Kerrod Walters
Encyclopedia
Kerrod Walters is an Australia
n former rugby league
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos
, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships. With twin brother Kevin
and older brother Steve
, Kerrod Walters holds a unique place in Australian League history.
(but Rockhampton-born), Kerrod Walters first showed his talent with the Ipswich Jets
alongside brother Kevin and Allan Langer
. This combination later became known as "the Ipswich connection". In 1988 he and Ipswich teammate Langer joined the newly-formed Brisbane Broncos
to compete in the Winfield Cup
premiership.
. He played for Australia in the three-Test series against New Zealand
that year.
In 1990 he out-pointed New South Wales
hooker Ben Elias to play further Tests against New Zealand and France
, but after the shock First Test loss to Great Britain
on the 1990 Kangaroo tour, he was replaced by Elias for the remainder of the tour.
The following year Walters was sent off for punching Western Suburbs Magpies
forward Graeme Wynn
in a club match, and his resulting two-week suspension opened the way for brother Steve to come into both the Queensland and Australian teams. This connection continued when Steve Walters was injured on the 1991 tour of Papua New Guinea
and Kerrod was called up to replace him.
While Kerrod did not appear in a Test match during 1992, he played his role in the Broncos' grand final and World Club Championship wins. That year he was awarded the Broncos' player of the year. The Walters brothers had already become the first trio to play for Queensland and Australia when, in 1992, they achieved another milestone when all three were selected to tour with the World Cup
squad. Kerrod and Kevin Walters also became the first twin brothers to play rugby league for Australia.
After the Broncos' back-to-back grand final win in 1993, Walters made his final appearance for Queensland the following year. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Walters played at hooker for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
.
club, the Adelaide Rams
. In his second season with the Rams, he was dropped from first grade (after a falling out with coach Rod Reddy
) but returned to something resembling his best form late in the season after Reddy's sacking.
When the club folded at the end of 1998 Walters joined Gateshead
in the European Super League
but returned to Australia midway through the 1999 season after he and his wife were injured in a car accident while on holiday in Thailand
.
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league.
During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included Walters.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n former rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships. With twin brother Kevin
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the...
and older brother Steve
Steve Walters
Steve Walters is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s, who at the peak of his career, was considered the best hooker in the game. An Australian Kangaroos and Queensland Maroons representative, he played in the Canberra Raiders' 1st, 2nd and 3rd grand final...
, Kerrod Walters holds a unique place in Australian League history.
Early years
Hailing from IpswichIpswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
(but Rockhampton-born), Kerrod Walters first showed his talent with the Ipswich Jets
Ipswich Jets
The Ipswich Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Ipswich, Queensland.Their name comes from nearby RAAF Base Amberley, one of the largest airbases in Australia. The Jets compete in the Queensland Cup competition...
alongside brother Kevin and Allan Langer
Allan Langer
Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos...
. This combination later became known as "the Ipswich connection". In 1988 he and Ipswich teammate Langer joined the newly-formed Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
to compete in the Winfield Cup
Winfield Cup
The Winfield Cup was an Australian rugby league trophy awarded to the winner of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership's Grand Final from 1982 to 1994, and to the winner of the Australian Rugby League Grand Final in 1995...
premiership.
Brisbane Broncos
In 1989 Walters represented Queensland, being named man-of-the-match in the third game of that year's State of Origin series and was also chosen as Australian hooker over Greg ConescuGreg Conescu
Greg "Turtle" Conescu is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative hooker, he played all of his club football in Queensland with Norths Devils Gladstone Brothers, Redcliffe and the Brisbane...
. He played for Australia in the three-Test series against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
that year.
In 1990 he out-pointed New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
hooker Ben Elias to play further Tests against New Zealand and France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
, but after the shock First Test loss to Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
on the 1990 Kangaroo tour, he was replaced by Elias for the remainder of the tour.
The following year Walters was sent off for punching Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
forward Graeme Wynn
Graeme Wynn
Graeme Wynn is an Australian former professional rugby league player for the St. George Dragons and the Western Suburbs Magpies in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership...
in a club match, and his resulting two-week suspension opened the way for brother Steve to come into both the Queensland and Australian teams. This connection continued when Steve Walters was injured on the 1991 tour of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and Kerrod was called up to replace him.
While Kerrod did not appear in a Test match during 1992, he played his role in the Broncos' grand final and World Club Championship wins. That year he was awarded the Broncos' player of the year. The Walters brothers had already become the first trio to play for Queensland and Australia when, in 1992, they achieved another milestone when all three were selected to tour with the World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
squad. Kerrod and Kevin Walters also became the first twin brothers to play rugby league for Australia.
After the Broncos' back-to-back grand final win in 1993, Walters made his final appearance for Queensland the following year. During the 1994 NSWRL season, Walters played at hooker for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
for the 1994 World Club Challenge
1994 World Club Challenge
The 1994 MMI World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the...
.
Super League and England
In 1996 he was cut from the Broncos and signed with Super LeagueSuper League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
club, the Adelaide Rams
Adelaide Rams
The Adelaide Rams were an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The team was formed in 1995 for the planned rebel Super League competition, which eventually ran parallel to the rival Australian Rugby League competition in 1997...
. In his second season with the Rams, he was dropped from first grade (after a falling out with coach Rod Reddy
Rod Reddy
Rod "Rocket" Reddy is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons between 1972 and 1983 and the Illawarra Steelers between 1984 and 1985...
) but returned to something resembling his best form late in the season after Reddy's sacking.
When the club folded at the end of 1998 Walters joined Gateshead
Gateshead Thunder
Gateshead Thunder is a professional rugby league club based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear in England. They currently play in the Championship 1 competition, the third tier of rugby league in the United Kingdom...
in the European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
but returned to Australia midway through the 1999 season after he and his wife were injured in a car accident while on holiday in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
Retirement
At the end of the 1999 season, Walters signed a one-year deal with the Broncos but played in just one match from the interchange bench during the 2000 season. That year he was awarded the Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league.
During the 2007 season at the Broncos' 20-year anniversary celebration, the club announced a list of the 20 best players to play for them to date which included Walters.