LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Kevin Walters has officially taken on the role of head coach for the Australia Kangaroos as of Wednesday.
He has already initiated efforts to retain star prop Payne Haas within the national team ahead of this year's Ashes series.
According to reports from zerotackle.com, Walters plans to leverage his connections at the Brisbane Broncos to keep Haas committed to the Kangaroos.
"I just want to explain to those players that are contemplating (defecting), I totally understand their situation but let's get the Kangaroos opportunity in front of them and see where they're at with that," he stated in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
Earlier this year, Haas expressed interest in playing for Samoa, indicating he would make a decision regarding his international representation after the State of Origin series.
Although no final decision has been made yet, there is concern that the Kangaroos could lose a key player.
Samoa has already reached out to both Haas and Queensland Maroons star Tino Fa'asuamaleaui in an effort to persuade them to switch allegiance in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.