Kevin Walters

{{Short description|Australian former rugby league football player and coach}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Kevin Walters

|image =

|caption =

|fullname = Kevin David Walters

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|10|20|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

|height = {{convert|170|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|83|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|position = {{Rlp|FE|HB}}

|club1 = Ipswich Jets

|year1start = 1986

|year1end =

|appearances1 = 4

|tries1 = 1

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 4

|club2 = Canberra Raiders

|year2start = 1987

|year2end = 89

|appearances2 = 50

|tries2 = 9

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 36

|club3 = Brisbane Broncos

|year3start = 1990

|year3end = 00

|appearances3 = 237

|tries3 = 63

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 252

|club4 = {{nowrap|Warrington Wolves}}

|year4start = 2001

|year4end =

|appearances4 = 4

|tries4 = 1

|goals4 = 0

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 4

|club5 = Brisbane Broncos

|year5start = 2001

|year5end =

|appearances5 = 4

|tries5 = 2

|goals5 = 0

|fieldgoals5 = 0

|points5 = 8

|teamA = Queensland

|yearAstart = 1989

|yearAend = 99

|appearancesA = 20

|triesA = 3

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 12

|teamB = Australia

|yearBstart = 1990

|yearBend = 98

|appearancesB = 11

|triesB = 1

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 4

|teamC = {{nowrap|Queensland (SL)}}

|yearCstart = 1997

|yearCend =

|appearancesC = 3

|triesC = 0

|goalsC = 0

|fieldgoalsC = 0

|pointsC = 0

|coachteam1 = Catalans Dragons

|coachyear1start = 2009

|coachyear1end = 10

|coachgames1 = 63

|coachwins1 = 25

|coachdraws1 = 0

|coachlosses1 = 38

|coachteam2 = {{nowrap|Brisbane Broncos}}

|coachyear2start = 2021

|coachyear2end = 24

|coachgames2 = 99

|coachwins2 = 50

|coachdraws2 = 0

|coachlosses2 = 49

| coachteamA = Queensland

| coachyearAstart = 2016

| coachyearAend = 19

| coachgamesA = 12

| coachwinsA = 6

| coachdrawsA = 0

| coachlossesA = 6

|retired = no

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Kevin-Walters_11231.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080727135451/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Kevin-Walters_11231.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 July 2008|title=Statistics at yesterdayshero.com.au|publisher=yesterdayshero.com.au|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=history-players|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201055656/http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=history-players|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 December 2011|title=Statistics at qrl.com.au|publisher=qrl.com.au|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/kevin-walters/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/kevin-walters/summary.html|title=Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=19 November 2024}}

|updated = 19 November 2024

| module = {{infobox person

| embed = yes

| father =

| mother =

| spouse =

| education = Bremer State High School
Ipswich Grammar School

| alma_mater =

| relatives = Billy Walters (son)
Steve Walters (brother)
Kerrod Walters (brother)

}}

Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach, as well as a commentator (2017–2018, 2025) for Fox League.

As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos clubs, Walters was positioned at {{rlp|fe}} or {{rlp|hb}} in squads that cumulatively won six premiership titles. He played a few games for the Warrington Wolves in the British Super League, and the Ipswich Jets in the Brisbane Rugby League Premiership. Mostly in the 1990s, Walters represented Australia and Queensland.

Walters coached the Catalans Dragons (2009-2010) in the British Super League, Queensland in the State of Origin series (2016-2019),

{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/walters-gets-qld-origin-job/tabid/10874/newsid/91268/default.aspx|title=Walters gets Qld Origin job|publisher=AAP|work=NRL.com|first=Jim|last=Morton|date=28 December 2015|access-date=28 December 2015}} and

the Brisbane Broncos (2021-2024) in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Early life

Walters was born in Rockhampton, Queensland{{cite journal| author = Mitchell Dale| title = Legend Q&A| journal = Rugby League Week| issue =16 April 2008|pages = 28–29| publisher = PBLMedia| location = Sydney, NSW}} in 1967 to parents Kevin (died 2010){{cite web | last=Jackson | first=Zane | title=Kevin Walters Snr remembered | website=couriermail | date=2010-08-02 | url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/kevin-walters-snr-remembered/news-story/eef751e1ed5781fc53722dff33afe1cd | access-date=2023-05-30}} and Sandra (died 2013),{{Cite web|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/walters-brothers-farewell-mum-sandra-20130416-2hx97.html|title=Walters brothers farewell mum Sandra|first=Geoff|last=Egan|date=16 April 2013|website=Brisbane Times}} who had a total of five children, all male: Brett, Steve, Andrew, Kevin and his twin Kerrod.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/11/25/queenslands-first-family-the-rich-history-of-the-walters-clan/|title=Queensland's first family: The Walters clan|date=24 November 2018|website=National Rugby League}}

