Kevin Walters in fresh swipe at Broncos after Gorden Tallis' revelation about sacking
Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters has taken a little swipe at the club for their professionalism following his exit after his first major interview since his departure. The Broncos left the NRL world in shock last year when they sacked Walters after the club missed out on the top eight.
Walters took the Brisbane Broncos to the NRL grand final in 2023, but failed to stop the free fall in 2024 as the club missed out on finals footy. Despite injuries to Reece Walsh, Adam Reynolds and Payne Haas, the club's hierarchy felt the roster didn't deliver.
And in a shock move right after their season ended, Walters was told he was no longer head coach. Michael Maguire was also promptly hired in his place. The move certainly angered the Broncos Old Boys with the likes of Gorden Tallis fuming at how the club had treated a legend. Tallis took aim at his former club and claimed Walters never had the backing needed to succeed.
'I don't think he ever felt like he got the support that he wanted. From day one, he had to go buy his own shirt to do his own press conference. I felt like he was doing it all alone," Tallis said on NRL 360 last year after the news Walters had been sacked.
And four months after his exit, Walters has gone into detail about how the situation unfolded. Speaking on his 'Inside Ball' Podcast, Walters felt he needed to front the media the next day after the shock announcement.
But in a cheeky move, Walters also recounted Tallis' comment and claimed he lifted the professional standards at the Broncos having been left hung out to dry on his very first day at the headquarters. "I wanted to stand up in front of everyone and let them know that I was leaving," he said on the podcast.
"That's why I did it. I did it because I want to own what happened and accept responsibility that I was moving on. When I got into the building (to begin the job), I had to find my own shirt to get into the building and get a photo, compared to where they are now.
"We missed the finals last year by two wins which is not a lot. But also we should have done better and I accept that full responsibility. But for it to pan out the way it did, considering when I walked into the building (the Broncos had finished last the previous season), I went to a grand final in 2023 … I'm comfortable with what I did at the Broncos in my time there."
Walters was planning for the next season right after the Broncos came 12th with a season review being undertaken by the Broncos hierarchy. And Walters claimed he was with new assistant coaches Ben Te'o and Trent Barrett when he felt something was off.
"I accelerated things," Walters said on his podcast. "I rang my manager and said, 'I have got a bad feeling in my stomach that this isn't quite right'. He made a phone call and we went in and they made the decision to finish up with me. I was shocked because we were a long way down the track with 2025 planning."
Despite being moved on, Walters has taken up a media job with Fox Sports for the upcoming NRL season. His son Billy is still in the squad and Walters said he only wants the best for the Broncos, a club he won five premiership with during his playing days.
"I want to see the Broncos do well," Walters said. "I am comfortable with my contribution to the Broncos. Coaching is my passion. I am going to coach again (in the NRL). I have got a lot of belief in myself."
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