Kevin Walters’ wife blows up at Broncos over marketing slogan

Brisbane legend Kevin Walters’ relationship with the club has suffered another blow after a marketing slogan that led to Walters’ wife Narelle delivering a filthy social media post.

One previously used slogan appears to have led to the blow up. (Alix Sweeney)

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Tensions between Kevin Walters and Brisbane have exploded after the Broncos were sensationally accused of stealing a key slogan from the Queensland legend’s job interview to promote their new season.

Walters’ wife Narelle has labelled the club a “pack of c**ts” after discovering one of Brisbane’s new marketing slogans was identical to the title of her husband’s formal proposal to coach the Broncos.

But the Broncos hit back, insisting the motto was devised well before Walters unveiled his blueprint to replace Wayne Bennett.

One previously used slogan appears to have led to the blow up. (Alix Sweeney)

Three months ago, Walters was interviewed by the Broncos as a possible successor to Bennett, prompting the 242-game Brisbane legend to table a formal document titled “Better Never Stops”.

Walters was subsequently overlooked for his dream job as Broncos bosses opted for reigning NRL coach of the year Anthony Seibold.

But the Walters clan were left gobsmacked after seeing buses and banners across Brisbane promoting the Broncos’ 2019 season using the same three words from his formal job interview — “Better Never Stops”.

Narelle Walters isn’t happy with the Broncos. (Twitter)

The sight of Walters’ motto heading up Brisbane’s slick new marketing push triggered outrage from Narelle, who took to social media on Monday night to blast the Broncos.

“Driving around the city today, I noticed the broncos (sic) have launched their 2019 marketing campaign. The exact theme Kevin presented in his ‘interview’,” Mrs Walters wrote in a posting on her private account.

“What’s the collective term for a group of horses/broncos? A team?

“More like a pack of c**ts.”

A Broncos spokesman scoffed at claims they plagiarised Walters’ proposal, saying the ‘Better Never Stops’ phrase was one of a number of quotes that came out of an internal club survey last June.

The Brisbane Broncos provided The Courier-Mail with a copy of documents from June last year showing staff quotes, including “Better Never Stops”.

Other quotes included: “Never hope harder than you work”; “No-one’s perfect, own your mistakes” and “Be comfortable with being uncomfortable”.

Walters’ interview submission and the Broncos’ new marketing slogan.

“Those quotes — our beliefs — were then used as the basis for our new branding and marketing campaign for 2019,” Broncos communications chief Steele Tallon said.

“The interviews were done and results compiled in June last year — well after Kevin had left his role as assistant coach at the club at the start of April, and well in advance of Kevin’s interview for the head-coaching position in October.

“So we would respectfully disagree with what has been said about the issue on social media.”

Brisbane legends lashed the club last October, accusing powerbrokers of disrespecting Walters during an interview process they believed was mere window-dressing before the coronation of Seibold as Bennett’s successor.

Did Anthony Seibold have a slogan too? (AAP image/John Gass)

One member of the hiring committee initially didn’t plan to attend Walters’ pitch, prompting the Maroons’ Origin coach to delay his job interview until the entire panel was available.

This latest development will drive a wider chasm between Brisbane bosses and Walters, who has ostensibly given up hope of coaching his beloved Broncos.

Walters’ three-word slogan is not revolutionary. He declined to comment but it is understood Walters was inspired by the term after inspecting the New Zealand Rugby Union set-up last year.

Legendary rugby coach Sir Graham Henry regularly preached the slogan in his quest to make the All Blacks the greatest sporting team on the planet.

In another social media post last night, Mrs Walters said: “I’d like to clarify that I’m not suggesting that we hold IP rights to that cliche. There are rarely new ideas in sport marketing. In truth we borrowed it from the 2012 GB Olympic team.”

“I was simply expressing my frustration at the coincidental timing.”

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Originally published as Kevin Walters’ wife blows up at Broncos over marketing slogan