Four of the Broncos’ biggest stars have gone in to bat for coach Kevin Walters amid speculation he’s under pressure to keep his job.
Skipper Adam Reynolds told foxsports.com.au that Walters’ coaching “has gone to another level” over the pre-season.
And when it comes to guiding the Broncos to a premiership, Patrick Carrigan declared the 55-year-old is “the man to do it.”
Meanwhile, Corey Oates believes putting the blame on the coach is “not the right thing to do or the right way to go about it” and Kotoni Staggs said “it’s up to us boys” to silence Walters’ critics.
But Reynolds, who doesn’t “buy into” the headlines, has thrown his support behind Walters — and his coaching style.
“I know what ‘Kev’ delivers as a coach. I love Kev as a coach and as a person,” he said.
“He’s been terrific for me and has let me voice my opinions as well — we bounce ideas off each other.
“His coaching has gone to another level again this year. He’s really come back with a great attitude and he’s implementing his structures and systems on the team and he’s holding us accountable at training every day.
“I think it’s a real talent to be a sort of man manager because players are really drawn to those types of people and want to play for them.
“That’s one of the great qualities that Kev has got.”
When asked by foxsports.com.au if Walters is the man to take the Broncos to their first premiership since 2006, Carrigan said: “He is.”
Carrigan also put his hand up on behalf of the playing group to take responsibility for the heartbreaking end to last season and the dismal results in 2021.
“There’s obviously a lot of pieces that go into footy clubs and we play a big role in that as well, whether that be on the field or off it,” he said.
“I reckon at times we haven’t made it easy for the big fella, but we’ve got to wear that burden and he wears part of that burden too as the coach.
“Kev’s the man to do it. I love Kev, I’ve got a good relationship with him and I want to win a comp here so if Kev’s in charge then Kev’s in charge and that’s the plan.”
Walters’ contract expires at the end of this season and although he is reportedly in talks about extending, his reputation copped a brutal hit when Cobbo dropped a bombshell on the Back of the 135 podcast last October.
The 20-year-old was asked whether he thought Walters was a good coach or not.
“He’s a good person, like a good bloke but I don’t think he’s a good coach. He’s not the best coach but he’s all right,” he answered.
“I feel like he’s just a good person but I don’t reckon he’s a coach. Even though he experienced footy, been through all the grand finals and all that, but I feel like he’s not a coach.
“But he’s a good person, a good bloke and does a lot for the club. But the way he coaches is a bit weird, I guess. He’s a good person though. He’s an all right coach.”
It came just weeks after former Bronco Tyson Gamble said on the Marshie’s Corner podcast: “Kev’s the coach but ‘Reyno’ is the go-to man for everybody. If you’ve got a question about the team or footy, you go to him.”
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The headlines started swirling after Gamble’s revelation and kicked off again in early January when Cobbo’s interview caught the media’s attention.
Carrigan was quick to defend Walters and conceded he does “feel for” the coach — who admitted to Nine News that Cobbo’s comments “certainly did (hurt).”
“Coaches coach different, there’s not 17 coaches in the NRL that coach the same way and his style will suit different players better,” the 25-year-old said.
“But at the end of the day we go out there on the field and Kev can’t play for us. If we can win footy games it speaks for his coaching and it speaks for what we’re doing at the club.
“I think Kev knows better than anyone that as a player and as a coach it (pressure) comes with the territory of being here at the club and you can’t change that.
“But we have faith in what Kev is doing here. If you win footy games everyone goes quiet so I think that’s the best way we can support him.”
It hasn’t been an easy ride for Walters, but if there’s one silver lining to come from the negativity it’s that Carrigan believes it’s “100 per cent” galvanised the playing group.
“I think he’s a bit of a loving character and he becomes one of the boys — it feels like he’s one of your mates at times,” he smiled.
“I personally feel like whenever your mate is in the spotlight you want to be the first one there to support him.
“I think the best way we can support Kev is to day-in, day-out try to get better as a club and when it comes to the 80 minutes on the weekend, put in a good performance.
“He’s an emotional character and at the end of the day I think he loves us all like sons. If we can only give a little bit back to him and buy into what he’s doing here then I think we can go a long way.”
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Oates is the longest-serving Bronco in the current squad and has played under Anthony Griffin, Wayne Bennett, Anthony Seibold and Walters since debuting in 2013.
When it comes to the coach copping the flack for the team’s performance, he said: “I’m never about that.”
Oates believes the players should wear the responsibility of poor results.
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“We’re on the field every week, we’re the performers, we get paid to perform and play,” he told foxsports.com.au.
“I’ve never criticised a coach for the way I perform or play — it’s just not the right thing to do or the right way to go about it. He isn’t out there, he can only prepare us to the best he possibly can.
“If he does his job then it’s up to us to do ours.”
Staggs shared a similar sentiment — and wants the playing group to aim up to ease the external pressure on Walters.
“With Kevvie, he takes a lot for us players,” he told foxsports.com.au.
“What he’s been through the last year or two, I think it’s us boys as a playing group that can fix it all. If we do our job right and we win games he doesn’t talked about or he doesn’t get put under the pump.
“It’s really up to us this year to make our mark on the NRL. Our club is a big club and gets a lot of attention, but we need to shut that out and let our footy do the talking to help Kevvie out.”
