Kevin Walters

Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player, who has been the head coach of the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL) since 2021.

Walters previously coached the Queensland State of Origin team, and the French Catalans Dragons in the British Super League.

He has also commentated for Fox League in Australia.

As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos clubs, Walters was positioned at or in squads that cumulatively won six premiership titles.

He played for the Warrington Wolves in the British Super League, and the Ipswich Jets in the Brisbane Rugby League Premiership.

Walters was born in Rockhampton, Queensland in 1967 to parents Kevin (died 2010) and Sandra (died 2013), who had a total of five children, all male: Brett, Steve, Andrew, Kevin and his twin Kerrod.

Walters attended Bremer State High School until gaining a sporting scholarship for Years 11 and 12 at Ipswich Grammar School, where he and his twin became school prefects.

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".

From 1983-1984, 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.

In the 1987 NSWRL season, Walters was a reserve 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.

According to the Broncos, Kevin Walters holds the record for most finals' appearances 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).

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.

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.

Mostly in the 1990s, Walters represented Australia and Queensland.

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.

Walters signed with the Brisbane Broncos in 1990 and played again alongside his twin brother.

Head coach Wayne Bennett positioned Walters at.

Walters won the Broncos' 1990 Player of the Year award.

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

In 2003, Walters was one of the first four former players inducted into the Broncos official Hall of Fame.