Retiring Parker lauds SBW, RTS
QUEENSLAND’S State of Origin coach Kevvie Walters is retiring Bronco’s skipper Corey Parker’s choice to coach the Brisbane Broncos when Wayne Bennett finally calls it quits.
Broncos hardman Corey Parker – the self-declared ‘‘former bald kid from Logan Brothers’’ who went on to play 341 games for the Broncos, 19 State of Origin games and 13 tests for Australia delivered his verdict during an interview to promote his autobiography, Iron Man.
‘‘I think Kevvie Walters,’’ Parker said.
Kevin Walters is synonymous with the Broncos as a multipremiership winning halfback and five-eighth.
Since his playing days finished in 2001 Walters has coached the Ipswich Jets, the Catalan Dragons, worked with Bennett at the Broncos and become assistant coach at Melbourne before coming back to the Broncos as the halves coach.
Walters has made a good fist in 2016 at Queensland’s State of Origin coach and has the outgoing Bronco’s skipper’s vote after Stephen Kearney – the former Kiwi international player and coach - took up a three-year deal to coach the Warriors in the NRL.
Iron Man tells Corey Parker’s story of 16 years at the Broncos; his ‘‘graduation’’ by props Andrew Gee and Shane Webke, by backrowers Tonie (Tunza) Carroll and Gorden Tallis, the game’s controversies and highlights and his long-lasting friendships with Brent Tate, Cameron Smith and Justin Hodges.
It’s written in a conversational way with Stuart Honeysett, The Australian’s rugby league writer for 17 years, and it reads like you’re talking footy while having a beer with Corey and his wife Margeaux on their back deck at South Logan, while their kids play in the backyard.
Parker names his ‘‘best 13’’ and his ‘‘toughest 13’’. They’re completely different teams.
Only Cameron Smith is in both teams.
Sonny Bill Williams is in one, Justin Hodges the other.
In conversation, he tells how only two players – both fullbacks – consistently left him grasping as one of the modern game’s best defenders.
‘‘Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors) and Matty Bowen (Cowboys). Thank God I always came up them with someone either side of me.’’
But Iron Man doesn’t skirt bigger issues.
Parker says drugs and extortion are a threat to all professional sports, including rugby league.
‘‘I do know the NRL faces an uphill battle when it comes to players taking drugs and an even bigger battle with extortion,’’ he writes.
‘‘I pride myself on the fact that I have never taken drugs in my life, but I have been around teammates who have,’’ Parker writes.
‘‘But I’m not going to name any names, or indicate whether they’re current or former players, but I have been in their presence when they’ve used recreational drugs.’’
Parker says it is still ‘‘too early’’ for another Queensland team in the NRL because the NRL was still ‘‘holding up weak links’’.
‘‘Do we have the fan base and the infrastructure here in Queensland to do it?’’ he said.
‘‘Yes we do. But as a game, I don’t think you can put another team in just yet.’’ The Sun-Herald