NEWS Rugby League royalty swarms to Red Hill

[McHunt]

Tigers' backup playmaker, Billy Walters has been hoping his old man Kevin will bring him back to Brisbane this year. Despite being owned by the Wests Tigers for the rest of 2021 and still recovering from a serious knee injury, unsubstantiated rumours insist it still might happen after round one.

And Billy certainly isn't talking them down:

“There is definitely an option to go back to Brisbane. And I would love to go. While I didn’t go looking for a release - and I am happy here at Wests Tigers - an opportunity has come up that I’ve spoken with the club about. And they have seen it from my point of view. But they’ve also said that (right now) they want me here. So I just want to make sure everyone is happy and that the Tigers get whatever they need. If there is an opportunity to go, I don’t want to leave on bad terms. But if they want me to stay, I’ll stay.”

Rugby league royalty: Virl, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Donnie and Jimmy Walters

Billy shrugs off potential conflict:

“I could be Johnathan Thurston and some people would still say he’s only picking me because I’m his son. Because there will always be outside noise. I just don’t listen to it. When the talk first started about dad coaching in the NRL, I had wanted to establish myself a little more (as a first grader) and then play under him. But that hasn’t been the case, because of injuries and so on. But still, this is an opportunity I’ve spoken about. Brisbane is one of my juniors club - a club I loved to watch growing up - and now dad is there coaching too, it’s something even more special.”

“I think it would be good because we’re both fairly casual people. We aren’t too serious. Can have a laugh. So there wouldn’t be too much pressure. Dad was obviously in the halves too as a player, so I think the opportunity would be there to learn even more off him being there full-time.”

“He coached my older brother but never me. As a parent, dad would always give tips here and there when we wanted them - and obviously I asked a lot - but he never forced football onto us. First and foremost, he was dad. I’ve got younger brothers who don’t take footy as seriously as I did and he is supportive of that too. He’s always been really good.”

“I’ve been away from Brisbane three-and-a-half years now. My family is all up there, my partner’s family is there, so (the opportunity) is definitely something that excites me. But what excites me more is playing NRL ... and if that opportunity were here at the Tigers, then I think I would stay and take it.”

McHunt

 

[Sproj]

We can't get players who want to come, come. We can't keep players who want to go. We can't get key players to re-sign. We can't attract players we want to come.

Meanwhile we pay players who take their player option with us to play elsewhere.

I don't like these kind of articles either that have players at one club talking about wanting to go to another, it is just so amateurish.

 

[ningnangnong]

Billy sounds like a very well spoken and well raised young man.

 

[McHunt]

We can't get players who want to come, come. We can't keep players who want to go. We can't get key players to re-sign. We can't attract players we want to come.

Meanwhile we pay players who take their player option with us to play elsewhere.

I don't like these kind of articles either that have players at one club talking about wanting to go to another, it is just so amateurish.

Yep. It's a **** act to the Tigers and his team mates. He should be fined for it and suspended without pay.

You guys slag off Cam Smith for not commenting on the Broncos or Titans, but he's never once said he's wanted to play for any other team, or even for Melbourne off contract.

 

[Sproj]

Yep. It's a **** act to the Tigers and his team mates. He should be fined for it and suspended without pay.

You guys slag off Cam Smith for not commenting on the Broncos or Titans, but he's never once said he's wanted to play for any other team, or even for Melbourne off contract.

Agreed, I don't care that he wants to go to the Broncs, he should be punished by the Tigers for that.

 

[McHunt]

Agreed, I don't care that he wants to go to the Broncs, he should be punished by the Tigers for that.

Sacking him isn't enough. That's what he wants: to null his contract. You can't allow players to just walk out of their contracts whenever they like, with no penalty. But to expect the clubs to pay to get rid of them in the opposite scenario. This shit has to stop.

 

[Sproj]

Sacking him isn't enough. That's what he wants: to null his contract. You can't allow players to just walk out of their contracts whenever they like, with no penalty. But to expect the clubs to pay to get rid of them in the opposite scenario. This shit has to stop.

Yep, I totally agree. I hope they say to him, mate enjoy your time here, you aren't going anywhere and you sure aren't making the first grade side unless you are the last one standing.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Not sure if you blokes are serious but he specifically said that he had talks with the club, wanted to leave on good terms, and that if the club wanted him, he was happy to stay there.

 

[McHunt]

Yep, I totally agree. I hope they say to him, mate enjoy your time here, you aren't going anywhere and you sure aren't making the first grade side unless you are the last one standing.

You can tell he's trying to make out he's trying to say the right thing but he's actually not. He's kind of saying they're forcing him to stay against his will and he'll go along with it to keep them happy. Actually no mate, you have a contract. You promised to play for them. The bit about them wanting you to stay, that's what the contract means.

 

[theshed]

I know it shouldn’t matter but at the same time, it’s only Bill Walters. Tigers wouldn’t even notice his absence. More clubs are probably wishing their injury prone depth-depth options were willing to walk away.

 

[Culhwch]

I'm not sure just forcing him to stay is enough. They should cut off two fingers from his left hand for that kind of insolence.

 

[Xzei]

 

[McHunt]

Happy to do either is an interesting way to frame it:


Billy Walters doesn't shy away from the fact he'd love to link with his dad, Brisbane coach Kevin Walters, at the club he's loved since he was a kid – but wants to do right by his current employers. Targeting a Canterbury Cup return as early as round six, the injured Wests Tigers playmaker told NRL.com his first priority was getting back on the field while he is also prepared to fulfil his current contract through to 2022 at Concord if need be. Walters said he had conversations with Tigers coach Michael Maguire and general manager of football Adam Hartigan over a potential switch to the Broncos.

