Walters pledges no Queensland bias on Roos’ Ashes Tour
Queensland legend and new Australian rugby league coach Kevin Walters insists he will pick the best Kangaroos side, not just his Maroons favourites.
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 were due to fly out on Wednesday for the much-anticipated three-Test series.
“That’s not a problem for me,” Walters said.
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“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 Deardon 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.
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“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 medallist James Tedesco might have been the front runner 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.”
The Ashes Tour will include Test matches at Wembley Stadium (October 25), Everton Stadium (November 1) and Headingley (November 8).
-with AAP
