Kevvie Walters has a number of selection headaches on his hands in turning his Ashes Tour squad of 23 into a 17 for the first Test against England.

Reece Walsh is breathing down the neck of incumbent fullback Dylan Edwards, while last year’s halves Tom Dearden and Mitchell Moses are fighting with returning stars Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster for the chief playmaker roles.

And with eight rookies in the squad, it remains to be seen how many debutants will appear in Walters’ first Kangaroos Test team.

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Read of for the key Kangaroos selection battles.

FULLBACK

Contenders: Dylan Edwards, Reece Walsh

Analysis: The Kangaroos are blessed for choices at fullback, even with Dally M Medallist James Tedesco pulling out of the selection race for his brother’s wedding. Incumbent Dylan Edwards starred in the Kangaroos’ Pacific Championships win last season and is the incumbent NSW fullback, as well as a four-time premiership winner. However, by his lofty standards, Edwards was below his best in 2025, with a penchant for errors hurting his case to hold onto his jersey. More than that Reece Walsh’s form in the finals makes him near on irresistible to pick for an Australian debut. Walsh has starred at Origin level and now has won a Clive Churchill Medal and a premiership virtually on his own back after a stunning finals series. His history with Kevvie Walters at the Broncos could also work in his favour. Australia can’t go wrong with whoever they pick, but Walsh deserves his opportunity after a superb season in 2025.

Verdict: Reece Walsh

Reece Walsh is set to unseat Dylan Edwards at fullback.Source: Getty Images

WINGERS

Contenders: Josh Addo-Carr, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Dylan Edwards

Analysis: The Kangaroos were flush with wing options until incumbent stars Xavier Coates and Zac Lomax were ruled out of the Ashes Tour through injury. They were replaced by Josh Addo-Carr and Bradman Best, with the latter not exactly a like for like replacement given he is a centre. That leaves only two specialist wingers in the squad in Addo-Carr and rookie Mark Nawaqanitawase. Addo-Carr has not played a Test since the 2022 World Cup final, but he is a proven try-scorer and has never let his country down before, while he has had a strong year at the Eels to get his career back on track. Nawaqanitawase was the leading try-scorer in the NRL for most of the 2025 season and has earnt his spot through hard work and ironing out the deficiencies in his game in defence, but in attack he is one of the most special talents in the game and does things that others simply can’t. Dylan Edwards is another option to play wing, given he has spent time there in the past for his country and his work ethic is unmatched in the NRL. Walters may want to go with specialists first up given the importance of the series, but don’t be surprised if Edwards spends some time on the wing throughout the three games if he is not in the No.1.

Verdict: Josh Addo-Carr and Mark Nawaqanitawase

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CENTRES

Contenders: Kotoni Staggs, Gehamat Shibasaki, Bradman Best

Analysis: The Kangaroos are blessed with centre options, even with Latrell Mitchell unavailable due to injury and incumbent Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow also injured and potentially defecting to Samoa anyway. Broncos premiership pair Kotoni Staggs and Gehamat Shibasaki were two of the best centres all year and throughly deserve their places in the squad. Given their combination with Walsh, if he is picked at fullback it would make sense to go with the Broncos duo to continue their form from the NRL finals series. Staggs has played two Tests for Australia in 2023 and is as damaging a player as the NRL has on his day. Shibasaki is a big body and a great defender, who can also break the line, so he will be invaluable at Test level and he has stepped up at every level in his superb comeback season to date. Bradman Best was a late inclusion for the tour, but he was part of last year’s Pacific Championship squad and has proven himself at Origin level for NSW, so he wouldn’t let anyone down if called upon for a Test debut.

Verdict: Kotoni Staggs and Gehamat Shibasaki

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FIVE-EIGHTH

Contenders: Cameron Munster, Tom Dearden, Mitchell Moses, Ethan Strange

Analysis: Australia are stacked in the five-eight department, with any one of the four options in the squad capable of doing the job. Cameron Munster hasn’t played a Test since the 2022 World Cup final, but he is arguably the best five-eighth in the game and he starred in leading the Maroons’ to an Origin series win and led the Storm to another Grand Final in 2025. However, Tom Dearden is the incumbent and was just as brilliant if not more in Queensland’s series win at halfback, while he was the player of the Pacific Championships last season. Mitchell Moses is a halfback, who will push Cleary for the No.7 jersey, but he wouldn’t look out of place alongside his Blues halves partner, if Walters went that way. Ethan Strange is going on the tour for the experience as a development player, but given his stunning form for the minor premiers, don’t write him off for a Kangaroos debut at some point in the series and if injuries strike he could do a job at No.6. Veteran Munster deserves first crack, but Walters’ can’t go wrong in this position.

