Broncos coach Kevin Walters has addressed his relationship with outgoing head of football Ben Ikin who said he was leaving the club “in better shape than when I arrived”.
The premiership-winning teammates have had a tumultuous relationship while working together at the famous club over the past two years.
Ikin this week accepted the role of Queensland Rugby League chief executive officer and will now leave the top-of-the-table Broncos midway through their season.
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Walters was appointed at the end of 2020 after the club had just collected its first wooden spoon, while Ikin rejoined his old club halfway through 2021 after a long stint hosting NRL 360.
Brisbane bosses were forced to mediate the pair last year – who played in the halves together in the Broncos’ victorious 2000 grand final – to improve their communication with each other.
Walters was asked on Wednesday whether he thought Ikin had been “critical to the resurgence” of the Broncos and whether he was surprised by his departure.
“Ben has been a part of what is our group moving forward, there’s no one person in the whole group, myself included, players, that are more important than anyone else. So we wish Ben all the best at the QRL,” Walters said.
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“He’ll do a great job in there but we need to move forward now, Ben’s not here, we’re moving forward and that starts tomorrow night against the Storm. I’m very excited about heading down there and we wish Benny all the very best at the QRL.
“It’s a great job he’s walked into, maybe on the back of some of the work he’s done here we’ve helped him get a job at the QRL. I’d like to think the Broncos have done a great job with Ben in developing Ben him as a football manager into the position he can do now at the QRL.”
Walters was then asked if tension remained between the pair and the coach hit back at the suggestion they don’t see eye-to-eye.
“Me and Ben are fine, There’s nothing to talk about with Ben,” Walters said.
“I’ve got no problems with Ben and Benny has got no problems with us, don’t have anything to say to that one.”
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Walters said “we’ve got some ideas” when asked who will replace Ikin but suggested the club wouldn’t be rushing the appointment.
“Haven’t had a lot of time to think about it but we’ll get the right person in here to, you know, do the right thing by the club and by us and we’ll get the right person, I’m very confident about that,” he said.
“Ben has been in great communication with us and we’ve been waiting for this moment to happen for the last couple of weeks.
“Ben has been great, we wish him all the best, we’ll get through this week and then look at the position next week and see who’s available.”
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