After being overlooked time and time again, Kevin Walters is set to be handed a new deal at the Broncos that could see him become their second highest-capped head coach in club history.
Walters finally earned a shot in the lead up to 2021 following Anthony Seibold's sudden departure, narrowly missing the finals in his sophomore season after a late season collapse saw them plummet from 4th to 9th in seven weeks.
While it's easy to criticise him for the bad track record, Walters has taken the clubs leaps and bounds forward from what it was, rediscovering their culture while recruiting premiership-winners like Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell to deliver experience.
The 55 year-old has been under fire from his own squad, withย Tyson Gamble and Selwyn Cobbo both appearing on seperate podcasts to rubbish Walters' coaching ability.
Currently fourth on Brisbane's most-capped coaching list, Walters will overtake Ivan Henjak early in 2023, however an extension beyond this season will see the six-time premiership-winner challenge Anthony Griffin for second spot.
Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy has thrown his support behind the former Maroons coach.
โKevvie has all of our support. We are right behind him but also standing right beside him,โ he said.
โYes, he's the conductor of the team as the head coach, but it's a collective effort and we're all in it together.
โThe feedback I've got from the senior players across the course of the pre-season is that training, preparation and the whole program has really stepped up. They are working incredibly hard and Kev is leading that.
โHe is doing a great job and we are absolutely committed to continuing to support him, as we are with the entire football program, to help us get back to where we want to be.
โWe all saw the progress last year (ninth). We got a bit sloppy at the back end of last season but we have reviewed it, learnt from it and implemented steps to improve it.
โThe feedback I'm getting is that's happening and I'm seeing strong progress across the course of the pre-season.
โWhat that looks like on the field will play out in the early rounds, but I've been pleased with what I've seen from across the entire football program.โ
The deal is likely to be confirmed before the season starts, as Brisbane's potential long-awaited return to finals footy begins against Brisbane in Round 1.
