NRL 2022: Kevin Walters safe as Broncos coach, club hands down review findings

The Brisbane Broncos have completed their review into the club’s shocking late-season fadeout and revealed the coaching future of under-pressure Kevin Walters.   

Kevin Walters is safe as Broncos coach. Picture: Liam Kidston

Brisbane chairman Karl Morris has declared Kevin Walters will not be sacked as the club backs the besieged Broncos coach to spearhead a finals fightback next season.

News Corp can reveal Walters has survived a post-season review after delivering a presentation to chief executive Dave Donaghy addressing Brisbane’s freefall and how he plans to end the longest finals drought in Broncos history.

But while Walters will return for a third year next season, the Broncos legend is under no illusions he faces a perform-or-perish campaign after finishes of 14th and ninth during his first two years in charge.

Walters is off-contract next year and there were fears the 54-year-old could be a casualty of Brisbane’s calamitous late-season implosion that saw the Broncos crash out of finals contention for the third successive year.

Kevin Walters is safe as Broncos coach. Picture: Liam Kidston

But Morris insists the Broncos will not hit the panic button by axing Walters, who statistically steered Brisbane to a winning campaign this season with a 13-11 win-loss record.

The last Broncos team to miss the finals after winning 13 games was Wayne Bennett’s 1991 squad 31 years ago, convincing Brisbane powerbrokers Walters is capable of breaking the club’s 16-year title drought.

“We are going to back Kevin,” Morris said.

“If you look at things historically, 13 wins would have made the finals most seasons over the past 10 years.

“We are very disappointed at how the season finished, we can’t sugarcoat that, and it’s hard to rationalise (Brisbane’s poor final month) when you look at the way the team played in the middle of the season.

“There has been some real soul-searching when you lose a few games by 50 points into what went wrong.

Kevin Walters will embark on a third year as Broncos coach. Picture: Jerad Williams

“The CEO (Donaghy) has done a top-to-bottom analysis and review and we have some time now to make some decisions over the next few weeks.

“But we have no issues with Kevvie. We always thought it was going to take numerous years to get us back to where we need to be and we look forward to Kevvie having another crack at it next year.”

It is understood Walters delivered an address on behalf of Brisbane’s football department last Friday.

Broncos boss Donaghy was joined in the meetings by board member Vicki Wilson, the 104-Test Australian netball legend who was a proven winner during her illustrious sporting career.

Walters will beef-up his football staff next season, with Warrington legend and former Great Britain playmaker Lee Briers to join a team of assistants comprising John Cartwright, Terry Matterson and Matt Ballin.

Walters is under pressure to enact change – there is speculation Matterson is under review – but the Broncos coach has until pre-season in November to finalise the composition of his football department.

Kevin Walters will see out his current contract. Picture: Liam Kidston

Kevin Walters is aiming for a contract extension. Picture: Josh Woning

Walters’ management last month proposed a contract extension when the Broncos were flying in fourth position. Brisbane bosses wanted to take a wait-and-see approach given that Walters is already contracted for the 2023 season.

That suggests another failed campaign next season will put Walters in the firing line, but Broncos football boss Ben Ikin is confident the five-time premiership legend can pilot Brisbane to the playoffs.

“We got closer to a premiership this year,” Ikin said.

“We didn’t finish where we wanted to finish, but we got closer to a premiership and the responsibility for everybody in this off-season is to build a plan to get closer once again.

“We have to keep closing the gap until we get ourselves into contender status and once you start contending, like the Storm and Roosters, there is no reason why it should ever stop.

“With Kevvie, the only thing I can judge is did he win more games this year than last year and the answer is yes.”

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