James Tedesco might be the favourite to win this year’s Dally M Medal, but it’s Reece Walsh who should be selected as the Kangaroos’ fullback for the Ashes series. That’s the opinion of leading NRL journalists Michael Chammas and Danny Weidler, who reckon Walsh’s current form will be too hard for Australia coach Kevin Walters to ignore.
Penrith’s Dylan Edwards is the incumbent Kangaroos fullback, and could still have a massive say if he can help inspire the Panthers to a fifth straight premiership. But his recent form has been well below his usually lofty standards, and it’s opened the door for Tedesco to win a Kangaroos recall or Walsh to earn his maiden Test call-up for Australia.
Tedesco has been the NRL’s form No.1 across the course of the season and is widely expected to win the Dally M as the competition’s best player for 2025. But the former Kangaroos captain’s superb displays tailed off a bit towards the back-end of the year and he was unable to inspire a deep finals run for the Roosters as they were knocked out in week one by the Sharks.
“I put that Reece Walsh last 15-16 minutes (against Canberra) in the same category as the Nathan Cleary grand final (against Brisbane in 2023) last 16 minutes,” Chammas declared on Triple M. He qualified that statement by admitting Cleary’s feat was more impressive because it came in a grand final.
But in terms of an individual’s ability to almost singlehandedly decide a game of finals footy, Chammas said Walsh’s masterclass against the Raiders was right up there with Cleary’s premiership heroics. And he believes it’s the type of display that makes him a shoo-in to be selected in Walters’ Kangaroos side for the Ashes series.
“In terms of his influence on a game, it was incredible,” Chammas added. “And to me he’s the Australian fullback, you’ve got to take him over there. He’s got to be your No.1. You plan for the future and there’s no one like him. I thought Teddy should get it before that. But if they go on a run Brisbane, then Reece Walsh is your fullback for Australia.”
Reece Walsh could deny James Tedesco a fairytale Test recall
Nine league reporter Weidler said Tedesco had earned a Kangaroos recall off the back of his superb form this season. But he agreed that if Walsh can take the Broncos even deeper in the NRL finals – and potentially help them win a first premiership since 2006 – then he’ll be almost impossible to overlook for the Ashes.
“Teddy was brilliant this year and I’d have no problem if he was fullback,” Weidler said on Triple M. “But if Reece wins the Broncos a grand final – which he could easily do – and after that performance it would be hard to knock him (Walsh) back.”
Walters admitted to News Corp this week that the likes of Walsh, Tedesco and Edwards were all in contention to be selected in Australia’s Ashes squad for the three-Test series against England starting on October 25. But the Kangaroos coach hinted that Walsh’s finals form could swing the pendulum in his favour.
“Reece is right in the mix,” Walters said. “There’s a lot of competition for spots, particularly in the fullback role, but Reece is putting himself in the frame with how he is playing that’s for sure. We’ve often seen over the years guys get onto Kangaroo tours from playing well in the finals and the grand final.”
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