NRL 2021: Kevin Walters annihilates Broncos players for error-riddled session

TV crews were told to turn their cameras off at Red Hill on Tuesday, as Kevvie Walters unleashed a blast for the ages on his Broncos squad. Here’s what was said.

Coach Kevin Walters upset during training with the Brisbane Broncos, Red Hill. Photographer: Liam Kidston

Kevin Walters has declared he will not tolerate slack standards at Red Hill after delivering a withering spray to Broncos players in the build-up to Saturday night’s derby against the Cowboys in Townsville.

A regulation Tuesday training run turned into a Red Hill roast as Walters ripped into his Brisbane troops with an expletive-laden address that belied his reputation as one of rugby league’s nice guys.

The Broncos have won just three of their past 26 matches and Walters is attempting to instil the winning streetfighting mentality he displayed as a player as he helped Brisbane to five of their six premierships.

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Brisbane coach Kevin Walters called the playing group together to deliver some candid words at training. Picture: Liam Kidston

Brisbane players made a number of sloppy errors during the session, prompting Walters to call a halt to training and summon the entire group into a huddle for a savage assessment of their bumbling attitudes.

Walters dropped the ‘F-bomb’ at least five times as he lashed the squad, in particular criticising Brisbane players for trying to pass the ball out wide early in sets before they simulated building pressure by getting out of their own half.

During the blast, Walters said in part: “We are not f***ing good enough yet to shift the ball and make these mistakes.

“Just get the ball to Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan, get to the other end of the f***ing field and kick to the corners (to pin the opposition wingers on their tryline).”

Asked about his stunning attack on Brisbane players after the session ended, Walters said he will not relent in his quest to bring a harder edge to the Broncos as they chase a second consecutive derby win after last week‘s 36-28 disposal of the Titans.

“Our standards around training dropped and we need to keep those standards up,” he said of the error-riddled session.

“My passion is not something I hide.

“I want this club to do well and part of that is around training and making sure we get it right every time we come out onto the training paddock.”

BROKEN BRONCOS SERIES

PART I: How teammate told Fifita to leave Broncos

PART II: Contract bungles holding Broncos to ransom

PART III: Broncos boss’ blessing: Kev, rip Red Hill apart

PART IIII: How new Broncos boss plans to fix the club

Broncos forward Tevita Pangai Jnr said the playing group deserved some honest feedback from Walters, who blasted the group in the dressing sheds a fortnight ago following their 46-6 loss to the Eels in Darwin.

“He’s had a few roasts but it’s obviously working,” he said.

“We have been playing good at home but away from home we haven’t been too good and we have to rectify that. Kevvie is trying to fix that.

“We have strike (in attack) but defence has been a problem the last few years.

“He is driving our defence and our defence coach John Cartwright is helping us a lot.

“Kevvie has learned a lot from Wayne (Bennett, former Broncos coach) on ball control.

“He has been harping on it a lot so it’s good for us.”

Walters has named an unchanged line-up for the Cowboys clash, although one new face is former Queensland Origin star Karmichael Hunt, who returned to Red Hill for his first training session.

Kevin Walters says he won’t hide his emotion. Picture: Liam Kidston

Hunt played the last of his 125 games for the Broncos in 2009 and now, at age 34, he is back on a train-and-trial contract in the hope of playing NRL again in a fortnight.

“He is not available until round 11,” Walters said. “I have got ‘K’ in mainly around the training environment and an older head. I don’t know if he will play or not, that’s up to Karmichael with his form in the Intrust Super Cup.

“I have got him in here to be around the younger guys, he is a good voice around the group and he is a good pro, so he can be a good mentor for these blokes.”