Sam Walker or Nathan Cleary? If an Australian team for Rugby League World Cup 2026 was named now, who would be the Kangaroos halfback?

Cleary, the man-of-the-match in Origin I and incumbent Australian No.7.

Or Walker – the man-of-the-match in Origin II and favourite for the Wally Lewis Medal if he can steer Queensland to victory in the Suncorp Stadium decider on July 8.  

And what of the other halves options. Does Cameron Munster retain the No.6 jersey and if so where does Ethan Strange fit in? Or what about Tom Dearden and Mitch Moses?

There are numerous tough calls to be made by Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters when picking his side to meet New Zealand in the World Cup opener at Allianz Stadium on October 1.


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Sam Walker named Player of the Match

If Origin form is a guide, where does that leave superstar fullback Reece Walsh, who is yet to play in the series so far? Ditto for Dylan Edwards, the other fullback in last year’s Kangaroos squad for the Ashes series.

Has former Kangaroos captain James Tedesco done enough for the Blues to warrant a recall after leading Australia to World Cup glory at Old Trafford in 2022.

How much has your opinion on selections changed since Origin I?  

Surely Selwyn Cobbo’s hat-trick heroics for Queensland are enough to earn him a wing spot. Like Walker, he would have been a man-of-the-match contender in Origin I if the Maroons had hung on to win.


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Cobbo gets an MCG hat-trick

The centres are also contentious, with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Stephen Crichton (both Samoa), Robert Toia, Tolu Koula (both Tonga) and Casey McLean (New Zealand) pledging their allegiances to other nations.    

Latrell Mitchell, who was a member of the 2022 World Cup winning team hasn’t played in the Origin series so far but could be available for the series decider. Ditto for Tom Trbojevic. Is either an automatic Kangaroos selection?

Then there’s the forwards. Max Plath has been enormous in Origin for Queensland, but how do you fit him into a team likely to include Isaah Yeo, Cameron Murray and Pat Carrigan – all of whom also play lock.

How do you fit those three in? What about Reuben Cotter? The secondrow stocks are strong, but who misses out. It’s a similar conundrum when picking props

Vote now for your Kangaroos team after Origin II