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After being crowned the 2025 Clive Churchill Medallist and ending his side's 19-year wait for a premiership, Reece Walsh took a moment on the pitch at the Accor Stadium to savour the moment.
He sat in a pile of confetti with his daughter Leila, placed his premiership ring on her finger and looked up into the stands.
Overcome with emotion and ecstasy at what he and Michael Maguire's side had achieved, he let out a huge grin.
It was an incredible moment that wraps up what's been a remarkable season for the 23-year-old full-back.
Walsh has endured injury heartache, sent fans into meltdown by drinking out of his toilet and landed in hot water for publishing a video of himself punching one of his friends in the face as a prank on social media.
In fact, the friend who he whacked in the face while wearing a boxing glove, his best mate Zayden Martin, wasn't too far away.
Reece Walsh ran into the stands to celebrate with the Brisbane Broncos fans and his good friend Zayden Martin
The pair shared a big hug after Walsh starred for the Brisbane Broncos during their epic Grand Final comeback victory
The footy star, who scored a try and set up three more during his side's victory against Melbourne, cheered when he picked his best mate out from the crowd
Walsh was seen making his way towards the sidelines after the trophy presentation and celebrated wildly with the Brisbane faithful.
He looked up into the stands and smiled with glee upon recognising Zayden among the bodies of fans jumping up and down.
It was another moment of joy for Walsh, who let out another big grin, before he was seen clambering over a barrier to get into the melee of fans.
Walsh cheered with delight as he bear hugged Zayden, before being mobbed by the other Brisbane fans in the stands.
The pair had been celebrating Zayden's birthday when Walsh landed in hot water over the bizarre punch video earlier this year. While his club were said to be 'furious' at the clip, Walsh explained that the video was a 'joke' with his best mate who was unharmed by the incident.
After the final, Walsh opened up on what spurred him on to such an epic individual performance.
It was, as he says, his desire to be tough for his Brisbane 'brothers'.
Broncos players returned to Brisbane for more celebrations on Sunday after partying through the night in Sydney following their 26-22 defeat of the Storm.
Walsh and Martin explained that the bizarre clip of the Broncos player punching his friend while wearing a boxing glove was a harmless prank - but that didn't stop footy's outrage machine from swinging into action
The 23-year-old full-back explained after the match that he felt inspired to produce such an inspiring performance for his 'Brisbane brothers'
'I am not known for the tough stuff but I did all of that for them tonight,' Walsh (right) said, seen here smiling with Broncos legend Ben Hunt (left)
While Walsh spent his time drinking out of toilet bowl-shaped cups and live-streaming Brisbane's festivities, critics were weighing up where his extraordinary performance ranked among the great grand final efforts by an individual.
Nathan Cleary's famous 2023 performance to sink the Broncos is widely regarded as the finest Clive Churchill Medal effort, with Walsh on the losing end that time.
Luke Priddis' masterclass in 2003, Cooper Cronk's showing in 2012 and Billy Slater's blitz in 2017 regularly rank among the other top ones.
But while recency bias can be a factor, the likes of Johnathan Thurston, Darren Lockyer and Phil Gould have all ranked Walsh's effort on Sunday night as No.1.
Always known as an electric attacking player, Walsh's epic 30-metre try when he beat five men was an instant grand final classic in the first half.
He also set up three tries, but it was the three try-saving plays he made in the second half that ultimately proved just as vital.
'I am not known for the tough stuff but I did all of that for them tonight,' Walsh told AAP.
'They are my brothers. I play for them and I will do anything for them. I have so much respect for all of them and I will do whatever it takes.
Walsh said he was 'blessed to be part of the team' adding that he has always wanted to play for the Broncos
'I am blessed to be part of the team.'
It is no exaggeration to say Walsh saved not only Brisbane's grand final, but their season.
The Broncos were struggling in 11th spot when the 23-year-old returned from a knee injury in June and inspired Brisbane to 13 wins in their remaining 16 games.
His demolition of Gold Coast was a sight to watch on return, and set the tone for an end-of-season that included match-defining displays against Canberra, Penrith and Melbourne.
Victims of clutch grand final plays in 2015 and 2023, when beaten at the death, Brisbane now have a heroic comeback tale of their own thanks to Walsh.
And it couldn't have come in a more fitting way as they ended the club's 19-year title drought, given match-winner Walsh grew up in Brisbane, aged just four when the Broncos last triumphed.
'As a four-year-old kid all I wanted to do was play for the club,' Walsh said.
'When I think about all the greats, I feel honoured.
The Broncos were struggling in 11th spot when the 23-year-old (left, pictured with Ezra Mam) returned from a knee injury in June and inspired Brisbane to 13 wins in their remaining 16 games
'I feel like this is a bit of redemption for the 2015 and 2023 teams and for every single person that lives and bleeds for this club. We did it for them.
'It's been 19 years and we've just etched our names in history.'
There were a number of heroes for Brisbane, who spent the final 10 minutes with several players defending out of position and just one man left on the bench.
Payne Haas and Xavier Willison were immense late in the game, their outside backs superb and Ezra Mam also as good in defence as he was in attack.
But all Broncos were happy to laud Walsh's performance as one for the ages.
'If he doesn't play the last couple of months, we are not even in the grand final. He got us here and he got us home,' veteran playmaker Ben Hunt said.
'He has developed that (tough) part of his game.
'Reece has always been known as the lairy playmaker who strikes fear into defenders.
'But he just works extremely hard on not just being a tough player but a very good defensive fullback as well.'