Walters attended Bremer State High School until gaining a sporting scholarship{{cite news| title=The origin of Kevin Walters

| website=Courier Mail|date=21 February 2024 | url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CMWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.couriermail.com.au%2Fnews%2Fqueensland%2Fkevin-walters-his-toughest-job-yet%2Fnews-story%2Fc1948b9207a578ddd1de3b1fd8b7949e&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=HIGH-Segment-8-SCORE&nk=97f76d64382c7cd43bd74e1a2e8c2535-1711867353 | access-date=31 March 2024}} for Years 11 and 12 at Ipswich Grammar School,{{Cite web|url=https://www.igsoldboys.com/kevin-walters-class-of-1984/|title=Kevin Walters (Class of 1984)|first=Carol|last=Levinge|website=IGS OBA}} where he and his twin became school prefects.{{cite web | title=Kerrod Walters to 'play ball' with Glenn Lazarus | website=couriermail | date=1 March 2016 | url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/kerrod-walters-to-play-ball-with-glenn-lazarus/news-story/707ef86cbb41488c0f87b19c1cadda0e?nk=69106a2a4e1691f568902e946c676a33-1711867444 | access-date=31 March 2024}} Walters grew up playing football with his brothers, in particular Steve and Kerrod, as well as Allan Langer. This combination of players was later referred to as "The Ipswich Connection".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/07/16/nrl-family-stories-the-walters-clan/|title=NRL Family Stories: The Walters clan|date=17 July 2020|website=National Rugby League}}

Playing career

From 1983 to 1984, Walters and three of his brothers (Brett, Steve and Kerrod) played for the Booval Swifts club before joining the Ipswich Jets in the Brisbane Rugby League Premiership competition in 1986. The next year, Walters followed Steve to the Canberra Raiders and the New South Wales Rugby League Premiership competition and remained until transferring to the Brisbane Broncos in 1990.

According to the Broncos, Kevin Walters holds the record for most finals' appearances{{Cite web|url=https://www.broncos.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/brisbane-broncos/kevin-walters/|title=Kevin Walters|website=Brisbane Broncos|date=3 February 2024 }} and has played six times in premiership-winning teams; one with the Canberra Raiders (1989) and five with the Brisbane Broncos (1992, 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000).

=Canberra Raiders (1987–1989)=

In the 1987 NSWRL season, Walters was a reserve{{cn|date=May 2023}} in the Canberra Raiders' first grand final, which they lost 8–18 to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Notwithstanding, he was named the Raiders' Rookie of the Year.{{cn|date=May 2023}} In 1989, Walters played from the bench for Canberra in their 19–14 NSWRL Grand Final win against the Balmain Tigers at the Sydney Football Stadium.{{cn|date=May 2023}}

Separately, Walters made his debut for the Queensland Maroons in the 1989 State of Origin series as a reserve in game 3 at Lang Park in Brisbane.

=Brisbane Broncos (1990–2001) =

Walters signed with the Brisbane Broncos in 1990 and played again alongside his twin brother. Head coach Wayne Bennett positioned Walters at {{rlp|fe}}. Walters won the Broncos' 1990 Player of the Year award.{{cn|date=April 2023}} At representative level, Walters played from the reserve bench for Queensland in all six games of the 1990 and the 1991 State of Origin series. He gained selection for the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, but only played in tour matches against local sides rather than in Test matches. On the 1991 Kangaroo tour of Papua New Guinea, Walters made his test match debut; he and Kerrod became the first twin brothers to play rugby league for Australia.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