Verdict: Cameron Munster

Cameron Munster is set to return at No.6 for the Kangaroos.Source: Getty Images

HALFBACK

Contenders: Nathan Cleary, Mitchell Moses, Tom Dearden

Analysis: Another spot the Kangaroos are blessed in is halfback, with incumbent Mitchell Moses starring in the Pacific Championships last season and playing Origin with the Blues this year at five-eighth before injury struck. He also had a stunning back end of the season with the Eels, with some experts even rating his form better than Cleary’s in 2025. Cleary has not played for Australia since the 2022 World Cup final, but he has dominated the NRL for five seasons and is arguably the best player in the game. The knock on Cleary is he hasn’t dominated at Origin level yet, but he deserves the chance to have another crack at Test level based on another super consistent season for Penrith. Tom Dearden has only recently moved to halfback at the Cowboys full-time, but he played all his juniors there and he dominated the Origin series in a Wally Lewis Medal winning performance in 2025. Based on Origin Dearden probably deserves the nod, but the experience of Cleary is set to earn him first crack at the No.7 jersey.

Verdict: Nathan Cleary

Mitchell Moses, Tom Dearden and Nathan Cleary all can lay claim to the No.7 jersey.Source: FOX SPORTS

PROPS

Contenders: Patrick Carrigan, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Lindsay Smith, Keaon Koloamatangi

Analysis: The defection of Payne Haas to Samoa was a big blow for Australia, but the Kangaroos are still blessed with plenty of hard-nosed options up front, even without Mitch Barnett due to his ACL injury. Lindsay Smith is the only full-time prop in the squad, but Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Patrick Carrigan have spent plenty of time there for club, state and country and will likely get the two starting spots, given skipper Isaah Yeo is at lock. Smith played a Test for Australia last year and will likely be a bench option to start, but could force his way into the starting team if injuries strike. Keaon Koloamatangi only transformed into a full-time prop under Wayne Bennett this season, but he was Souths’ best player in a torrid campaign due to injuries. His versatility in covering the back row makes him the ideal bench option for Walters.

Verdict: Patrick Carrigan and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui,

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui chose not to defect to Samoa.Source: Getty Images

HOOKER

Contenders: Harry Grant, Blayke Brailey

Analysis: Harry Grant is the best hooker in the game and the incumbent Australian and Queensland hooker and will be the Australian hooker for the foreseeable future. However, Blayke Brailey usurped him for the Dally M hooker of the year gong, in part due to suspension and is hot on his heels for the best No.9 in the NRL. Brailey led the Sharks to a preliminary final and is considered a big chance to debut for the Blues in next year’s Origin series. He will likely have to bide his time behind Grant, but he could be a bench option if Walters’ employs the two dummyhalf model that worked so well for the Maroons and Australia with Grant and Ben Hunt in recent years.

Verdict: Harry Grant

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SECOND-ROWERS

Contenders: Angus Crichton, Hudson Young, Reuben Cotter, Jacob Preston, Keaon Koloamatangi

Analysis: The Kangaroos are not short on options in the second row, with incumbents Angus Crichton and Hudson Young having strong seasons for the Roosters and Raiders and they deserve first crack at starting, after helping Australia win the Pacific Championships last year. However, they were outplayed in Origin this year with Reuben Cotter performing strongly on an edge in Queensland’s series win and he has never let Australia down playing anywhere in the pack in the past. Jacob Preston is a smoky to make the 17 after his brilliant season with the Bulldogs and he would have a field day running his superb lines off Cleary and Munster. Koloamatangi spent more time at prop this year, but he knows the second row position inside out and his versatility could see him grab a bench spot.

Verdict: Angus Crichton and Hudson Young

Hudson Young is set to hold his starting spot.Source: Getty Images

LOCK

Contenders: Isaah Yeo, Patrick Carrigan, Reuben Cotter

Analysis: Kevvie Walters is flush with options in selecting his lock, but it will be incumbent skipper Isaah Yeo and for good reason after he starred for Australia, NSW and the Panthers over the last 12 months, not to mention over the last five years in club land. Carrigan would be a walk up start at No.13 in any other team, after leading the Broncos to the title, but he is needed in the front row and gives Walters plenty of versatility if Yeo needs a break or if injuries strike. Cotter is arguably the most versatile of all the Kangaroos forwards and will likely feature in the 17 somewhere, but more likely on the bench at least to start the Ashes.

Verdict: Isaah Yeo

PREDICTED KANGAROOS TEAM

1. Reece Walsh

2. Josh Addo-Carr

3. Kotoni Staggs

4. Gehamat Shibasaki

5. Mark Nawaqanitawase

6. Cameron Munster

7. Nathan Cleary

8. Patrick Carrigan

9. Harry Grant

10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui

11. Angus Crichton

12. Hudson Young

13. Isaah Yeo

14. Tom Dearden

15. Reuben Cotter

16. Lindsay Collins

17. Keaon Koloamatangi

KANGAROOS ASHES TOUR SQUAD

Isaah Yeo (c – Panthers), Blayke Brailey (Sharks), Patrick Carrigan (Broncos), Nathan Cleary (Panthers), Lindsay Collins (Roosters), Reuben Cotter (Cowboys), Angus Crichton (Roosters), Tom Dearden (Cowboys), Dylan Edwards (Panthers), Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans), Harry Grant (Storm), Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs), Bradman Best (Knights), Josh Addo-Carr (Eels), Mitchell Moses (Eels), Cameron Munster (Storm), Mark Nawaqanitawase (Roosters), Jacob Preston (Bulldogs), Gehamat Shibasaki (Broncos), Lindsay Smith (Panthers), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Ethan Strange (Raiders), Reece Walsh (Broncos), Hudson Young (Raiders)