Walters was born in Rockhampton, Queensland[6] in 1967 to parents Kevin (died 2010)[7] and Sandra (died 2013),[8] who had a total of five children, all male: Brett, Steve, Andrew, Kevin and his twin Kerrod.[9]
Walters attended Bremer State High School until gaining a sporting scholarship[10] for Years 11 and 12 at Ipswich Grammar School,[11] where he and his twin became school prefects.[12] 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".[13]
According to the Broncos, Kevin Walters holds the record for most finals' appearances[14] 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).[6]
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.[16] 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.[17]
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.[18] In 2003, Walters was one of the first four former players inducted into the Broncos official Hall of Fame.[19] In 2007, Walters was included in a club list of their best twenty best players to date.[20]
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.[21] 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.[22][23] 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.
In December 2015, Walters was appointed as head coach of the QueenslandState of Origin team after Mal Meninga had to resign on becoming the Australian national rugby league team coach.[5]
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.[25][26][27][28] In September 2020, Walters resigned as the Maroons' head coach after being appointed head coach of the Brisbane Broncos.[29][30]
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.[31] 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 halfback 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.[32] 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.[33][34]
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.[35] 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.
Walters is a carpenter by trade, completing his apprenticeship with MBA Group Training in Canberra.[36] Walters married long-term partner Narelle Bristow in 2012 and together they have two children, Harry (born 2003) and Ava (born 2005).[37] In total, Walters has five children from two marriages; all of whom have played rugby league.[38]
In January 1991, Walters married Kim Alison Facer and together had three children: Jack, Billy (a qualified carpenter)[39] and Jett.[38] 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.[40] In 2017, the program's name changed to The Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre with Walters continuing as Patron.[40]
Recognition
2000: Australian Sports Medal for contributions to Australia's international standing in rugby league.
^Dekroo, Karl (9 May 2007). "Still the king". The Courier-Mail. Australia: Queensland Newspapers. Archived from the original on 12 May 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
^Dick, Barry (1 October 2006). "Special day for Benny". The Courier-Mail. Queensland Newspapers. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
^"Walters tackles new era:Assistant coach back in NRL saddle with Storm". The Queensland Times. Ipswich, Queensland: Nationwide News Pty Ltd. 28 February 2011. p. 29.
