The Brisbane Broncos have reportedly re-signed yet another player in their spine after extending the contracts of halves Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds.
Welcoming back Brendan Piakura, Payne Haas and Reynolds this week as they take on the Wests Tigers away from home, the club are set to extend a crucial member of their spine.
The Courier Mail is reporting that the club are in the final stages of extending the contract of hooker and son of coach Kevin Walters, Billy Walters, on a two-year contract until the end of the 2026 season.
Reports first emerged at the beginning of February that talks between the two parties had started, but it looks as if that has now come to a close in a positive way for all parties involved.
The hooker is technically off-contract at the end of the season and has been a key figure at Red Hill since joining the team at the start of 2022 after stints with the Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers.
“I am pretty keen to stay,” Walters said via the publication.
“I know the club is pretty keen to keep me, so I suppose it’s not too much of a rush.
“I am focusing on footy and playing good football and repaying the faith of the club.
“There’s bigger fish to fry with Ezra, ‘Walshy’ (Reece Walsh) and ‘Reyno’ (in talks on new deals), but I’m sure it will get done in the next couple of weeks and I can focus on footy after that.”
His reported extension comes after the Broncos provided a new contract to Tyson Smoothy.
Smoothy, Walters and youngster Blake Mozer are in a three-way battle for the number nine jersey, with the latter being touted as the club’s next big thing in the dummy-half position.
This means Smoothy and Walters are likely contending for a spot coming off the interchange bench in the future.
“I had made it a goal of mine to try and put in 80 minutes this year, but ‘Kevvie’ (coach Walters) hasn’t harped on that too much,” Walters said.
“He thinks the game has moved away from the 80-minute hooker.
“There’s a few in the game (who can play the full game) but he would rather give me a good 40, 50 or 60 minutes, rather than trying to save my lungs or not going as hard as I can to try and save myself for the whole 80 minutes.
“He is looking for quality minutes from me instead of long minutes.
“As long as I am busting my guts during the time I’m on the field, he is happy to bring me off.”
The club has also recently extended the contract of second-rower Jordan Riki, while eight other players remain off-contract: Coby Black, Delouise Hoeter, Josiah Karapani, Corey Oates, Jordan Pereira, Josh Rogers, Martin Taupau, and Bailey Trew.
Black, Hoeter and Pereira are the likeliest of the eight to extend their contract with the club due to their age and potential, while Taupau could be eyeing retirement in the neat future.
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