NRL 2021: Kevin Walters unsure over Brisbane Broncos’ best halves combination

It’s a relationship that goes way back, but Kevin Walters will have no chance of getting one up on his old mentor Wayne Bennett if the halves situation remains.

Kevin Walters will come up against Wayne Bennett for the first time as head coach.

Former NRL legends fear Kevin Walters is confused over his best scrumbase pairing as the Brisbane coach prepares to face Wayne Bennett — his one-time mentor who famously sacked him at the Broncos.

Walters’ 35-year association with Bennett will encounter one of its most compelling moments when the duo square off as NRL head coaches for the first time in Thursday night’s Souths-Broncos clash at Stadium Australia.

It shapes as a daunting assignment for Walters, who must devise a game-plan to topple Bennett’s high-flying Bunnies despite growing uncertainty over the right scrumbase formula to get the Broncos firing.

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Kevin Walters will come up against Wayne Bennett for the first time as head coach.

Walters started the premiership with Brodie Croft at halfback, only to drop him to the bench in favour of rival No. 7 Tom Dearden for their 40-6 loss to the Storm on Friday night in Melbourne.

In the space of a month, Walters has backflipped on his plan to start the season with Dearden, installed Croft at halfback instead, then demoted Croft to give Dearden another chance to fire as his first-choice No.7.

Meanwhile, Bennett is in cruise control with a playmaking spine of Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Adam Reynolds and Damien Cook that could pilot Souths to the premiership this season.

While the Souths spine is locked and loaded, Walters is still unsure about the Broncos best halves combination. Picture: Annette Dew.

Ironically, Dearden made his NRL debut two years ago against Bennett’s Bunnies at the same Homebush venue to which the Broncos return this week hoping to avoid a fourth loss from their opening five games.

Penrith playmaking great Greg Alexander believes Walters is scratching his head over which halfback can haul Brisbane out of trouble. Alexander was also critical of five-eighth Anthony Milford’s option-taking against the Storm.

“Kevvie has a hell of a draw coming up over the next three weeks,” Alexander told Fox Sports.

“The decision-making of Anthony Milford, sometimes there is a lack of awareness.

“Milford for mine hasn’t played well for years now. He hasn’t aimed up, he is not the player he was in 2015 when the Broncos made the grand final.

“Milford is searching and ‘Kevvie’ is searching too because he isn’t settled on his seven and six.”

Tom Dearden started the year in reserve grade but may have won the starting role over Brodie Croft. Picture: Getty Images.

NRL Immortal Mal Meninga expressed concern for Brisbane’s halves, adding: “Someone in the Broncos team has to make a difference to wrestle the momentum back. It’s about being optimistic about your next play.”

Now the Broncos must pick up the pieces against Souths super coach Bennett, who dropped a bombshell at Red Hill when he axed Walters as his Brisbane assistant in October 2005.

The rugby league careers of Walters and Bennett have been remarkably intertwined, beginning at Canberra in 1987 before ‘Kevvie’, as Brisbane’s champion playmaker, and Bennett shared in five Broncos premierships from 1992-2000.

But, for all their good times, there will be no love lost when Bennett looks to inflict more pain on Walters and the Broncos club that sacked the veteran coach in 2018.

When Walters was appointed Broncos mentor last October, Bennett recalled the pain of sacking his former assistant, but insists he did so to help him seek other experiences to improve his coaching career.

“Our friendship has never been broken,” Bennett said.

“Yes, we’ve had our moments, there’s no doubt about that. What happened in 2005 wasn’t pleasant.

“We’ve had some run-ins, but when the s**t hits the fan, Kevvie has been there for me and I’ve been there for him.

“We have a bond that will never be broken.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Kevin Walters unsure over Brisbane Broncos’ best halves combination