Why Broncos must make Slater ‘offer he can’t refuse’
I would love to see Billy Slater coach the Broncos.
Brisbane are the biggest club in the land, have the most resources, and their current roster is stacked with Origin players.
Queensland coach Slater has picked five Broncos players in his squads this series, while Payne Haas is arguably the Blues’ best player.
I understand it’s unlikely to happen, but with Brisbane underachieving at the moment it’s a question the club may need to ask considering Slater’s already-established connection with their best players.
Slater’s rapport with Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, and Pat Carrigan is clear to see, while he’s also close with Selwyn Cobbo and has big raps on Brendan Piakura.
The Broncos need to maximise having all that talent around premiership-winning halfback Adam Reynolds while they still can – which is probably only until the end of next year.
Because let’s be honest, if the Broncos miss the top eight this season then Kevvie Walters will be under huge pressure to keep his job.
Kevvie is one of the most likeable blokes in the business but Brisbane are simply too big a club to tolerate playing finals just once in five years.
It might sound harsh to say Walters’ job is on the line less than nine months after guiding the club to the grand final, but look at Parramatta.
Brad Arthur took the Eels to the 2022 grand final but they missed the finals in 2023 and just 11 rounds into this season he was gone.
There are very few coaches the Broncos should consider moving Kevvie along for, but Slater is one of them and they should make him an offer he can’t refuse.
Slater has got a great work-life balance at the moment between coaching the Maroons, breeding horses, commentating on NRL games, and hosting a podcast.
He’d almost be crazy to give it up and enter the super stressful world of NRL coaching, but the Broncos are just about the one club you can’t knock back.
Is the club going forward under Kevvie? Are their players improving? Those are the questions the club needs to ask itself.
