THE EX Kevin Walters

[007]

I think irrelevant of the outcome of this season - KW should be applauded.

As an individual he has gone through a lot, both as a person, family man and footy player. People might hang shit on him for the collapse last season, but there is clearly something that's working. That doesn't come from luck.

 

[Culhwch]

Does a minor premiership seal the coach of the year award?

 

[Mr Fourex]

It'd have to I reckon....

 

[Wolfie]

Does a minor premiership seal the coach of the year award?

Its him or Webster.

 

[theshed]

Its him or Webster.

Webby has been great and will probably win it but i think Kev deserves it more. Wooden spoon to top 2 position in under 3 years. Playing an exciting brand of footy and not just grinding out safe wins.

Webster will get it though as there is an expectation that broncos are successful and an expectation that warriors suck - so there will be an inbuilt bias

 

[BroncsFan]

Does a minor premiership seal the coach of the year award?

In this case it should.

Webster has done a brilliant job at warriors but a minor premiership is Kevvie’s Broncos beating the back to back unstoppable premiers… on the back of claims he was under pressure at the start of the year

 

[Mustafur]

Kevvie is on the brink of getting the minor premiership something Bennett hasn't be able to get in his last 12 seasons he has coached us, he is a proper good coach especially when you consider his experience and what he inherited when he took over, this is something special.

 

[tommy]

Kev will get it. Deservedly too.

 

[McHunt]

Those who've watched the Broncos from inception, when did you start to "rate" Kevvie as anything more than Alfie's straight man? If you're an old timer, you would've seen him replace Wally, which were shoes way too big for anyone to fill. And then he played in the Alfie's shadow, like a plus one who always turned up on Langers' arm.

For me, he was always a player I took for granted. I never considered replacing him with anyone else, but he wasn't the star attraction, and I didn't feel like he was being overlooked at a rep level. He was always plenty good enough, but more like someone you never had to worry about.

I didn't really see him as anything more than handy until after Alfie left, and maybe not even right away then either. I'm pretty sure I became a fan around the time he became captain, but I can't quite recall.

Anyway, I guess what I'm asking is along the lines of I think the legend of Kevvie grew after his retirement when people twigged to how many premierships he'd won. During his playing years, I think others - especially Bennett - got more of the credit. He was the ultimate quiet achiever.

Or did I miss something?

 

[Manifesto]

Kevie (and DD but this is all about Kevie) is the best thing to happen to the Broncos in years. He is 100% Broncos and the heart and soul of the Broncos and what better person to lead us out of the darkest times in our history. His leadership along with Reynolds on the field, has transformed us back into being a powerful force.

I dont think a non-broncos afflated coach could have done what Kevvie has done dragging us out of the ground. I just love his tactics, bench use has been fantastic, and his cheerful demeanour particularly when speaking to the media/channel 9 interviews etc.

Kevie is the broncos, always will be.

 

[Wolfie]

Webby has been great and will probably win it but i think Kev deserves it more. Wooden spoon to top 2 position in under 3 years. Playing an exciting brand of footy and not just grinding out safe wins.

Webster will get it though as there is an expectation that broncos are successful and an expectation that warriors suck - so there will be an inbuilt bias

I dont think it will be a bias against the Broncos if Webster wins it. The job Kevvie has done has been excellent, but the award is based on what the coach has achieved in 2023. Kevvie wasnt far of this last year, he's just fine tuned a few things to turn us into this side. The Warriors improvement has been a lot more dramatic. Some of the comments are looking at the job Kevvie has done overall rather than the job he has done in 2023 alone.

When i think about it, i honestly cant pick between them. Its easy to justify why both should win it. If Kevvie wins the minor premiership and grand final, he's been the best coach hands down. If he wins the minor premiership, i think he should win it as well. On the other hand, i then think the turnaround in the time frame at the Warriors Webster has achieved is as good as winning a minor premiership. Best let somebody else decide, i'm too wishy washy!

 

[McHunt]

Webby has been great and will probably win it but i think Kev deserves it more. Wooden spoon to top 2 position in under 3 years. Playing an exciting brand of footy and not just grinding out safe wins.

Webster will get it though as there is an expectation that broncos are successful and an expectation that warriors suck - so there will be an inbuilt bias

Kevvie is, without doubt, Coach of the Year 2023. It wasn't just the wooden spoon; it was the way we ended last season. I can never recall this fanbase more disillusioned with the Broncos than we were during the off season. We were ready for it to go either way, as ever, but the annual optimism that usually emerges around January, regardless of the previous season, just didn't happen. And even after we beat the premiers in Round 1 few of us were feeling it. That's all flipped.

The only way to hand it to Webster is with your thumb on the scale: giving the Warriors a sympathy handicap for having endured the pandemic and looking like a team that's more on the brink of giving up on the NRL than owning the top 8. Meanwhile, discounting the Broncos for being stuck in a wilderness born of being rich, pampered and underachieving.

That said, the Warriors managed to break the top 4 even AFTER gifting us the player who arguably has triggered the club's resurgence (with apologies to Adam Reynolds). We wouldn't begrudge slipping them a COTY in return.

 

[Xzei]

Might be a shared win?that ever happen with coaches?

 

[McHunt]

Might be a shared win?that ever happen with coaches?

Too much of a cop-out. There can be only one.

 

[Xzei]

Too much of a cop-out. There can be only one.

idk it is pretty hard to split them imo but if i take my broncos glasses off webster by a nose getting the warriors playing the way they are this year is quite the feat

 

[The Strapper]

idk it is pretty hard to split them imo but if i take my broncos glasses off webster by a nose getting the warriors playing the way they are this year is quite the feat

Yeah think I have to agree.
Webster has got the Warriors to massively overachieve this season.
Would also give an honourable mention to Obrien as it looks like he has got the knights humming now too.

 

[Xzei]

Yeah think I have to agree.
Webster has got the Warriors to massively overachieve this season.
Would also give an honourable mention to Obrien as it looks like he has got the knights humming now too.

i would have said obrein in the mix but he messed around with ponga at 6 for far to long when to everyone with a set of eyes ponga 1 gamble 6 and hastings 7 was the far better option

 

[Fozz]

Gotta be between Webster and Kevvie for coach of the year.

Webster has more immediate impact this year but Kevvie has taken us from the spoon to a possible minor premiership.

The galaxy brains on the footy show were agitating for Ivan but the Panthers have gone backwards this year. They've lost to the wooden spooners.