Latest news with #BillyWalters
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kevin Walters in telling move for son Billy after ugly fallout at Brisbane Broncos
Kevin Walters has taken a giant step in repairing his relationship with the Brisbane Broncos after returning to the club as a special guest for his son Billy's 100-game milestone. Walters was left gutted after being axed as Broncos coach at the end of last season, replaced by Michael Maguire despite still having two years remaining on his contract. Walters is a legend of the club after winning five premierships with the Broncos as a player and coming within a whisker of claiming another one as Brisbane's coach in the 2023 grand final defeat to Penrith. But a disappointing 2024 season led to a highly contentious axing that left many Broncos greats fuming about how the club had treated one of their own. After moving into a media role with Fox League this year, Walters put aside any potential bad blood with the Broncos after making a guest appearance at Red Hill alongside Maguire this week, to celebrate his son's 100th game for the club. In a promising sign the former coach is ready to move on from his axing, Walters presented Billy with his Broncos jersey ahead of Friday night's milestone game against the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium. 'It was really good... I have known him (Billy) for four or five years now and to see a player play 100 games is pretty special," Maguire told about the special moment between father and son. 'We always talk about playing one game, let alone 100, but I've been able to have a few of the boys with Adam Reynolds' 300th and Jordan Riki's 100th. "Now we have another one, so it's good to see the experience is within the team. Kevvie came in and spoke really well. It was nice to see a father and son together which was really special.' Walters' axing by the Broncos is clearly still a prickly issue, with former teammate Gorden Tallis grilling Brisbane CEO Dave Donaghy recently about the contentious move. Maguire has come under fire over Brisbane's patchy form in 2025 but he has turned things around in recent weeks, with the Broncos claiming three-straight wins to jump into fifth on the ladder. RELATED: Cleary calls for NRL to make big change after issue that dudded Panthers Teammate follows Cobbo out of Broncos as Roosters lose star's brother Toby Sexton in $1 million club switch to replace premiership hero Before their great escape against the Sharks in round 16 though, Brisbane were actually travelling worse under Maguire than at the same stage the previous year under Walters. And Donaghy's response to a question about whether it was the right call to sack Walters, didn't go down too well with Tallis. "We made an incredibly difficult decision, and that's the reality of it," Donaghy said on Triple M. "Kevvie is a great of our club and he put his heart and soul into the place for four years." Tallis interjected to take issue with the 'four years' reference, considering Walters has been a huge part of the club for more than 30 years, since making his playing debut in 1990. Donaghy responded: "Sorry Gordie, 30 years. He did four years as the coach and did a wonderful job and was there for a long, long time. We want to ensure we're acknowledging that and recognising that. But we did feel it was time for a change and we do feel like it was the right decision."
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Broncos player issues defiant message with Ben Hunt's return set to see him axed
Broncos star Billy Walters has claimed he will fight for his bench position at the club after Michael Maguire is expected to throw Ben Hunt straight into the No.9 role when he returns from injury. Fans were left deflated on Tuesday when it emerged Hunt would not be fit in time for the game against the Warriors on the weekend. Hunt has been out since injuring himself against the Rabbitohs in round 10 after a MCL injury. While he was expected to play this weekend at Suncorp, Maguire has been forced to sit him out for another round after failing to recover in time. This means Cory Paix will start at dummy-half, while Walters will come off the bench. Paix and Walters have switched roles a number of times throughout the season as Maguire has looked to find the right balance for his team. Paix appears to have won back the starting role, which leaves Walters in a precarious situation. Walters appears to have one more chance to prove himself this weekend, before Hunt is fit. And the Broncos utility admitted he isn't ready to let go of his jersey. "I feel like everyone's position's up for grabs," Walters said. "You have got to be playing good footy or you're not going to be in the team. So I don't know which way Madge (coach Michael Magure) is going to go. "It's kind of been up to me and Paixy to see who's playing the best or see who can bring the most to the team, so, I suppose we'll see in the next coming weeks. "I keep asking Dozer (Hunt) when he's going to be back, hoping he can push it back a little bit further just to make sure I'm in the team, but even if I'm not in the team I'll still be trying hard to get back in. You never know with rugby league these days, it could change pretty quickly, so you've always got to be ready and just take the opportunity when it's there." The Broncos have struggled at times this year with Hunt slotting into No.6 while Ezra Mam was serving his suspension. While the likes of Cooper Cronk thought the Broncos were better off with Hunt at five-eighth alongside Adam Reynolds, the form of Reece Walsh dropped as he struggled to link-up with the new spine. Mam's return appears to have helped Walsh play with more freedom and Hunt will revert to the No.9 role he was initially brought into play. While Hunt has played No.7 for most of his NRL career, he shifted to No.9 for Queensland in State of Origin. Slater has opted to use Hunt to start game in previous Origin series, working in tandem with Harry Grant in a dual-hooker role for Queensland. In fact, the Maroons' Game 2 vicory in Perth was the first time in five games that they'd won with the Storm superstar starting at hooker Hunt has excelled in this role having played it for both the Maroons and Australia. The switch would give Brisbane another creative outlet in attack and much needed big-game experience. RELATED: Blow for Storm and Queensland as star ruled out of Origin 3 Corey Parker calls for premiership-winning coach to stand down now While Walters is fighting for his position in the Broncos 17, the utility admitted he is just ready to take advantage of his opportunity. "You can't think too far ahead anyway. You have got to enjoy every moment that you pull on the Broncos jersey and be grateful for every chance that you get and go out there and play your best footy," he added. I just know if I'm playing my best football, then I'll be in the team somewhere."
