Broncos No.9 Billy Walters reveals Ben Hunt will move to hooker when Ezra Mam returns

Billy Walters concedes his status as Brisbane’s top hooker will most likely have a short shelf life in 2025, revealing the club’s positional plans for prized recruit Ben Hunt.

Billy Walters concedes his status as Brisbane’s top hooker is under threat, declaring he is up for the fight in a fierce five-way battle for the Broncos’ No.9 jumper.

Walters launches his 2025 campaign at five-eighth in Sunday’s NRL Pre-Season Challenge trial against the Titans in Toowoomba, with coach Michael Maguire opting to rest halves Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt.

The hooking role is the most hotly-contested spot this season at the Broncos.

Walters is mindful of the slew of competitive threats, with Tyson Smoothy, young gun Blake Mozer, the rejuvenated Cory Paix and marquee off-season recruit Hunt all in the mix for the No.9 jumper.

Walters has seemingly battled a perennial perception that he was only Brisbane’s No.1 hooker because he was aided by the fact his father, Kevin, was Broncos coach.

But the trusty utility has proven himself to be a bona fide hooker in his own right, and with Maguire now in the Broncos coaching hot seat, Walters is hellbent on retaining the No.9 guernsey.

“The pressure is on for sure,” Walters said ahead of Sunday’s derby hitout with the Titans in Toowoomba.

“Even if Kev was still the coach, that No.9 jumper isn’t mine to walk into.

“There’s a number of good hookers here who should bring out my best footy and if it doesn’t, I will fall down the pecking order.

“I have tried to work hard in pre-season and prove I can still be the No.9.

“I still love the club.

“It was pretty tough to begin with what happened with Kev, but everyone has moved on now and it’s a new season for all of us.

“I’ve loved every minute of the past two years wearing the Broncos jersey, especially at Suncorp, so I don’t want to lose that feeling any time soon.

“Hopefully I’m there for round 1.”

Ezra Mam’s journey back to the NRL will have implications for Walters.

The Broncos pivot will miss the start of the 2025 premiership following the car-crash saga last October that saw Mam hit with a nine-match suspension.

Billy Walters and Ben Hunt on Tangalooma Island. Picture: Broncos Digital

If he eventually returns to the No.6 jumper alongside a fit Reynolds, Hunt, who will start the season at five-eighth, is likely to be shifted to hooker, which puts Walters in the firing line.

Just turned 31, Walters was instrumental in Brisbane’s charge to the 2023 grand final and accepts he could be relegated to a supersub role in the No.14 jumper if Hunt moves to hooker.

“I feel the competition,” he said.

“Being honest, Ben Hunt will probably move there (hooker) when Ezra comes back, unless we are 10-0.

“It’s important to be in the starting side and I want to make sure Madge can’t leave me out of the team if I’m playing well enough.

“There’s a lot of talent. There’s not one person who can take my spot, there’s a couple. But it’s good. I enjoy the competition.”

Versatility could be the key to Walters’ security.

The 84-game veteran has spent the summer doing more work in the halves and hopes a dominant performance at five-eighth against the Titans can demonstrate his utility value to Maguire.

“It’s a good opportunity this week against the Titans who have named a strong team,” he said.

“I have trained probably 50-50 in the halves in pre-season.

“It helps me prove my versatility and how valuable I can be to the team if a half was to go down injured.

“Something me and Madge spoke about in pre-season was that I hadn’t trained too much at six and it really hurt us when I was chucked there a couple of times (last season) and I was a bit lost and didn’t have the faith of my boys around me.

“I spoke to Madge about getting some reps in the halves and dusting off the cobwebs of playing six.

“If something were to happen to ‘Reyno’, Ezra or ‘Hunty’, I could play a role in the halves.”