Walker's in: Fans vote for new-look 'Roos after Origin II

Sam Walker would edge out Nathan Cleary as halfback, Reece Walsh would be fullback and Cameron Murray would usurp captain Isaah Yeo at lock if the Australian team for Rugby League World Cup 2026 was named now, according to a poll conducted after Origin II.

Fans voted for Walker, Walsh and Murray ahead of Cleary, James Tedesco and Yeo in the latest Rolling ‘Roos team, which had five changes to the starting line-up from the previous side chosen after NSW’s 22-20 triumph in Origin I.

Cleary, the incumbent Australian No.7, was the man-of-the-match in the series opener, while Tedesco scored the match winning try for the Blues.

However, Walker has emerged as favourite for the Wally Lewis Medal in his first Origin series if he can steer Queensland to victory in the Suncorp Stadium decider on July 8 after winning man-of-the-match honours in last week’s 44-24 triumph at the MCG.

While Walsh is yet to play in this year’s Origin series, with Kalyn Ponga – who has changed his international eligibility to New Zealand ahead of the World Cup - starting at fullback for the Maroons, fans still prefer him for the Kangaroos No.1 jersey over Tedesco and Dylan Edwards.

Murray, who has been on the Blues interchange in both matches, was a clear-cut choice to start at lock over Yeo, the Kangaroos captain and 2024 IRL Golden Boot winner.

Other changes to the Australian team which defeat England in last year’s Ashes series include superstar Rabbitohs centre Latrell Mitchell, who has missed the Origin series due to injury, in-form Maroons winger Selwyn Cobbo and Maroons forwards Reuben Cotter and Lindsay Collins in the starting side.

Cobbo's hat-trick heroics for Queensland in Origin II earned him a wing spo and like Walker, he would have been a man-of-the-match contender in Origin I if the Maroons had hung on to win.

He would replace Josh Addo-Carr, who along with Kangaroos secondrower Angus Crichton, was overlooked for NSW selection. Patrick Carrigan started in the frontrow for Australia but he is out of Origin with injury.

Cotter and Collins were on the bench for the Kangaroos in all three Ashes Tests.

Among those Australian players who fans believe should retain their positions are Walsh, hooker Harry Grant, five-eighth Cameron Munster, winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, centre Kotoni Staggs, prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and secondrower Hudson Young.

There was also no place for Keaon Koloamatangi, Tom Dearden, Gehamat Shibasaki, who played against England, or members of the extended Kangaroos squad Ethan Strange, Mitchell Moses, Blayke Brailey and Lindsay Smith.

Fans voted for Murray at both lock and secondrow, but while he just edged Cotter by 1 per cent of votes, the Rabbitohs captain was a clear-cut choice over Yeo.

Cleary, Tedesco and Yeo still polled high – albeit in second place – to claim a place on the six-man bench, along with Carrigan, Max Plath and Tom Trbojevic, who each received votes across two positions.

Rolling ‘Roos – Origin II

1. Reece Walsh
2. Selwyn Cobbo
3. Latrell Mitchell
4. Kotoni Staggs
5. Mark Nawaqanitawase
6. Cameron Munster
7. Sam Walker
8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
9. Harry Grant
10. Lindsay Collins
11. Hudson Young
12. Reuben Cotter
13. Cameron Murray
14. Max Plath
15. Isaah Yeo
16. Pat Carrigan
17. Nathan Cleary
18. James Tedesco
19. Tom Trbojevic

The Kangaroos kick off RLWC2026 with a trans-Tasman showdown against Pacific Cup champions New Zealand at Allianz Stadium on October 15, which is likely to determine the top spot in Pool A.

Australia then play Fiji Bati at Suncorp Stadium on October 25 and Cook Islands in Townsville on October 31, with the semi-finals in Sydney and Newcastle and the final in Brisbane on November 15.

Samoa, Tonga, England, Papua New Guinea, France and Lebanon are the other teams in the men's World Cup.  

View the votes for your Kangaroos team after Origin II