Walters played in the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand that saw Australia retain The Ashes. Later that year, he was part of the Brisbane roster that won the 1992 Grand Final 28–8 against the St George Dragons at Sydney Football Stadium. Steve, Kevin and Kerrod Walters had already become the first trio of brothers to play for Queensland and Australia in 1992,{{cite web | url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/07/16/nrl-family-stories-the-walters-clan/#:~:text=Kerrod%2C%20Kevin%20and%20Steve%20each,it%20was%20all%20about%20enjoyment | title=NRL Family Stories: The Walters clan | date=17 July 2020 }} and another milestone was achieved when all three were selected to tour in England with the Australian Rugby League World Cup squad. Australia won the final 10–6. Furthermore, Walters played in Brisbane's 1992 World Club Challenge win over the Wigan Warriors at Central Park in England. In 1993, he was part of Brisbane's 14–6 grand final victory over the St George Dragons at ANZ Stadium, Brisbane.

During the 1994 NSWRL season, Walters played at five-eighth for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted and lost the 1994 World Club Challenge 14–20 to British champions Wigan Warriors at ANZ Stadium. At the end of the season, Walters went on the 1994 Kangaroo tour.

Walters also played in the 1997 Super League Grand Final victory for Brisbane. Although not a consistent player for the Maroons, Walters was part of the winning 1998 State of Origin team, dummying his way over for a try in the decider.{{cite book| last = Harms| first = John

| isbn = 9780702235368}} That year, he played at five-eighth in the 1998 NRL grand final and won another premiership with the Broncos. When Allan Langer retired in 1999, Walters became the Brisbane Broncos' team captain. In the second match of the 1999 State of Origin series, he also captained Queensland. In the Broncos' 2000 NRL grand final 14–6 win against the Sydney Roosters at Stadium Australia, Walters captained at halfback, claiming one more premiership ring with the club before moving to England at the request of Allan Langer.Whitiker, Alan – History of Rugby League Clubs Published 2004

In 2001, Walters played four games for the Warrington Wolves in the English Super League. However, he and his family preferred to be in Australia, so Walters returned to the Brisbane Broncos, played five games and finished his playing career in the 2001 NRL season.Book – Whiticker, Alan – The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players (Broncos) In 2003, Walters was one of the first four former players inducted into the Broncos official Hall of Fame.{{cite web|title=Broncos Hall of Fame |url=http://www.broncos.com.au/broncos-hall-of-fame |work=broncos.com.au |publisher=Brisbane Broncos |access-date=31 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126143431/http://www.broncos.com.au/broncos-hall-of-fame |archive-date=26 January 2014 }} In 2007, Walters was included in a club list of their best twenty best players to date.{{cite news

}}

Coaching career

Following retirement as a player, Walters started his coaching career with the Toowoomba Clydesdales in the Queensland Cup regional competition as head coach (2001–2003), then the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL as assistant coach (2003–2005, 2015, 2018) and the Queensland Maroons in the State of Origin series as assistant coach (2006–2008, 2014–2015). Each of Walters' stints (2003–2005, 2015, 2018) as an assistant coach at Brisbane was under head coach Wayne Bennett. At the end of the 2005 season, after five successive years without a grand final appearance, Bennett decided to clean-out the coaching staff and removed long-time allies such as Walters, Gary Belcher and Glenn Lazarus.{{cite news| last = Dick | first = Barry| title = Special day for Benny| work = The Courier-Mail| publisher = Queensland Newspapers| date = 1 October 2006| url = http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,20509237-5003409,00.html| access-date = 17 December 2009}} Walters then became head coach of the Ipswich Jets (2007–2008) in the Queensland Cup competition before securing a coaching contract in the English Super League with the France-based Catalans Dragons.

=Catalans Dragons (2009–2010)=

In 2009, Walters was appointed as the head coach of the Catalans Dragons.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7413030.stm|title=Catalans move to appoint Walters|publisher=BBC|date=21 May 2008|access-date=21 May 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/08/05/14/RUGBYL_Catalans.html|title=Walters may join Dragons|publisher=Sportinglife|date=14 May 2008|access-date=15 May 2008}} The team reached the qualifying semi-final for the Super League Grand Final and finished eighth in the competition after sixteen wins and sixteen losses during the Catalans Dragons 2009 season. In the 2010 season, the Dragons finished fourteenth (last) after six wins and twenty-one losses.

