Signings watch: Could a favourite son leave the Broncos?

With the Brisbane Broncos set to make some tough calls on their roster for 2027, News Corp's Travis Meyn has discussed the possibility of a favourite son departing in Billy Walters.

Going into next season, the Broncos find themselves with a surplus of hookers within their top 30 roster with the likes of Cory Paix, Blake Mozer, Cameron Bukowski and Walters all competing for the No. 9 jersey within the side.

With the excess of this many players for one position alongside the fact he’s coming out of contract this season, Walters’ name has been considered.

Having been out for the majority of the year with an ACL injury sustained in the club’s golden point win in the qualifying final against the Raiders, the son of Broncos legend Kevvie made his return to first grade nine days ago against the Cowboys from the bench.

With Walters’ contract concluding at season's end and the 32-year-old yet to commit to a contract despite a desire to stay with Brisbane, the News Corp journalist believes he is considering all options before he signs on the dotted line.

“The Billy Walters thing just hasn't resolved itself yet,” Meyn told SENQ Breakfast.

“The Broncos have made him an offer. He's desperate to stay there, he loves the club, he doesn't want to go anywhere.

“But they just haven't been able to get his signature over the line. There's been some toing and froing around terms of money and the like.

“He's coming to probably his last contract in the NRL. He would be one of the lower paid players there, and perhaps he's thinking to himself, ‘Am I worth more than this?’ which is why I think it has taken a long time to get done.”

But as Meyn notes, any club would be lucky to have his services, having pointed to the Gold Coast Titans as a potential suitor for the hooker.

“I think he's the best bloke at Red Hill; he's such a genuine guy,” he added.

“Kevvie's done such a good job raising him.

“I just think you'd add a lot to any team (that) he goes to and the Broncos have looked a better team when he's been on the park in the last couple of weeks, even though he's coming off that big knee injury.

“So, Sam Verrills, he's leaving the Titans this year. They've been relying on Ollie Pascoe, who's had a great year.

“I think he should be in the Rookie of the Year contention, but he's also a 26-year-old who's only played about a dozen NRL games.

 “So, I think Billy could really add something to the Titans, but I rang him last week and said, ‘What's going on?’

“He said, ‘Oh, I just really want to get a deal done here at Brisbane’.

“So, I wouldn't be surprised if he left. But in the NRL, I'll never rule anything out.”

The Broncos are once again playing on Saturday night. This time they are taking on the Dolphins in the Battle of Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.

SEN will have live coverage of the match from 5:05pm AEST on SENQ and the SEN app with kick-off taking place at 5:30pm.