NEWS Walters urges Mozer to be patient, NRL chance will come

Kevin Walters insists highly rated hooker Blake Mozer has a long-term future at the club and has urged the teenager to be patient and wait for his NRL opportunity.

The former Queensland under-19s rake is signed until the end of 2025 and has been plying his trade for Souths-Logan in the Queensland Cup, for whom he lined up in 18 games last year.

The Broncos currently have four hookers in their top 30.

First choice No.9 Billy Walters is on the cusp of finalising a two-year extension to the end of 2026, while bench hooker Tyson Smoothy is signed through 2025, as is Cory Paix who is shining for Wynnum-Manly.

Mozer, who turns 20 next week, is regarded as a potential future representative hooker, and Broncos coach Walters was on Friday asked if he expected the youngster to wait around for his chance to play NRL.

"Patience is a virtue," Walters said.

"You need to be patient in life, and particularly in rugby league. If you are in a hurry to get somewhere in rugby league it often doesn't work out for you.

"He is in Queensland Cup and he is doing some good things, but there are parts of his game he needs to work really hard on - which he is.

"We have got no complaints about what he is doing or how he is going about it."

Mozer - who has played one NRL game - has been striking up excellent combinations in the second tier, Walters said, adding that the club has "excellent depth" in the hooking space.

"At the moment, Billy and Tyson have a mortgage on those two positions," Walters said.

"Billy and Tyson are playing well, but we see Blake as a long-term player here.

"He is still honing his skills in the Queensland Cup. He is building some good relationships at that level which is going to help him when he does get his chance.

"I expect him to play in the NRL this year. I have no hesitation with him playing in our team."

Walters's son Billy has revitalised his career at the Broncos since joining the club in 2022 from Wests Tigers, who he will play against in Campbelltown on Saturday night.

"Billy has fought hard to get every bit of his NRL career," Walters said.

"Some players come in and get everything at their feet, but he's had to fight really hard.

"That's a proud dad moment, but also a proud Broncos moment.

"He is playing good football for us and really improving each week. Whilst he continues to do that, he will be a proud son.

"Last weekend he was very good for us and we're expecting the same against the Tigers."

Canberra Times

 

[bert_lifts]

Bill would be on nothing. Smoothy wouldn't be on much either. We can afford to re-sign him and since he hasn't shown much yet I doubt he would be garnering big poaching offers.

Outside of maybe the raiders, every other club has their hooker sorted or is at least a known quantity which is better than an unproven rookie.

 

[Skathen]

Bill would be on nothing. Smoothy wouldn't be on much either. We can afford to re-sign him and since he hasn't shown much yet I doubt he would be garnering big poaching offers.

Never underestimate a struggling club's shitty decision making skills.

 

[bert_lifts]

Never underestimate a struggling club's shitty decision making skills.

Oh I agree. But outside of the Raiders pretty much every other side has decent hooking options. Maybe Para? But I doubt they could afford to make a big offer on a rookie.

 

[Skathen]

Oh I agree. But outside of the Raiders pretty much every other side has decent hooking options. Maybe Para? But I doubt they could afford to make a big offer on a rookie.

Dragons, Tits, Cornulla, Newcastle, Parra and for sambrero reasons... chooks - could all go above us.

 

[Johnny92]

I think we're talking about different scenarios.

I have zero doubt that there will be plenty of suitors for Mozer when is is off contract ... and by 2026, I'm sure he could easily overtaken all of those players you mentioned. Hell, by 2026 he could have worked his way up the pecking order here to become an NRL regular.

the scenario I'm specifically talking about however, is the question of whether a "loan" deal similar to what the Storm did with Grant, would be beneficial to Mozer and to us. so then the following questions need to be asked:

1. Will Mozer play decent minutes immediately in the NRL if we loaned him to another club.
2. is it beneficial to us to allow Mozer to go to one of those likely struggling and desperate clubs instead of remaining first drop for us.

I'm not sure i could answer yes to either of those questions

Does loaning him out effect his development to play in our system? I think it does.
From the little I've seen of him and by what people have said Mozer thrives when he's got a familiar combination. In the trials you could see guys weren't on the same page as him and vice versa.
If he's training alongside Walsh, Mam, Madden, Reynolds, Carrigan and even the forwards and getting reps in at training that's going to benefit him more than playing a different style at a different club.
Grants a completely different player and that's why the loan was successful for him and the storm.

 

[bert_lifts]

Dragons, Tits, Cornulla, Newcastle, Parra and for sambrero reasons... chooks - could all go above us.

Dargs, sharks and roosters all have decent hooking options. Tits maybe,...they have Verrils who is solid. Don't know much about Randall. Para has quite an expensive roster - I don't think they're in a position to offer crazy money to poach an unproven rookie.

I could be wrong but I just don't see it.

 

[Mustafur]

We can not afford to lose this kid, I can see why it's hard to bring him in though because he needs to be starter for him to work ideally given how he plays and that is something that isn't easy to do in a well functioning team atm.

I would say there has to be a game where we can atleast rest Billy if he doesn't get injured till then and give him a go in the next few months, what ever game he ends up playing in Te Kura has to be in too for me.
Origin period would be ideal as Sailor will be our fullback with Walsh out and Te kura in too, giving him alot of souths combinations in the team.

If I would pick one game that would be ideal it would be when we play Dragons when we lose our players for game 3, as our game 2 outs is against Warriors which would be a hard game for us(though our players are free to play it's risky to have them backup right after).