Kevin Walters has become familiar with the wrong kind of headaches throughout most of his tenure as Broncos coach but he’ll have a welcome one next week.
Fresh off their gritty 11-4 round one win over South Sydney in Brisbane on Friday night, Walters has to figure out how to fit star recruit and premiership-winning halfback Adam Reynolds into his team.
Reynolds missed the opener due to COVID-19 but should be right to make his club debut in their round two clash with the Bulldogs.
Walters went with his son Billy at five-eighth and Albert Kelly in the number seven and both players stepped up in Reynolds’ absence.
Billy Walters in particular proved a handful for the Bunnies, breaking six tackles while making 24 of his own in a solid defensive display.
The 28-year-old was making just his 13th first-grade appearance but looked very comfortable at the level in his first game for the club his father had captained.
“I’m not sure who was questioning [Billy’s selection] but I certainly wasn’t and the team certainly wasn’t,” Kevin Walters said after the match.
“When he ran out on the field I got a bit of a lump in my throat but as soon as the ball was kicked into play he was Billy Walters the Broncos player, not my son.
“I was really happy for him tonight both from a coaching point of view and also as his dad that his first game in Broncos jumper he comes up with a win so that’s a job well done.
“There was a lot of pressure on him this week and he delivered in a way that I knew he could.”
Walters said he hadn’t yet made a call on who will line up in the halves alongside Reynolds next Sunday.
“We’ll just look at the video and make a decision on there,” he said.
“I feel really great sitting here after a victory and knowing that Adam Reynolds is going to drop back into the side next week.”
Billy Walters was among several players to impress in the win over last year’s beaten grand finalists.
Kelly scored a long-range intercept try and looked dangerous, co-captain Kurt Capewell kicked the match-sealing field goal on his Broncos debut and middle forward Pat Carrigan got out 58 minutes and ran for 190 metres in his return from ACL surgery.
Most of the plaudits however were reserved for 19-year-old outside back Selwyn Cobbo and superstar front-rower Payne Haas.
Playing on the wing, Cobbo ran for 176 metres and came up with some big defensive plays in just his eighth game of first grade.
“If you know Selwyn, away from the field he’s really quiet and shy but when he crosses that line he just lights it up,” Walters said.
“All of his carries, his catching tonight, was really good. Really pleased for him.”
Capewell backed up his coach: “He’s a quiet kid. What he did tonight was pretty special.
“I’m happy to have him on our team. that’s for sure.”
As for Haas, Capewell, who played with James Fisher-Harris at Penrith for the past two seasons, interrupted when his coach was asked whether the Broncos destroyer was the best prop in the game.
“Yes.”
You played with Fisher-Harris last year…
“Payne’s better, Fish,” Capewell replied with a wry smile.
“They’re both outstanding players in their own right but what Payne does for this team is just enormous.
“He played 40 minutes in the second half in the first round of the year. Not many people can do that in any position.
“Blokes are cramping up everywhere out there and he’s just putting his hand up and taking those tough carries.”