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Latrell Mitchell act of ‘ultimate humiliation' crosses line in eyes of some
Were it not for one of the best field goals ever kicked in the NRL, the rugby league world would be having a very different discussion about Latrell Mitchell. The Rabbitohs fullback was in a class of his own as South Sydney pulled off one of the most thrilling wins of the season on Friday night at Accor Stadium. The mercurial No. 1 came up with countless big plays late in the game as the Bunnies came back from 14-0 down to win 22-14 — handing the Broncos their fourth loss in the past five games. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE in 4K with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Mitchell's special night, which included a freakish 49m, two-point field goal in the 79th minute, has again sparked a debate about the need for NSW coach Laurie Daley to pick the former Roosters centre in his team for the State of Origin series opener. However, another debut that has erupted surrounds the post-siren try scored by Mitchell when he barged over from dummy half. After a play-the-ball from Silivi Havil one-metre from the try-line, Mitchell took a knee to surrender and seemingly end the game. He then went on to teach the Broncos a schoolboy lesson with Brisbane defenders turning their backs before the play had been completed. Billy Walters was the only defender that hadn't been fooled by Mitchell but the Broncos hooker was powerless to stop Mitchell as he crashed over. Selwyn Cobbo and other Brisbane defenders had already given up. It was the cherry-on-top of his masterclass performance. However, the gamesmanship involved has led some to suggest the act crossed the line. Roosters halfback Chad Townsend also questioned it, posting on X: 'Is that sweet what Trell Mit did at the end of the game?' You can watch the incident in the video player above. Latrell Mitchell caught then snoozing. Photo: Fox League. Selwyn Cobbo was nowhere near it. Photo: Fox League. One NRL fan posted on X: 'Latrell Mitchell won his team the game, but pretending the game is over then scoring a try is against the spirit of the game. Might be unpopular opinion but he stopped as if the game had finished'. One fan laughed while calling it 'disrespectful'. Another fan wrote: 'That by Latrell is not sportsmanlike at all'. NRL greats on Fox League and Channel 9, however, saw the funny side of it. Fox League's Dan Ginnane said Mitchell had 'rubbed it in' with the controversial try. Nine's Mat Thompson said it was the 'ultimate humiliation' for the Broncos. Phil Gould said Mitchell had 'played dead'. 'He pulled their pants down in public and embarrasses them on the last play of the game,' he said. The debate in no-way takes the shine off Mitchell's superstar performance. Latrell Mitchell put in an all-time great performance on Friday night. (Photo by) Returning from suspension with his State of Origin spot on the line, Mitchell was immense. Even before his incredible field goal, he was arguably the player of the match as he proved a handful for defenders every time he touched the ball and also saved several tries with incredible last-ditch defence. However, in a moment sure to be replayed for many years to come, it was his field goal that stole the show. With three minutes to go and the game tied at 14-all, Mitchell slotted a field goal from almost the halfway line that never looked like missing. After seeing the ball sail over the black dot, Mitchell expressionless turned away and walked back to the other end as his Rabbitohs teammates jumped all over him, almost saying with his body language 'That's just what I do'. Daley, meanwhile, would have been watching on with a massive smile across his face.
