‘I was pretty pissed off and wanted to leave’: Walters opens up on father’s sacking

3 days ago 7

Billy Walters jokes that he could be the best player in the competition, and he’d still cop abuse if his Australia coach dad, Kevin Walters, selected him for the national team.

Despite the Brisbane Broncos star hitting career-best form, on-field performances has never seemed to shake nepotism accusations for the son of an NRL great.

Billy and Kevin Walters’
with Billy’s son, Hugo.

“I could be winning the Dally M and if you picked me, there would still be the doubters,” Walters quipped, when asked if a Kangaroos berth for this year’s Ashes tour to England could beckon.

“I just keep telling him I’ll take control of the Emus – the boys who aren’t playing – or I’ll go over as a staff member and try to get on that trip.”

That has been Walters’ life since arriving at Red Hill under the tutelage of his old man.

Thrust into the No.9 jumper, cries of father-son privilege rained until he became a pivotal figure in the club’s charge to the 2023 NRL grand final.

When Walters senior was axed from his role in favour of Michael Maguire at the end of last year, questions about his son’s future at Red Hill circled.

“That’s rugby league, the rollercoaster of a life or career, and I suppose when it first went down I was pretty pissed off and probably wanted to leave,” Walters admitted, ahead of Sunday’s qualifying final clash with Canberra.

“I had a couple of days to think about it, and I’ve loved the Broncos since I was a little kid and I couldn’t picture myself playing anywhere else.

“I love the playing group and the fans, and I knew it would be too weird going and playing anywhere else. I decided to stick it out, and I’m pretty grateful I did.”

Walters has since thrived under Maguire as both a game-changing bench hooker and now five-eighth – lauding his new mentor as “a big people person who loves the culture side of things, getting to know everyone, and trying to bring the team together”.

Since moving from hooker into five-eighth following hamstring injuries to Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam, he has registered a try-assist in each game in the halves, with halfback Ben Hunt praising his ability to “not overplay his hand” and make the right decision “nine times out of 10,”

He also suggested Walters had been key in bringing out the best in fullback Reece Walsh and “keeping him controlled”.

Those queries about Walters future have now shifted: after a four-game winning streak in the No.6 jumper, how can he be relieved of the jersey his six-time premiership-winning dad wore should Reynolds and Mam return?

“I like it because he was 10-times the player I’ll ever be, so it’s probably a bit disrespectful to him,” Walters joked, when asked how he felt about comparisons to Kevin.

“I always tease him that if we win a comp this year I’m only five rings away before I catch him, so he’s getting nervous.”

Should Brisbane prevail against the Raiders, Maguire will face a selection dilemma two weeks later for the preliminary finals where Reynolds is expected to be fit to make his comeback.

Billy Walters has helped keep Brisbane’s season on track after the injury losses of Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam.

Maroons coach Billy Slater said on the Sunday Footy Show that Reynolds should be brought back off the bench once fit, a suggestion Walters said, “was a weird one”.

“It’s a different take, but I’m happy to do whatever the team needs,” Walters said.

“If that’s starting and staying at six or coming off the bench, I’m just happy to be a part of it and playing finals footy at the greatest club of all.”

After playing 96 of 99 games since his 2022 Broncos’ debut, the 31-year-old has become one of the side’s most reliable players, and is now fuelled by the harshest of his football memories.

The 2023 grand final defeat to Penrith still burns, when Brisbane squandered a 24-8 lead with less than 20 minutes to go.

But while Broncos lock Pat Carrigan insisted “it’s been nice to accept it wasn’t part of our story”, Walters believed those harrowing memories needed to be leaned on.

“I think anyone would be lying if they said it doesn’t come across their mind still. It does for me and I use it as motivation,” Walters said.

“You don’t want to be in the same position and get it wrong again. I know if we got there again we wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

“I try to go into every game thinking it could be my last one. I’ll make sure I do the jersey proud, do myself proud and enjoy every moment of it.”

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.