Entire position snubbed as baffling Kangaroos picks laid bare
Kevin Walters raised plenty of eyebrows with his Kangaroos squad for the Rugby League World Cup, with one clear issue laid bare on Monday.
Despite starring for the Maroons during the State of Origin series and taking out Dally M Winger of the Year honours last week, Dolphins star Selwyn Cobbo was a surprise omission when the 23-man group for the tournament was named.
Selwyn Cobbo. Getty Images
Cobbo was enormous all season and felt like a shoo-in to play on the wing for the Australian side, but The Sydney Morning Herald’s Christian Nicolussi has since revealed the 24-year-old was ruled out due to ankle and back injuries.
His absence is only the tip of the iceberg though, with Walters failing to name a single player in the main squad that plays on the wing at NRL level – which in fairness, has a lot to do with who is and isn’t available to play.
Jack Bostock found a new home at centre for the Dolphins in 2026 but did make his NSW debut on the wing, while Tom Trbojevic has experience in the role but hasn’t played wing for many years at either club, Origin or international level.
Last year’s wingers that played the Ashes series, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Josh Addo-Carr, were both deemed unavailable for selection this time around.
Nawaqanitawase is heading back to rugby union, while Addo-Carr is dealing with off-field issues after allegedly testing positive for cocaine last month.
Maroons flyer Jojo Fifita was also considered for selection as a winger, but has instead pledged his allegiance to Tonga, while fellow Origin star Brian To’o is a long-time Samoan international and has never played for the Aussies.
Storm speedster Xavier Coates didn’t play the entire season due to injury and is another player who could have been part of the World Cup line up.
Panthers try-scoring whiz Tom Jenkins was named as a shadow player, but isn’t expected to feature unless there’s an injury in the camp.
Other players who could have been selected as genuine week-in, week out wingers included Campbell Graham, Jacob Kiraz and Xavier Savage.
The balance of Walters’ squad will have many scratching their heads and the absence of any genuine wingers, while naming four specialist centres in Bostock, Latrell Mitchell, Bradman Best and Kotoni Staggs, makes little sense.
Staggs and Trbojevic are possibly the two strangest selections. Neither man had overly strong 2026 campaigns and it’s incredibly hard to fathom how the Manly captain was selected as the Kangaroos’ first-choice winger over Cobbo.
Walters has also left plenty of mystery when it comes to his halves.
As it stands, Cameron Munster appears likely to wear the No.6 jersey, leaving a three-way shootout for the halfback spot, replacing an injured Nathan Cleary.
Sam Walker should have his nose in front after a strong first Origin series, before leading the Sydney Roosters to premiership glory on Sunday night.
Sam Walker after winning Sunday’s grand final. Getty Images
Eels captain Mitchell Moses and Cowboys star Tom Dearden are also in the mix.
Walters has had a bet each-way with the fullback spot and didn’t give anything away when asked whether it would be the incumbent Reece Walsh or the timeless veteran James Tedesco who dons the No.1 jumper for the green and gold.
The forward pack largely picks itself, with Isaah Yeo to push through the pain of a ruptured pectoral muscle and captain the side in the lock position.
Liam Martin, David Fifita and Jacob Preston as the edge back-row options is hard to argue with given their performances this season, while Cameron Murray can fill that role but is more effective coming through the middle of the field.
Murray could potentially start at lock, shifting Yeo to the front-row, which the likes of Andrew Johns loudly called for during the 2026 Origin series.
Keaon Koloamatangi’s inclusion comes after the Dragons-bound star was cleared of any serious injury and avoided surgery, but is one of just a handful of players who didn’t feature in the Origin series, where has been consistently overlooked.
Keaon Koloamatangi played for the Kangaroos last year. CameraSport via Getty Images
The 28-year-old has played just one game for the Blues, despite becoming one of the game’s best props and starred for the Kangaroos during last year’s Ashes.
Pat Carrigan, Lindsay Collins, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Reuben Cotter are all other middles who will likely be rotated in and out during the tournament.
Sharks star Blayke Brailey will deputise for Harry Grant as the dummy-half, getting the nod over Roosters and NSW hooker Reece Robson.
It’s definitely easy to nitpick and question the selections from Walters and the rest of the panel, but the Kangaroos still look like a very strong side on paper.
Australia’s first game will come against fellow World Cup front-runners New Zealand next Thursday night at Allianz Stadium.
Kangaroos 23-man World Cup squad
Isaah Yeo (c), Bradman Best, Jack Bostock, Blayke Brailey, Pat Carrigan, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, David Fifita, Harry Grant, Keaon Koloamatangi, Liam Martin, Latrell Mitchell, Mitchell Moses, Cameron Munster, Cameron Murray, Jacob Preston, Kotoni Staggs, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Sam Walker, Reece Walsh
Kangaroos predicted World Cup team
1. James Tedesco 2. Jack Bostock 3. Bradman Best 4. Latrell Mitchell 5. Tom Trbojevic 6. Cameron Munster 7. Sam Walker 8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 9. Harry Grant 10. Pat Carrigan 11. Liam Martin 12. David Fifita 13. Isaah Yeo (c) 14. Blayke Brailey 15. Cameron Murray 16. Keaon Koloamatangi 17. Reuben Cotter 18. Reece Walsh 19. Lindsay Collins
