Australian Kangaroos head coach Kevin Walters has dramatically backtracked over his call that Reece Walsh would be the the starting fullback at the Rugby League World Cup at the end of this year.
Speaking on the Inside Ball podcast, Walters last weekend went through a number of key positions in his Australian side who will look to defend the trophy they won last time around in England, this time on home soil.
When quizzed around the fullback position, he seemed to indicate Walsh was a walk-up starter after playing there and impressing against England during the 2025 Ashes series.
"We all know who the fullback is going to be," Walters said on the Inside Ball Podcast.
"Yeah, 100 per cent.
"He hasn't been bad, I mean, he is just in that Broncos side who are not playing with a lot of confidence at the moment."
Walters, in a follow up on SEN Radio on Thursday though backtracked on those comments, admitting Dylan Edwards and James Tedesco were in the mix, while Walsh being unlikely to play finals at the struggling Brisbane Broncos would hurt his chances.
“I said, at the moment, he's obviously put himself, from what he did last year on the Kangaroo Tour, right in the selection,” Walters told SEN 1170 Drive.
“(And) there's Dylan Edwards, and James Tedesco, there's a big scramble on there between those three at the moment for the back end of the year.
“Reece probably won't play in finals, so that might be hurting a little bit, but he's a great player, and we haven't seen a lot of that from him this year, but I've got a lot of respect and I love the way he plays.
“But also, Edwards and Tedesco equally, they've got different skills, so we're pretty blessed in that position.
“We'll see what happens at the back end of the year.”
Walters worked with Walsh at the Brisbane Broncos, and the pair are close, but there is no guarantee of the fullback returning to the Kangaroos set up without a big finish to the year.
Walters' comments around Walsh were met with obvious reaction from fans who couldn't understand why Walsh's form would have him in line to be considered.
Elsewhere, Walters, who will select the team for the World Cup the day after the grand final alongside Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Andrew Johns, Boyd Cordner and Peter V'Landys, said Queensland halfback Sam Walker is also a chance of debuting, although loyalty to players will be considered.
“(Walker has) matched it with all of them through this, and, traditionally, the Australian Kangaroos are very loyal to their players, and I don't see that being any different when we sit down to select the side at the back end of the year,” Walters said.
Nathan Cleary is the Kangaroos' incumbent halfback, having played all three games there during the sweep of England in the United Kingdom last year.
Walters, in speaking on the original Inside Ball podcast also suggested Dolphins trio Selwyn Cobbo, Jack Bostock and Max Plath would be selected if the team was picked today.
