Kevin Walters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kevin Walters

Personal information
Full name	Kevin David Walters
Date of birth	October 20, 1967 (1967-10-20) (age 40)
Place of birth	, Australia
Height	170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	82 kg (12 st 13 lb)
Youth clubs
Years	Club
	Ipswich
Senior clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (points)
1985-1986 1987-1989 1990-2000	Norths Devils Canberra Brisbane	? (?) 50 (36) 241 (260)
Representative teams
1989-1999 1990-1998 1997	Queensland Australia Queensland (Tri Series)	20 (12) 10 (4) 3 (0)
* Professional club appearances and points counted for domestic first grade only.

Kevin David Walters (born 20 October, 1967) is an Australian former rugby league player whose on-field career lasted from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, along with brothers Kerrod and Steve. He spent some time playing for the Canberra Raiders before moving to the Brisbane Broncos, where he played for the majority of his career. He has played in premiership-winning teams on six occassions, captaining the Broncos to the National Rugby League premiership in 2000. He has since coached in the Queensland Cup competition.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Canberra Raiders

Walters grew up playing football alongside future Brisbane Broncos (and Queensland) team mate Allan Langer and brothers Steve and Kerrod Walters. This combination of players was known famously as "The Ipswich Connection". Kevin then followed his brother Steve to the Canberra Raiders in 1987 and was a reserve as a 19-year-old in the club's 1987 Grand Final and also 1989. He then went back to Brisbane to play for the Broncos.

[edit] Brisbane Broncos

In 1990, Wally Lewis was the first choice for the five-eighth position, but coach Wayne Bennett moved Lewis to lock and Walters to five-eighth. This was because of Walters' darting runs and deft passing. That year he won the Broncos' player of the year.

Walters helped the Broncos to victory in the 1992 Grand Final which Brisbane won 28-8 against the St George Dragons. 1992 was a great year for Walters, with further victory in the World Club Challenge against Wigan.

Walters again proved a great utility for the Broncos' 1993 grand final victory.

After solid performances through the years, Kevin moved to England at the end of 2000 at the request of Allan Langer. ^[1] He decided it was not for him, so moved back to Australia, playing his final season with the Broncos in 2001. ^[2]

[edit] Queensland Maroons

Walters made his State of Origin debut for the Queensland Maroons in 1989, as a reserve. He wasn't a consistent player for the Maroons, but was part of the winning 1998 State of Origin Team. In 1999, Walters captained the second State of Origin Match.

[edit] Australia

Walters made selction for the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Britain and France with twin brother Kerrod, but did not get to play a test until the tour of Papua New Guinea. The Walters brothers had already become the first trio to play for Queensland and Australia and in 1992 they achieved another milestone when all three were selected to tour with the World Cup squad. Kerrod and Kevin Walters also hold the distinction of being the only twin brothers to play rugby league for Australia. Kevin Walters threw the winning pass to Steve Renouf's try to win the game 10-6 in Australia's World Cup final.

In 2000 Walters was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league.

[edit] Coaching career

Walters has gone on to coach the Toowoomba Clydesdales in the Queensland Cup competition and was also assistant coach for the Brisbane Broncos. He is the Current Coach of the Ipswich Jets playing in the Queensland Cup.

The former Australian hooker has been appointed as the new coach of Catalans Dragons from the 2009 season.^[3] He had been linked with the role of Head Coach at the French Super League team for some time.^[4]

[edit] Life outside football

In 1996 Walters' wife, Kim was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Following her death in 1998, Kevin established the Kim Walters Choices program at the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane.

Walters' book, Brave Hearts was published in 1999.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Kevin Walters at the State of Origin official website.
• Kevin Walters at the Former Origin Greats website.
• 'Rugby league great Kevin Walters' - ABC Queensland story