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Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach, as well as a pundit (2017–2018, 2025) for Fox League.
As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos clubs, Walters was positioned at or in squads that cumulatively won six premiership titles. He played a few games for the Warrington Wolves in the British Super League, and the Ipswich Jets in the Brisbane Rugby League Premiership. Mostly in the 1990s, Walters represented Australia and Queensland.
Walters coached the Catalans Dragons (2009-2010) in the British Super League, Queensland in the State of Origin series (2016-2019), and the Brisbane Broncos (2021-2024) in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Walters attended Bremer State High School until gaining a sporting scholarship for Years 11 and 12 at Ipswich Grammar School, where he and his twin became school prefects. Walters grew up playing football with his brothers, in particular Steve and Kerrod, as well as Allan Langer. This combination of players was later referred to as "The Ipswich Connection".
According to the Broncos, Kevin Walters holds the record for most finals' appearances and has played six times in premiership-winning teams; one with the Canberra Raiders (1989) and five with the Brisbane Broncos (1992, 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000).
Separately, Walters made his debut for the Queensland Maroons in the 1989 State of Origin series as a reserve in game 3 at Lang Park in Brisbane.
Walters played in the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand that saw Australia retain The Ashes. Later that year, he was part of the Brisbane roster that won the 1992 Grand Final 28–8 against the St George Dragons at Sydney Football Stadium. Steve, Kevin and Kerrod Walters had already become the first trio of brothers to play for Queensland and Australia in 1992, and another milestone was achieved when all three were selected to tour in England with the Australian Rugby League World Cup squad. Australia won the final 10–6. Furthermore, Walters played in Brisbane's 1992 World Club Challenge win over the Wigan Warriors at Central Park in England. In 1993, he was part of Brisbane's 14–6 grand final victory over the St George Dragons at ANZ Stadium, Brisbane.
During the 1994 NSWRL season, Walters played at five-eighth for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted and lost the 1994 World Club Challenge 14–20 to British champions Wigan Warriors at ANZ Stadium. At the end of the season, Walters went on the 1994 Kangaroo tour.
Walters also played in the 1997 Super League Grand Final victory for Brisbane. Although not a consistent player for the Maroons, Walters was part of the winning 1998 State of Origin team, dummying his way over for a try in the decider. That year, he played at five-eighth in the 1998 NRL grand final and won another premiership with the Broncos. When Allan Langer retired in 1999, Walters became the Brisbane Broncos' team captain. In the second match of the 1999 State of Origin series, he also captained Queensland. In the Broncos' 2000 NRL grand final 14–6 win against the Sydney Roosters at Stadium Australia, Walters captained at halfback, claiming one more premiership ring with the club before moving to England at the request of Allan Langer.Whitiker, Alan – History of Rugby League Clubs Published 2004
In 2001, Walters played four games for the Warrington Wolves in the English Super League. However, he and his family preferred to be in Australia, so Walters returned to the Brisbane Broncos, played five games and finished his playing career in the 2001 NRL season.Book – Whiticker, Alan – The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players (Broncos) In 2003, Walters was one of the first four former players inducted into the Broncos official Hall of Fame. In 2007, Walters was included in a club list of their best twenty best players to date.
Returning to Australia, Walters was going to coach the Brisbane Tigers in the Queensland Cup in 2011, but instead joined the Melbourne Storm as an NRL assistant coach under Craig Bellamy, where he remained until the end of the 2013 NRL season. After Melbourne, Walters was appointed in 2014 as the halves' coach for the Newcastle Knights under Wayne Bennett.
Brisbane started 2023 with five consecutive wins, including the Battle for Brisbane 18–12 victory on 24 March at Suncorp Stadium against the Dolphins – coached by Walters' former mentor Wayne Bennett – in their inaugural NRL season. Brisbane extended Walters' contract until the end of the 2025 season. At the end of round 10, Brisbane was on top of the 2023 league ladder; however, that changed the following week. By round 25, Brisbane was back in first position and needed to defeat the Melbourne Storm to secure the minor premiership, but a decision to rest eleven of thirteen regular players that match contributed significantly to Brisbane finishing second (two weeks later) on the 2023 ladder after the Penrith Panthers, the minor and major premiers from 2022. Nevertheless, Brisbane went on to qualify for their first grand final in eight years. In the 2023 NRL Grand Final at Accor Stadium against the Penrith Panthers, Brisbane trailed 6–8 at half-time. In the second half, they scored three quick tries to lead 24–8. However, during the last twenty minutes, Brisbane suffered the worst collapse in NRL Grand Final history, losing 26–24.
Under Walters in the 2024 NRL season, Brisbane were unable to back up their feats from 2023 with the club finishing twelfth on the table. Walters' position as Brisbane head coach came under heavy scrutiny by the media. The club conducted an internal review after the end of the regular season, and Walters was terminated from his coaching position on 26 September 2024.
In January 1991, Walters married Kim Alison Facer and together had three children: Jack, Billy (a qualified carpenter) and Jett. Kim died from breast cancer in 1998. With Dr Cherrell Hirst, the then director of the Wesley Breast Clinic, Walters launched The Wesley Hospital Kim Walters Choices Program – a free community service that offers support to people diagnosed with cancer – in Brisbane. In 2017, the program's name changed to The Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre with Walters continuing as Patron.
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