Returning to Australia, Walters was going to coach the Easts Tigers in the Queensland Cup in 2011, but instead joined the Melbourne Storm as an NRL assistant coach{{cite news |title=Walters tackles new era:Assistant coach back in NRL saddle with Storm |work=The Queensland Times |publisher=Nationwide News Pty Ltd |date=28 February 2011 |location=Ipswich, Queensland |page=29}} under Craig Bellamy, where he remained until the end of the 2013 NRL season. After Melbourne, Walters was appointed in 2014 as the halves' coach for the Newcastle Knights under Wayne Bennett.

=Queensland Maroons (2016–2019)=

In December 2015, Walters was appointed as head coach of the Queensland State of Origin team after Mal Meninga had to resign on becoming the Australian national rugby league team coach.

In both 2016 and 2017, the Maroons achieved a 2–1 series victory over New South Wales. In the 2018 series, New South Wales won 2–1. In the 2019 State of Origin series, Queensland won the first game but suffered a 38–6 loss at Optus Stadium in the second game. In game 3, Queensland lost in the final twenty seconds after New South Wales scored a length of the field try.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2016/jun/22/state-of-origin-2016-game-2-queensland-maroons-v-nsw-blues-live/|title=Queensland Maroons win State of Origin game 2 and 2016 series – as it happened|website=The Guardian|date=22 June 2016 |last1=Connolly |first1=Paul }}{{cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin/nsw-greats-question-kevin-walters-behaviour-after-blues-ban/news-story/03cf95e1156c13b7e585d01b28a54c0b/|title=NSW greats question Kevin Walters' behaviour after Blues ban|website=Daily Telegraph}}{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/origin/all-the-reaction-from-origin-iii-as-nsw-breaks-queenslands-heart/news-story/c4ccbc210d641d05a3c4b8b2e4c71559/|title=All the reaction from Origin III as NSW breaks Queensland's heart|website=news.com.au}}{{cite web|url=https://7news.com.au/sport/rugby-league/fing-ped-off-kevin-walters-epic-blow-up-after-state-of-origin-disaster-c-180888/|title=F***ing p***ed off': Kevin Walters' epic blow-up after State of Origin disaster|website=7news.com.au|date=23 June 2019 }} In September 2020, Walters resigned as the Maroons' head coach after being appointed head coach of the Brisbane Broncos.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2020-kevin-walters-brisbane-broncos-coach-paul-green-craig-bellamy-anthony-seibold-contract/news-story/86b9c0b20505ad1b2f4a1f197aa90761|title=Broncos get their man as Kevvie Walters signs and targets coaching dream team|date=30 September 2020|website=Fox Sports}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/sep/30/state-of-origin-coach-kevin-walters-brisbane-broncos|title=Maroons looking for new State of Origin coach as Kevin Walters signs for Broncos|website=TheGuardian.com |date=30 September 2020 }}

=Brisbane Broncos (2021–2024)=

In the 2021 NRL season, Walters made his debut as an NRL head coach. His first victory as such was in round 3 when the Brisbane Broncos defeated the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24–0 at Suncorp Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-27/nrl-parramatta-beats-cronulla-brisbane-defeats-bulldogs/100028698/|title=Parramatta unbeaten in NRL after 28–4 win over Cronulla as Brisbane and Warriors enjoy victories|newspaper=ABC News|date=27 March 2021 }} By the end of 2021, Brisbane had won a total of seven matches and lost seventeen. They did not qualify for the finals and finished fourteenth on the NRL ladder. In 2022, former South Sydney Rabbitohs captain and prolific football-kicker Adam Reynolds joined Brisbane as {{rlp|hb}} and team captain. They won a total of thirteen matches and lost eleven, but missed out on the finals again, finishing ninth.

