Miserable Broncos slide could force major Kangaroos shake-up
Brisbane’s slide down the ladder and out of NRL finals contention could have major ramifications for this year’s Rugby League World Cup.
The reigning premiers officially had their slim finals hopes dashed last weekend with a humbling 30-6 loss against a wounded Knights outfit at Suncorp Stadium.
A dejected Kotoni Staggs on Saturday night. Getty
It continued a horror title defence for the Broncos, who now sit in the bottom-four on the table with just five rounds remaining in the regular season.
While losing games and missing the top-eight hurts the entire team, Brisbane’s fall from grace could also impact a number of individuals come October.
On last year’s Ashes tour, there were four Broncos players in the Kangaroos team who produced a decisive series clean-sweep over England.
Reece Walsh was the fullback in all three games, Kotoni Staggs and Gehamat Shibasaki were the centres and Pat Carrigan played in the front-row.
Last year all four of those players also featured in the grand final-winning line up for the Broncos.
But for the World Cup later this year, they will have been in off-season mode for a month when the Australian squad is announced by coach Kevin Walters.
Speaking on Wide World of Sports’ QLDER this week, Darius Boyd questioned which way the selectors would lean when naming the Aussie squad.
“It’s the incumbents versus form and finals,” the former Kangaroos winger said.
“Last year was based on a heavy contingent from those grand final squads. If you look at the Broncos - both centres were there, obviously you had Reece.
“It will be interesting to see if they go with incumbents and who got the job done last year, or do you look at finals and the guys who are in form.
“The teams that go far in finals, that’s where you usually see debutants get an opportunity, but you look back to Origin too and who performed well there.
Reece Walsh during the 2025 Ashes series. CameraSport via Getty Images
“If you’re playing finals as well and you were there at the pinnacle of Origin … it’s probably hard not to get selected.”
While it would be a huge surprise to see Shibasaki anywhere near the Aussie squad, given he’s fallen out of favour with his club team, Walsh and Staggs could also be facing the axe with finals-bound players gunning for their spots.
Bradman Best got the nod over Staggs for the State of Origin decider and ended up performing well, before getting the wood over the Broncos star in round 22.
Based on form and the fact he will play finals with Newcastle, Best has almost certainly jumped ahead of Staggs, while Dolphins star Jack Bostock is another centre option.
Without doubt, the biggest debate will centre around Walsh’s fullback spot.
Dylan Edwards and James Tedesco are both expected to go deep into the finals, with the Panthers and Roosters sitting first and second on the ladder.
Walsh on the other hand won’t have the match fitness and hasn’t been in the best of form anyway, losing his Queensland spot to Kalyn Ponga, who would have been a walk-up start if not for switching his allegiance to New Zealand.
Australia head coach Kevin Walters. PA Images via Getty Images
But according to league great Wade Graham, what could work in Walsh’s favour at the selection table is his relationship with coach Walters.
“He’s fullback - Kevvie will pick him 100 per cent,” Graham said on Triple M’s NRL Daily podcast.
“He’s got that relationship with him and he’s on the record saying it. He will keep training, he will probably play the Prime Minister’s game.
“Edwards will probably be in the squad ... but Walsh will get first crack.”
The likes of Selwyn Cobbo, Sam Walker, Cameron Murray, Blayke Brailey, Tom Flegler and Max Plath could also find themselves in green and gold later this year after strong Origin performances and playing in the finals.
