NRL 2020: Kevin Walters reveals he never gave up on Brisbane Broncos dream; happy for Craig Bellamy to join him
Not just content with realising a 20-year ambition to become Broncos coach, Kevin Walters is keen to have the best coaching talent around him, which means rolling out the welcome mat for a long-time friend.
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New Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has put out the welcome mat for Craig Bellamy, urging the Storm mentor to join him in his quest to make the embattled Broncos a premiership force.
Walters’ 20-year ambition has finally been realised with the Brisbane legend officially unveiled as the man to rescue the Broncos following Anthony Seibold’s wooden-spoon disaster.
The playmaking legend who won five of Brisbane’s six premierships as a player has inked a two-year, $1 million contract to spearhead the Broncos’ resurrection from next season.
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Now the Broncos move onto stage two of their Red Hill revolution — attempting to poach Bellamy from the Storm on a five-to-10-year contract to be Walters’ coaching director.
Broncos bosses believe a proposed Walters-Bellamy alliance can break Brisbane’s 15-year title drought and ‘Kevvie’ says he would have no issue taking orders from his mate of 30 years.
“I wouldn’t have any problem working with Craig at all,” said Walters, who was an assistant to Bellamy at the Storm from 2011-13.
“We have known each other a long time, we have great respect for each other and there is no dramas at all if Craig comes on board.
“I don’t want to talk too much about ‘Bellyache’, he has a finals series to win with the Storm.
“I will let him focus on that, but the good thing is I will be coaching the Broncos for the next two years which I am really happy about.”
Walters officially signed with the Broncos at 10pm on Tuesday night, edging out former Cowboys coach Paul Green after their respective job interviews last Friday.
In the process of inking the deal, Walters confirmed he had resigned as Queensland Origin coach, texting Maroons players on Tuesday night to inform them of his impending departure.
There is a sense of poetic justice in Walters’ ascension to the Red Hill throne.
Two years ago, he was left broken hearted after he lost out to Seibold for the Broncos post, with Brisbane bosses forced to deny the hiring process was stacked in favour of Seibold.
Now, with the club on its knees after Seibold fell on his sword just a month before Brisbane’s crash to their inaugural wooden spoon, the same board have turned to a man with the Broncos in his blood.
The time has come for Kevvie, the boy from Ipswich who became a 241-game Broncos icon.
“I am so thrilled,” said Walters, a member of Brisbane’s maiden premiership team in 1992.
“This is something I have been working towards for 20 years, since I finished playing in 2001. I wanted to one day be the head coach of the Broncos and now I’ve got it, it’s in front of me.
“I always chased the dream and now the dream is here, I have to make it a reality.
“I never gave up hope of coaching the Broncos. I always believed in myself and the direction I was taking my coaching career. I always believed I would end up at the Broncos and now the time has arrived.
“I’m very grateful for the chance and the plan now is to deliver a premiership.
“We have a lot of work to do.”
As part of Walters’ Broncos coronation, he will reluctantly sever ties with the Maroons outfit he has coached for the past four campaigns.
The process will be gradual, with Walters to assist Queensland’s preparation for the next fortnight before handing the reins to his successor, most likely Wayne Bennett, the Broncos’ foundation coach.
“I’m disappointed, hugely disappointed,” he said of his decision to stand down from the Maroons.
“I love Queensland and I’m getting emotional just thinking about standing down.
“My love for that Queensland jumper will always remain in that arena. All the players know. I texted them (on Tuesday night). It’s really hard to be walking away.
“I wanted to do more series, not just this year.
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“Both the QRL and the Broncos board feel it’s in the best interests of both parties that I don’t do both jobs.
“We have put a lot of time and work into the players and I see it as my role and responsibility towards Queensland into the series. Queensland will select a new coach as such for the series, but I want to assist them and help them in every way that is possible
“I don’t know my exact role. We haven’t progressed that far, it depends on the incoming coach and I will support him in any way he wants me to.
“There will be a transitional period over the next month into the series. Once the QRL get their person and who they want, that’s when I’ll start working with them.
“Whatever they need from me, I am happy to give them any assistance.”
Originally published as NRL 2020: Kevin Walters reveals he never gave up on Brisbane Broncos dream; happy for Craig Bellamy to join him