skipper Kalyn Ponga ink a new deal to remain at the Knights until the end of 2030.

Walsh’s next prospective deal at the Broncos will be a lengthy one, in the vicinity of 5-6 years, a contract that would keep the Maroons maestro at Red Hill until potentially the end of 2035.

Walsh, who turns 25 next July, is currently on $1.1 million a season at the Broncos.

With the impending increase in the salary cap for 2028 and beyond, he would stand to earn north of $1.5 million a season given his status as one of the code’s superstars.

The Broncos No.1 says working with Tedesco at close range during Australia’s World Cup camp has been an eye-opener in his pursuit of greatness at Brisbane after a frustrating club season.

“I wish I could be half the player ‘Teddy’ is,” Walsh said.

“Watching him win premierships is pretty amazing for his longevity and how consistent he has been and I get to see how Teddy prepares for a game.

“My form has been disappointing (this year), when you win a comp (in 2025) and see yourself back where we are (after Brisbane went from premiers to 14th).

“I felt like I tried hard this year.

“We weren’t happy with where we finished, but there’s always lessons in those years and they make you strive to keep getting better and keep learning.

“I want to do better next year.”