NRL 2024: Blake Mozer backed by Karmichael Hunt for NRL impact, Billy Walters set for surgery
The Broncos’ growing casualty ward has opened the door for Blake Mozer to inject himself into the side for Magic Round, with a Broncos legend touting the young gun to have a big role at the club in the future.
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Broncos legend Karmichael Hunt has backed whizkid hooker Blake Mozer to become an NRL star and help the club’s band of young guns break Brisbane’s 18-year premiership drought.
A wrist injury to grand-final hooker Billy Walters has opened the door for Mozer to showcase his skills in Friday night’s Magic Round clash with the Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium.
Just turned 20, Mozer played his one and only NRL game last season in the final round against Melbourne and is rated one of the finest young hookers to come through the Broncos Academy.
The Queensland under-19s ace has waited patiently behind Walters and Tyson Smoothy, but with Brisbane’s first-choice rake in the casualty ward, Mozer gets a golden chance in the Broncos’ No.14 jumper.
Mozer’s coach at feeder club Souths Logan, Hunt, knows all about the pressures of trying to shine at a young age in the cut-throat furnace of the NRL.
Hunt was blooded at the Broncos by Wayne Bennett as a 17-year-old in 2004 and, two decades later, the now Magpies mentor backed Mozer to enjoy a long career in the Brisbane No.9 jumper.
“Blake is a real talent. He is a really mature young guy,” Hunt said.
“I definitely think he is up to the NRL for sure.
“He has a good head on his shoulders and he’s in a good system at the Broncos.
“He works hard and is always willing to learn so that will take him a long way.
“The Broncos have some good hookers in Billy and Tyson so it’s really just about getting an opportunity for Blake.
“But when his time eventually comes in the years ahead, I know he will be up to it.”
The Broncos are trying to keep a lid on the Mozer hype train.
Such is his talent, he was invited to a Broncos pre-season as a 17-year-old and Mozer was outstanding in Souths Logan’s Mal Meninga Cup win in 2022 before being elevated to the Hostplus Cup.
Tall for a hooker at 183cm - the same height as legendary Storm rake Cameron Smith - Mozer has played 29 games in the Hostplus Cup and there were fears he was struggling with the physicality of Queensland’s premier competition.
But Hunt said the clever rake has the work ethic to succeed in the NRL and is being carefully managed by Broncos coach Kevin Walters.
“His defensive side has really impressed me,” Hunt said.
“I wouldn’t say there’s been a stagnation with Blake.
“Because he came into the Broncos system so young, there’s been a lot of talk and expectation around him.
“He has only just come into the Queensland Cup and playing at this level has been really good for his development.”
With his cool head and creative thrust out of dummy half, Mozer has been likened to a young Smith, but Broncos assistant coach Matt Ballin said recently comparisons to the code’s greatest hooker are unfair.
“Blake is going really well but I really don’t like it when people compare him to Cameron Smith because Cameron was one of the best players in our game ... ever,” said Ballin, himself a former NRL hooker.
“I just say to Blakey, ‘be yourself at training and work hard’. That’s as simple as I keep it for him.
“Blake has played one game of NRL.
“His trajectory will be based on effort and ability to stay focused on what Blake Mozer does well.
“We have got a heap of good hookers here at the Broncos. There is a lot of competition, but Blake has a bright future ahead.”
BILLY WALTERS SET FOR SURGERY
Grand-final hooker Billy Walters is out of Friday night’s Magic Round clash against Manly and may require surgery on his damaged wrist as injury carnage threatens to derail Brisbane’s title campaign.
Walters revealed he could go under the knife at season’s end, while monster prop Ben Te Kura (foot) and Reece Walsh’s understudy Tristan Sailor (ankle) will undergo surgery in a triple blow for Brisbane.
Six Broncos are unavailable for the round 11 clash at Suncorp Stadium, with skipper Adam Reynolds (bicep) and Jesse Arthars (broken jaw) joined by Walters, Te Kura, Sailor and Fletcher Baker (ankle) in the casualty ward.
While Te Kura and Sailor were unlikely to feature against the Sea Eagles, the duo were expected to play crucial roles when Brisbane’s big guns are called up for State of Origin duty next month.
Hulking 205cm prop Te Kura will miss the rest of the season with Lisfranc damage, while Sailor faces four to six weeks on the sidelines after both were injured for feeder club Souths Logan in the Hostplus Cup last Saturday.
Walters, meanwhile, has been scratched for Magic Round, opening the door for Tyson Smoothy to start at hooker, with young gun rake Blake Mozer, 20, promoted to the bench.
Walters lasted just 12 minutes of last Friday night’s win over the Eels in Sydney and is no guarantee to play on Sunday week against the Titans with a wrist problem that could require an operation.
“There’s a chance I may have to have surgery,” Walters said.
“If it was a grand final this week, I’d play, but we want to limit the risk.
“We’re taking it week by week.
“It might even be smart to miss next week (against the Titans) because we have the bye after that, but we’ll see how it pulls up over the next week or two.
“I’ve got some ligament damage right near the bump on your wrist. It gets pretty sore.
“They said surgery could be an option but we’ll wait and see what happens and see how it is at the end of the year.”
Brisbane’s casualty ward swelled over the weekend, with Te Kura and Sailor suffering setbacks playing for Souths Logan in the Magpies’ 24-18 defeat of Toowoomba last Saturday night.
Just 24 hours after Walters hurt his wrist, Te Kura hobbled off in the 60th minute, while Sailor sustained ankle damage after a Toowoomba defender crushed his leg as he attempted to score a try.
Te Kura and Sailor were set to play important roles for the Broncos during the State of Origin period.
The 120kg Te Kura offered extra bulk off the bench in the absence of midfield enforcers Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan, while Sailor is earmarked to fill in for Walsh, who is set to be named Queensland’s fullback for Game One on June 5.
Sailor may yet return during the Origin period, but Te Kura, who scored in his NRL debut against the Storm in round 5, will not be seen again this season.
“Ben will need at least four months of recovery time and the club will provide him with all the support he requires as he goes through the rehab process,” Broncos high-performance chief Dave Ballard said.
“Tristan will miss 4-6 weeks with a high-ankle sprain picked up playing for Souths Logan in the same game as Ben.
“He will have surgery this week and move into his rehab program once the injury settles down.”
Souths Logan coach Karmichael Hunt added: “I spoke to Benny on the phone and he is gutted,” Hunt said.
“I feel for both boys. It not only hurts us, but hurts the Broncos as well with the Origin period coming up.”
Brisbane front-rower Corey Jensen, who will play his 50th club game this week, said the Broncos will miss the slick service of grand-final hooker Walters.
“He is a huge loss,” he said.
“Billy toils away in the middle, does his job, makes his tackles and gets us around the park.
“Hopefully he isn’t out for too long.”
In a boost for the Broncos, Reynolds’ understudy Jock Madden (pec strain) will return in the No.7 jumper after Josh Rogers impressed at halfback in last week’s disposal of the Eels.
“Jock is very similar to ‘Reyno’,” Jensen said.
“He is a great talker out there on the field and gets us around the park really well.
“He knows what he wants to do and has really clear calls for us which helps us out as middles.
“Jock is a ball of energy, he studies the opposition and teams, he will be ready to go if he’s right to play.”
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