"They've seen my point of view ... we were up front with each other and they told me they've made a lot of decisions around the club based on me being here like letting Josh Reynolds go and Benji [Marshall] from last year so I definitely don't want to leave the club on bad terms or leave them stranded for numbers. If they need to sign someone to let me go if that's an option or something, or if it's just play out the last year of my contract, I'm happy to do either. I just want to work with the club and make sure everyone's on the right page and happy."

"I've got one more year here. In terms of this year or next year I'm not really sure. I'd love to play for the Broncos, they were my junior club growing up and also having the coach there is another added bonus. For me, all I'm really worried about at the moment is playing. Just getting my knee back and trying to play some good football and then wherever that takes me, I'm happy to keep playing here."

Walters happily admits it's a good bad problem to have, being at a club that is reluctant to release you after plugging away for years in reserve grade just hoping to one day make your NRL debut.

"It's probably not a bad situation to be in where they're understanding of me maybe going back to Brisbane but they also want me at the same time," he added. Some boys unfortunately at times get told they're no longer needed and there's no club wanting them so I suppose I'm pretty lucky in that sense. I'm honestly happy either way to wait out here for another 12 months and see where that takes me or head back to Brisbane. I'm getting a bit older as well, I'm 27 this year and getting to that point where you can't really [be fussy], beggars can't be choosers so I've got to be happy with anyone that's willing to take me and let me be part of the squad."

On his recovery, Walters said it was going about as well as can be expected given the traumatic nature of the full ACL and MCL ruptures he suffered in August.

"I'm kind of at that point now where it's probably been the most frustrating because I feel like I can run and move and do a lot of things but I'm just not quite there yet so I've got to take my time," he said. It's been a long injury. There's no point rushing back trying to shave a couple of weeks just to do it all again. I'm probably three or four weeks away from rejoining the group and back into full contact then it's probably four or five weeks of doing that before I can start playing again so we're really close. I'm hoping around round six or seven as best case. If it keeps tracking the way it's going I think we can get there but obviously there's a few hurdles I still have to get over."

The club at least is fairly well stocked for options with Daine Laurie pushing Moses Mbye at fullback and Mbye capable of covering the halves where Adam Doueihi and Luke Brooks are form a union after Doueihi's one-game suspension or hooker where Jacob Liddle and Jake Simpkin are fit and raring to go.

"When I first get back I'll look at maybe trying to play the No.14 role, I've got a bit of versatility around me, I can play in the halves or at hooker and when I did my ACL I was actually playing at lock," Walters added. "Not that I consider myself a lock but the way the game's changing there's a few ball-playing locks around so maybe I could do a role there if need be."

By the time Walters gets back on the field and builds some match fitness in Canterbury Cup then tries to force his way into the top squad that, adding 10 NRL caps to his resume would be a good result.

"Because I'm going to miss the first month or two the aim is probably going to be to play around 10 games, I'd be pretty happy with a year like that," he said. Hopefully I can try and weasel my way in the team somewhere and take it with both hands and try and hold that spot."

Walters keen on Broncos reunion but won't leave Tigers in lurch

Injured Wests Tigers playmaker Billy Walters doesn't shy away from the fact he'd love to link up with his dad, Brisbane coach Kevin Walters, at the club he's loved since he was a kid – but also wants to do right by current employers Wests Tigers.

www.nrl.com

 

[Twbapony]

Again we come back to a NBA style trade window. No talk except for media speculation before and after, the only time players can talk about it is in the window, and any manager caught doing a deal outside it is Moses'ed out of the industry. I know that I wanted to kill Hodges for doing it with the Roosters and that Titans player who sell security, others clubs fan would feel the same. Does V'Ladies have the stones to make that happen?

 

[holdzy]

' If they need to sign someone to let me go if that's an option or something, or if it's just play out the last year of my contract, I'm happy to do either'

Just zip it, rehab your injury and see out your contract.

 

[abashii]

I actually appreciate the honesty of it. How many times do you get the same old nonsense from a player when talking to the media, so it's refreshing to see Billy being open about of course he'd love to come to the Broncos but at the same time if the Tigers want him to stay he'll stay and put in as best he can. It's not like he's dogging it and having his manager agitate for a release. If he was fit to play but doing a shit job to get out of his contract it'd be a different story.

 

[tommy]

Should we really be considering an injured player? Favouritism is a big reason we are in the mess we are in and if he were to come here it would stink of nepotism. On the market for a half(?) but at the same time getting shitty that Dearden is looking at his options. Hypocrisy much?

 

[holdzy]

I actually appreciate the honesty of it. How many times do you get the same old nonsense from a player when talking to the media, so it's refreshing to see Billy being open about of course he'd love to come to the Broncos but at the same time if the Tigers want him to stay he'll stay and put in as best he can. It's not like he's dogging it and having his manager agitate for a release. If he was fit to play but doing a shit job to get out of his contract it'd be a different story.

At this point Tigers are paying for his recovery and he's talking about wanting to play for another club in a year they will need him.

We'd all be livid if Staggs was saying this shit and rightfully so. I'd be angry if I was a Tigers fan, but then again 9th place is quite appealing to a Broncos fan.