Brisbane started 2023 with five consecutive wins, including the Battle for Brisbane 18–12 victory on 24 March at Suncorp Stadium against the Dolphins – coached by Walters' former mentor Wayne Bennett – in their inaugural NRL season. Brisbane extended Walters' contract until the end of the 2025 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.zerotackle.com/broncos-make-call-on-kevin-walters-future-as-contract-expiry-looms-148820/|title=Broncos make call on Kevin Walters' future as contract expiry looms|first=Scott|last=Pryde|date=6 April 2023|website=Zero Tackle}} At the end of round 10, Brisbane was on top of the 2023 league ladder; however, that changed the following week. By round 25, Brisbane was back in first position and needed to defeat the Melbourne Storm to secure the minor premiership, but a decision to rest eleven of thirteen regular players that match contributed significantly to Brisbane finishing second (two weeks later) on the 2023 ladder after the Penrith Panthers, the minor and major premiers from 2022. Nevertheless, Brisbane went on to qualify for their first grand final in eight years. In the 2023 NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium against the Penrith Panthers, Brisbane trailed 6–8 at half-time. In the second half, they scored three quick tries to lead 24–8. However, during the last twenty minutes, Brisbane suffered the worst collapse in NRL Grand Final history, losing 26–24.{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-01/nrl-grand-final-live-updates-penrith-panthers-brisbane-broncos/102921872 | title=Late Cleary magic leads stunning Panthers comeback over Broncos to win third straight NRL premiership | newspaper=ABC News | date=October 2023 }}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2023/oct/01/nrl-grand-final-2023-penrith-panthers-vs-brisbane-broncos-live-updates-scores-results-teams-squads-kick-off-time-accor-stadium-sydney/|title=NRL grand final 2023: Penrith Panthers defeat Brisbane Broncos – as it happened|newspaper=The Guardian|date=October 2023 |last1=Howcroft |first1=Jonathan }}

Under Walters in the 2024 NRL season, Brisbane were unable to back up their feats from 2023 with the club finishing twelfth on the table. Walters' position as Brisbane head coach came under heavy scrutiny by the media.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-daly-cherryevans-and-cameron-munster-support-kevin-walters-facing-the-axe-brisbane-broncos-club-review-news-videos-highlights/news-story/a1e007cfb303202b87ff3a8eafde4060/|title='Really can't hide': Queensland superstars back under-siege Walters amid Broncos review|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=10 September 2024 }} The club conducted an internal review after the end of the regular season, and Walters was terminated from his coaching position on 26 September 2024.

{{Succession box

| before = Mick Potter
2007–2008

| after = Trent Robinson
2011–2012

| title = Coach
{{leagueicon|catalans|size=18}}
Catalans Dragons

| years = 2009–2010

}}

{{Succession box

| before = Mal Meninga
2006–2015

| after = Wayne Bennett
2020

| title = Coach
{{leagueicon|queensland|size=18}}
Queensland rugby league team

| years = 2016–2019

}}

{{Succession box

| before = Peter Gentle (interim)
2020

| after = Michael Maguire
2025–

| title = Coach
{{leagueicon|brisbane broncos|size=18}}
Brisbane Broncos

| years = 2021–2024

}}

Personal life

Walters is a carpenter by trade, completing his apprenticeship with MBA Group Training in Canberra.{{Cite web|url=https://karrynw.com/2015/09/30/what-it-means-to-be-real-world-rugby-league-wag/|title=What it means to be a real world Rugby League WAG!|first=Madeleine|last=Warner|date=30 September 2015}} Walters married long-term partner Narelle Bristow in 2012 and together they have two children, Harry (born 2003) and Ava (born 2005).{{cite web | url=https://www.zerotackle.com/kevin-walters-wife-drops-vicious-c-bomb-on-broncos-40282/ | title=Kevin Walters' wife drops vicious C-bomb on Broncos | date=6 February 2019 }} In total, Walters has five children from two marriages; all of whom have played rugby league.{{cite web | url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2023/02/09/in-the-spotlight-ava-walters/ | title=In the spotlight: Ava Walters | date=8 February 2023 }}

In January 1991, Walters married Kim Alison Facer and together had three children: Jack, Billy (a qualified carpenter){{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/late-bloomer-billy-walters-out-to-make-his-mark-at-melbourne-storm-20180308-p4z3gc.html|title="Late Bloomer" Billy Walters out to make his mark at Melbourne Storm|first=Roy|last=Ward|date=8 March 2018|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}} and Jett. Kim died from breast cancer in 1998. With Dr Cherrell Hirst, the then director of the Wesley Breast Clinic, Walters launched The Wesley Hospital Kim Walters Choices Program – a free community service that offers support to people diagnosed with cancer – in Brisbane.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wesley.com.au/Services/The%20Wesley%20Hospital%20Choices%20Cancer%20Support%20Centre/Our%20history|title=Our history|website=www.wesley.com.au}} In 2017, the program's name changed to The Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre with Walters continuing as Patron.