Under-fire Brisbane Broncos coach Kevin Walters has been defended by his captain after their disappointing 2024 campaign ended without finals football.
After being close to winning the premiership last season, the Broncos have crashed and burned this campaign to heap pressure on Walters and his players.
Last week's embarrassing 40-6 loss to local rivals Dolphins sealed the Broncos' 2024 fate, and the season could get worse against ladder leaders Melbourne Storm on Thursday night.
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Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds fronted the media on Monday and gave a passionate defence for Walters, who brought him to Suncorp Stadium from the Rabbitohs.
"Kev brought me here from (South Sydney) and has given me a great opportunity to come up to a great club and do something special. I love the place and I am forever grateful," Reynolds said.
"Kev has done a fantastic job leading this club and is the right man for that job... We believe in him.
"We just need to get on board and follow the instructions from Kev. I have never seen anyone more passionate about the club and someone who loves the club and it has to rub off on the players."
While the pressure is ramping up on Walters, Broncos legend Gorden Tallis suggested it would be silly to think the coach could be sacked imminently.
“That’s rubbish (that Walters might be sacked)," Tallis said.
"He was three minutes away from winning a premiership (in 2023), his job is not under the pump. The whole place is and the players are. The players are the ones who own their performance.
"It’s just the players. They need some new faces at training and they need to harden up.
"When you talk to blokes who are super successful and at the great clubs, their highest paid, their captain, their best players are usually their best trainers. They have to take some ownership."
