Peter Badel: Who wins in the battle between Walters and Green?
While all eyes will be on the battle between Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu tonight, the fight between Kevin Walters and Paul Green for the Broncos gig is just as enthralling, writes PETER BADEL.
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FORGET Horn versus Tszyu.
Kevin Walters versus Paul Green is the bout on everyone’s lips today as the Queenslanders prepare to slug it out in the heavyweight battle to win the most prized title in the NRL – the coaching job at the Broncos.
They say styles make fights and the impending Red Hill rumble between the coaching rivals is compelling because in many ways Walters is everything that Green isn’t and vice-versa.
“Kevvie” is the jovial, endearing, fun-loving type who looks for shades of laughter in even the darkest moments and it’s that disarming energy that has made him a favourite son with generations of Broncos fans.
Green can be seen as an edgy, intense character who lacks the warmth of Walters, a personality trait that may ring alarm bells for Broncos bosses in the wake of the Seibold reign that has left Brisbane players psychologically scarred.
If Broncos powerbrokers believed they had a tough decision to make replacing Wayne Bennett, the Seibold succession plan is incalculably more difficult.
The Seibold appointment proved a disaster and it set the Broncos back about two years.
This time, Broncos hierarchy can’t afford another stuff-up.
Another coaching mistake could turn Brisbane’s revitalisation into a five-year rebuild and that time frame would represent an eternity for a club that has been unable to deliver for a sustained period without their foundation supercoach Wayne Bennett.
As the Cowboys have discovered in their recent search for Green’s successor, the NRL coaching cupboard has as much depth as a toddler’s inflatable swimming pool.
Anthony Griffin has already been sacked once by the Broncos. Geoff Toovey and Neil Henry are yesterday’s men. Shane Flanagan, a premiership winner at Cronulla, is suspended by the NRL. Highly-rated Roosters assistant Craig Fitzgibbon won’t leave NSW.
Others, like the Walker brothers, Shane and Ben, Todd Payten, Storm assistant Jason Ryles and Laurie Daley are too raw for the furnace of the NRL’s richest club and Queensland’s sporting flagship.
Bennett’s ego couldn’t resist a rescue mission, but the wounds run too deep with Broncos chairman Karl Morris for a third-time-lucky resurrection at Red Hill.
I’ve always believed big-name clubs need big-name coaches and that makes Green and Walters the only viable candidates to succeed Seibold.
The frustration for the Broncos is that appointing either of the pair comes with some question marks and potential pitfalls.
In the blue corner, there is Walters.
The 52-year-old knows every strand of the Broncos’ DNA, he is revered by Brisbane’s publicly vocal Old Boys and such is his popularity with players, “Kevvie” will bring instant harmony to a club that is emotionally vulnerable and crying out for some love.
But the knock on Walters is that he is untested in the NRL and has failed three times in job interviews when chasing breakthroughs at the Wests Tigers, North Queensland and Brisbane.
Even now, as Queensland Origin coach, he was not the preferred candidate.
When Mal Meninga walked away, the Queensland Rugby League privately sounded out Bennett.
When he said no, they, ironically, chased Green. When the Cowboys blocked Green because of his club commitments, Walters got his Steven Bradbury moment in Maroon.
In the red corner, there is Green.
The 47-year-old is a proven winner, having won back-to-back titles at Wynnum Manly before delivering the Cowboys’ maiden premiership in 2015 and a second grand final appearance for the club two years later.
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But with Green’s fierce desire and insatiable will to win comes combustible moments such as his verbal spat with Cowboys skipper Michael Morgan and dressing-room tirade at Coen Hess last year.
Brisbane must decide whether to go for the man that can win back Broncos hearts against the man who can inspire title-winning minds.
Privately, both combatants covet the ultimate prize.
If Walters misses out on his dream Broncos job once again, that could be the most explosive narrative of all.