Brisbane Broncos sign John Cartwright, Terry Matterson as Kevin Walters’ assistants

New Brisbane Broncos coach Kevin Walters has made two key signings to assist him in rebuilding the fractured NRL club - and they may prove the most important of his career.

Kevin Walters has locked in his assistants. Picture: Josh Woning

Kevin Walters has put together his Holy Trinity with the Broncos coach securing John Cartwright and Terry Matterson as his assistants in a bid to break Brisbane’s 15-year premiership drought next season.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Cartwright and Matterson will join the Broncos on two-year deals with the pair in the final stages of negotiations to join forces with Walters in a coaching triumvirate to bring the glory days back to Red Hill.

Watch the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals on Kayo. Every game before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Now Walters is ramping up his coaching recruitment drive, with Broncos legend Petero Civoniceva also tipped to return to Red Hill and ‘Kevvie’ hoping to lure Storm legend Craig Bellamy as his coaching director in 2022.

Cartwright has 20 years’ experience in coaching, having won premierships as an assistant at the Roosters (2002) and Cowboys (2015). The former Test back-rower was also the Titans’ foundation coach, having seven largely successful seasons with the Gold Coast, steering the club to a preliminary final in 2010.

Kevin Walters has locked in his assistants. Picture: Josh Woning

Matterson, meanwhile, is a Broncos foundation player who coached at Castleford in the English Super League before serving as an assistant at the Titans.

Broncos hierarchy wanted a beefed-up coaching alliance to haul the club out of the premiership cellar and Walters is confident his new squadron of assistants can help Brisbane offload the wooden spoon.

“I’m very happy with the people I’m putting in place,” Walters said.

“There is a lot of work to be done and I can’t do this all on my own, I need a good team around me.

“I’m not sure if they have signed yet but ‘Carty’ and Terry are well down the track with everything. They will be my assistants and I won’t be looking for more than that, we don’t need too many assistants running around.

“I have never worked with Carty but I played with him in Australian teams and played against him.

“I just like Carty’s record. He has been around for 20 years, he has been a head coach at the Titans so I believe he can bring a lot of experience to the place, as will Terry, who knows the DNA of the Broncos.”

John Cartwright was the foundation coach of Gold Coast Titans. Pic Jono Searle.

Former Titans interim coach Terry Matterson. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Civoniceva has quit the Maroons and it is understood the former Broncos warhorse could return to Red Hill in a mentoring role, possibly as an advisor to the forwards.

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker worked with Brisbane’s forwards this year, while Peter Ryan came on board mid-season as a defensive technician, but Walters said he isn’t sure if the pair will be on deck next year.

“I am still sorting all the staff out,” he said.

DOWNLOAD YOUR NRL FINALS TEAM MASCOT CARTOON POSTER

“‘Cozza’ was doing some work with the forwards this season.

“I’m not sure exactly how much he did because I wasn’t around and I’m getting around to working everything out.

“I need to have more meetings but the answer to that right now is I’m not sure if Corey will still be there.”

MORE NRL NEWS

NRL 2020: Sam Thaiday backs Patrick Carrigan as Brisbane Broncos captain

State of Origin 2020: Mal Meninga joins Wayne Bennett as Queensland Maroons assistant

NRL 2020: Wayne Bennett breaks silence on ‘handshake deal’ with Phil Gould

A 347-game Broncos legend, Parker believes he has more to offer Brisbane’s young forwards and is keen to be back on deck with the Walters regime.

“I’m not sure what’s going on,” Parker said.

“At this stage, the Broncos are waiting for the dust to settle on everything. ‘Kevvie’ has just been appointed so there’s a fair bit going on with some changes there. We’ll see what happens.

“I don’t know if I will be there. My last conversation with Kevvie was that he wants to use me but there has been no confirmation. I feel I can offer some value there helping the young forwards but it’s up to Kevvie.”

Originally published as Brisbane Broncos sign John Cartwright, Terry Matterson as Kevin Walters’ assistants