He's set to lead Brisbane to the NRL finals for the first time since 2019, but Broncos coach Kevin Walters says play-offs have not been discussed at Red Hill.
Brisbane are seemingly set for an NRL finals return under his watch but Broncos coach Kevin Walters insists play-offs haven't been discussed within the club.
The once-mighty Broncos haven't played finals football since a humiliating 58-0 qualifying final thumping by Parramatta in 2019.
The following season Brisbane finished with the club's first wooden spoon before Walters led them to 14th place in his first year in charge in 2021.
But there's been a massive improvement with the Broncos this year, Saturday's 16-12 win over local rivals Gold Coast at CBUS Super Stadium keeping them fifth on the ladder after 17 games and on track for a return to September football.
"We haven't spoken about it," said Walters, a six-time grand final winner as a player.
"It's not a goal of ours.
"The atmosphere at the Broncos is to win premierships and that's what we're about as a club.
"We've thrown that out there and when that happens, I don't know, but we're heading in the right direction for all that to take place."
The hard-fought win over the second-last Titans, having trailed 12-6 early in the second-half, was doubly pleasing for Walters given it was achieved with an undermanned squad.
Queensland State of Origin quartet Kurt Capewell, Pat Carrigan, Corey Oates and Selwyn Cobbo all sat out the game while injured pair Payne Haas and Corey Paix were other absentees.
Cobbo will miss next Thursday's clash with the Eels at Commbank Stadium due to the concussion he suffered in the Maroons' Origin decider triumph but Capewell, Carrigan and Oates will all return.
Walters is also weighing up if front-rower Haas will make the trip to Sydney having spent time on the sidelines with issues to the AC joints in both of his shoulders.
"He's looking pretty good but we won't rush him," Walters said.
"We've still got a lot of games to get through this year.
"If he's available for us and fit and ready to go, we'll certainly play him, but if he's not, we'll give him another rest."
