Brisbane Broncos legend dismisses talk over Kevin Walters contract clause
Brisbane Broncos legend Darren Lockyer has cooled suggestions coach Kevin Walters is under pressure and could be heading for the exit door.
The Broncos have shown signs of improvement this season under the leadership of Walters. They sit just outside of the eight with three wins from their opening seven games. Indeed there is the possibility of jumping in to finals if things go their way in round eight.
Brisbane showed great spirit when seeing off the Canterbury Bulldogs 34-14 last weekend. They also gave Penrith a run for their money in the first half.
Brisbane Broncos on the up
Despite signs of improvement there is still a bit of noise surrounding the future of Walters. He only signed a one-year contract extension back in March. But still reports claim there is a clause in it which allows the Broncos to pay him off early.
It has also been suggested that former Cowboys coach Paul Green is waiting to step in. Green is out of work but turned down the chance to coach the Leeds Rhinos in Super League. He did not want to uproot his family and head to the UK.
Instead he is holding out for a job in the NRL and would jump at the chance to coach the Broncos. Apparently he was close to landing it before Walters got the nod.
But that is all speculation and as far as Lockyer is concerned Walters is going nowhere. The former Broncos playmaker also holds a position on the board. When asked about all the talk on Channel 9, he played it all down.
Lockyer says Walters is the man to take the Broncos forward and is going nowhere.
Lockyer support
“The board’s behind Kevvie,” Lockyer told 9’s Wide World of Sports. “He came in last year and the morale was down, just with where the club was at. With respect to (Anthony) Seibold, he tried his hardest, but in the end, it didn’t work.
“Where the club was at – wooden spoon, the morale was down – he’s done a really good job of bringing that morale back into the playing group.
“He’s added a couple of good players to his roster. Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell have been really good signings for the club. There is a lot to look forward to in the next year or two and Kevvie’s been a big part of that.
“It’s news to me and all I can say is the board is 100 per cent behind Kevvie and what he’s doing.”
The Broncos face a huge test when they take on Cronulla Sharks on Thursday night.
