Walters pledges no Queensland bias on Roos’ Ashes tour
Darren Walton |
Proud Australian Kevin Walters is promising to discard his rose-coloured Queensland glasses when he selects his first Test team as Kangaroos coach.
Walters has the onerous task of picking between NSW’s incumbent Australian fullback Dylan Edwards and Queensland’s man-of-the-moment Reece Walsh for the No.1 jumper in the Kangaroos’ first Ashes tour of England since 2003.
The dual Queensland State of Origin series-winning coach and five-time Brisbane Broncos grand final victor insists he won’t take any Maroons bias to the selection table.
That might be a tad difficult, with fellow Queensland legend Gorden Tallis serving as one of his assistants, along with Hull Kingston Rovers coach Willie Peters.
But Walters rejected any talk of favouritism before the Kangaroos flew out of Sydney on Wednesday for the much-anticipated three-Test series.
“That’s not a problem for me,” Walters said.
“I have actually worked with the Australian team before with Ricky Stuart, so I got a bit of a sniff there with his environment.
“I’ve been on touring teams as well. We’re a great country and we play like a great country.”
The Edwards-Walsh conundrum isn’t the only selection debate. Walters’ squad also features five halves, including Tom Dearden and Mitch Moses, the incumbents who starred in last year’s Pacific Championships final triumph over Tonga.
Many believe Penrith hero Nathan Cleary has not done enough in an injury-ravaged 2025 season to force his way back into the Australian starting side.
“That’s part of the plan to get some extra numbers, is to make sure that we take our best players to England,” Walters said, as Cameron Munster and young Canberra sensation Ethan Strange also compete for a halves spot.
“It’s hard, but a good problem to have. Obviously we’ve got talent across every position.
“So that’s the idea of the 24-person squad as well, to create that competitive environment around our training habits and making sure they’re of a high standard, which we will transfer through into our games.”
Dally M Medal winner James Tedesco might have been the frontrunner to dislodge Edwards from the Kangaroos’ fullback role.
But with the Sydney Roosters skipper opting out of the tour to be his brother’s best man instead, Walters admits Walsh has staked a compelling claim for a Test debut.
“We’ll have a discussion around a lot of the positions actually,” the head coach said.
“Once we get over to England, we’ve got to start making some decisions on the team and who’s playing.
“But obviously he’s had a pretty strong finish to the season, I would have thought, so he’s put himself right into the frame.
“He’s on the plane, so he’s a chance.”
Walters said he would spend much of the tour reminding the Kangaroos of the significance and tradition of Ashes battles.
“Part of my job as head coach is to transfer (old) stories. It’s certainly important to remember our past, but their time in the Kangaroos jersey is right now,” he said.
“They need to make sure they do everything they can to get ready for their time in the three Tests.
“In rugby league, particularly the Australian rugby league, there is always pressure on our elite players to perform. The players have all played at the highest levels – semi-finals, finals, Origin – and some have already played for Australia as well.
“And England looks very strong, and we knew they would be. In the last five or six years, we have seen a lot of English players play in the NRL, more than history would say.
“Their knowledge and expertise around the Australian players is obviously a lot better as well.”
The tour includes Test matches at London’s Wembley Stadium on October 25, Everton Stadium on November 1 and Headingley on November 8.
AAP
