RYAN Walsh has two competition points and a top-three spot at the forefront of his mind, but brotherly bragging rights also get put on the line in Newcastle Rugby League this weekend.
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Wyong's five-eighth is poised to face off against older sibling and Wests halfback Luke at Morry Breen Oval on Saturday.
"Just take it as a normal game really," Ryan told the Newcastle Herald.
"I'm sure we'll get into each other out there, but I'm more worried about getting the two points and setting ourselves up for semi-finals. It should be good fun."
It won't be the first time this pair have crossed paths in the Newcastle RL ranks.
Ryan recalls notching up a win over Luke on that occasion and now has the chance to "go up 2-0".
The Walsh brothers combined to claim a "bucket list" premiership at Wests in 2019 and were more recently together at Central.
Ryan has enjoyed a clearer run with injury in 2023, only missing a few games with an ankle complaint following extended lay-offs from knee issues.
Helping form a dangerous spine with Wyong captain-coach Mitch Williams, fullback Luke Sharpe and No.7 Lachlan Hanneghan, Walsh says it's been "working really well".
The third-placed Roos arrive at the penultimate round on 24 competition points, just trailing Souths (26) and narrowly ahead of Cessnock (23) and The Entrance (22).
Sixth-ranked Wests (17) can no longer qualify for the Newcastle RL finals series.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
