The Rugby League World Cup is just weeks away, with the fight for selection heating up.
Australia walk into the tournament on home soil as the defending champions, but with maybe the biggest challenge they have had in some time, not only from a red-hot New Zealand who now have Kalyn Ponga to pick, but also the island nations, led by Tonga and Samoa who continue to gather momentum and pace.
Given the plight of many players and which country they will represent is yet to be confirmed, there could well be changes by the time the tournament rolls around to the players we understand are available to the Kangaroos now.
Kevin Walters, in his final coaching assignment for the Kangaroos before jetting off to take over the St Helens role, has a monumental challenge ahead of him, and getting the squad right will be key.
Over the next nine days, Zero Tackle will unpack the players in contention for each position in the Kangaroos side as the tournament nears, starting today with fullback.
The incumbent: Reece Walsh
Walsh is the incumbent, but looks to be one of the players from last year's successful Ashes series at the longest odds of being selected for the World Cup.
He may well feature in the squad, but the risk Kevin Walters would be taking by picking a player who will only just be recovered from a season-ending injury would be enormous.
It has been the way of the world when it comes to Kangaroos selection in recent years that players in the mix for the finals have a better shot at being selected than those who don't.
When you consider not only Walsh's injury, but also the rocks and diamonds metrics of his form when he was on the park for the Broncos this year, it's tough to think he is going to be picked.
The big challenger: James Tedesco
The leading light to feature at the back for Australia is surely James Tedesco, although the ankle injury which has played havoc with his availability in recent weeks will probably raise eyebrows.
The experienced fullback has played 13 Tests for Australia since debuting in 2018, and while he hasn't featured in the green and gold since 2023, there is a real argument to say it's worth taking a step towards his experience for the World Cup.
This year has been simply phneomenal for Tedesco, who also returned to the State of Origin arena for NSW where he now has 26 matches under his belt.
In 17 NRL matches for the Sydney Roosters this year, Tedesco has 11 tries and 14 try assists, making for 25 try involvements, to go with 80 tackle busts, 15 line breaks and a staggering 198 metres per game with the football in hand.
In addition, it's the things he does off the football, and away from the stats sheet, that sets him apart. His consistency is the best of just about any player in the game.
He also has the fact that his Roosters will make a run through the finals working in his favour.
The other options: Dylan Edwards, Tom Trbojevic
There are two other realistic candidates here for the Kangaroos in Dylan Edwards and Tom Trbojevic.
Edwards, now 30, had made his mark for the Kangaroos and at Origin level in recent years before losing his spot in both arenas after a mixed 2025 season.
Edwards' biggest criticism is that he is a system player, and while that has made him one of the strongest ball-running fullbacks in the competition, he does fall down in other areas, while not actually making that much up in terms of metres per game.
It makes a tough argument to select Edwards, although it's tough to suggest the Penrith Panthers form, which has them at or near to the top of the table, has nothing to do with his own.
Trbojevic would be the left-field risky selection given his injuries, but there is certainly an argument that he lands in the squad somewhere.
The man they call Turbo has struggled to stay on the field this year, but when he has been, he is still putting it together as one of the most dangerous players in the squad.
While it's tough to see him starting, his versatility does mean there needs to be a discussion.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow could be another option, provided he elects to represent Australia over Samoa, but will be considered elsewhere.
The verdict: James Tedesco
This really, on paper at least, looks a no-brainer, with James Tedesco the obvious selection to reclaim his number one jumper at the back for the green and gold.
Whether there is another specialist fullback in the side or not remains to be seen, with it likely others who can play multiple positions will instead find their way into a squad limited in the number of players they can pick.
