‘I can’t mix my food’: Broncos star Billy Walters reveals autism spectrum diagnosis
Sidelined from the NRL grand final, Brisbane’s heartbreak kid Billy Walters has shared intimate details about his complex personality and how his odd behaviour raised the eyebrows of his wife.
He is the hard-luck story of grand final week and Billy Walters has given an insight into his personal life - the Broncos star believes he is on the spectrum.
Walters has spoken of his devastation at missing Sunday’s NRL grand final against the Storm, with the hooker utility set to undergo a knee reconstruction next week after partially tearing his ACL three weeks ago in Brisbane’s epic finals defeat of Canberra.
Walters is one of the most popular players with Broncos fans - and apparently he is also their most complex character.
The son of Broncos legend Kevin Walters has revealed his bizarre eating habits and claims his wife Rachael, a qualified occupational therapist, says he shows signs of autistic behaviour.
Walters senior recalls a young Billy being such a fussy eater he lived on hash browns and sausages. The Broncos’ 2023 grand final hooker also revealed his other signs of odd behaviour that have raised the eyebrows of his wife, with whom he has two kids - son Hugo and daughter Daisy.
“I can’t mix my food,” Walters told The Inside Ball podcast in the lead-up to the NRL grand final, hosted by his father and media personality Ben Dobbin.
“If I have spag bol, I will have spaghetti (separate) and the mince on the side.
“My wife is an ‘OT’ (occupational therapist) and she says that I’m on the spectrum.
“When I started getting worried, she says we are all, there’s just different levels.”
Being “on the spectrum” can mean a person suffers Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition affecting how a person interacts, communicates, and processes information.
The condition can include extreme sensitivity to environmental stimuli like sounds, sights, or textures, which Walters jokes may explain his fussy tendencies.
His father Kevin added: “Billy is very fussy with his food. He will eat a good piece of steak and he likes a roast, but no gravy, no sauces.
“He lived on hash browns and sausages as a kid.”
Billy recalled a pre-season boot camp at his former club the Storm where he refused to touch a burger.
“I remember when the Storm had a pre-season camp, the first night they had burgers and chips, but I don’t eat burgers, so I traded it for chips,” he said.
“I get this all the time. It’s just a fussy thing. I don’t eat sauces. Anything with sauce on it I can’t eat it.
“A lot of people think because I’m an athlete, I’m trying to eat clean, but I’m just a fussy eater.”
Walters admits he didn’t initially want to play under Michael Maguire when his father was sacked as coach last year, but the 31-year-old is now at peace and hopes the Broncos win the premiership on Sunday night.
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“I was filthy at first, the first week or so I didn’t want to play,” he said.
“The reasons why I love the Broncos weren’t part of the reasons why Kevvie had to leave, so it made my decision a lot easier and I’m pretty grateful I did stick it out and stay around.
“’Madge’ suggested having my operation last week but I didn’t want to miss being part of the celebrations if we win the grand final, so being around the guys will be better for my mental health.”
Originally published as ‘I can’t mix my food’: Broncos star Billy Walters reveals autism spectrum diagnosis
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