Four of the Broncos’ largest stars have gone in to bat for coach Kevin Walters amid hypothesis he’s beneath strain to maintain his job.
Skipper Adam Reynolds instructed foxsports.com.au that Walters’ teaching “has gone to another level” over the pre-season.
And in the case of guiding the Broncos to a premiership, Patrick Carrigan declared the 55-year-old is “the man to do it.”
Meanwhile, Corey Oates believes placing the blame on the coach is “not the right thing to do or the right way to go about it” and Kotoni Staggs mentioned “it’s up to us boys” to silence Walters’ critics.
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The Broncos’ implosion was one of many tales of the 2022 season.
They had been within the high 4 by the tip of Round 19 following a seven-game profitable streak. But then misplaced 5 of their final six video games to complete ninth and finally miss finals.
Questions had been immediately raised about Walters’ capability as a coach — as they had been when the Broncos completed 14th in 2021.
And then the warmth was turned up a notch when younger winger Selwyn Cobbo’s damning feedback in a podcast interview went viral.
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But Reynolds, who doesn’t “buy into” the headlines, has thrown his assist behind Walters — and his teaching model.
“I know what ‘Kev’ delivers as a coach. I love Kev as a coach and as a person,” he mentioned.
“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 requested by foxsports.com.au if Walters is the person to take the Broncos to their first premiership since 2006, Carrigan mentioned: “He is.”
Carrigan additionally put his hand up on behalf of the enjoying group to take accountability for the heartbreaking finish to final season and the dismal leads to 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 mentioned.
“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 on the finish of this season and though he’s reportedly in talks about extending, his fame copped a brutal hit when Cobbo dropped a bombshell on the Back of the 135 podcast final October.
The 20-year-old was requested whether or not he thought Walters was 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 got here simply weeks after former Bronco Tyson Gamble mentioned 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 began swirling after Gamble’s revelation and kicked off once more in early January when Cobbo’s interview caught the media’s consideration.
Carrigan was fast to defend Walters and conceded he does “feel for” the coach — who admitted to Nine News that Cobbo’s feedback “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 mentioned.
“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 a straightforward journey for Walters, but when there’s one silver lining to return from the negativity it’s that Carrigan believes it’s “100 per cent” galvanised the enjoying 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 within the present squad and has performed beneath Anthony Griffin, Wayne Bennett, Anthony Seibold and Walters since debuting in 2013.
When it involves the coach copping the flack for the group’s efficiency, he mentioned: “I’m never about that.”
Oates believes the gamers ought to put on the accountability of poor outcomes.
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“We’re on the field every week, we’re the performers, we get paid to perform and play,” he instructed 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 an identical sentiment — and needs the enjoying group to purpose as much as ease the exterior strain on Walters.
“With Kevvie, he takes a lot for us players,” he instructed 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.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
