Superstar Queensland Maroons fullback Reece Walsh is set to come face-to-face with his old rival Jarome Luai again next week in Game I of the 2024 series.

Last year the fuse was lit in Game I in Adelaide when Walsh pulled on Luai’s hair before the pair were marched from the field in Game II in Brisbane.

But Walsh was eager to talk down the feud ahead of the new series.

It’s just passion, pride in your state, pride for your teammates and the people you are doing it for,” Walsh said.

“You don’t want to let people down – that’s footy.

“You go out and play with passion and sometimes it boils over a bit, but at the end of the day it’s just footy.”

Game I is next Wednesday night in Sydney.