Braith Anasta has hit out at the NRL after new Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters had his plan to bring Gorden Tallis into camp ahead of the Ashes series knocked back by the league.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer >
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday that the NRL is set to reject a request from Walters to appoint Tallis to his support staff as a cultural figurehead.
According to the Herald, Walters was hoping Tallis would be able to work with the Kangaroos players to help them understand “what it means to wear the green and gold”, with the role said to be centred around the culture and history of the Australian national team.
Tallis, a former Kangaroos captain, was expected to play a key part of the plans for the three-Test series in October but instead the Herald claimed the NRL argued his role is not needed and that Walters has the experience to instil those values on the playing group.
The report went on to add that Walters also asked for Broncos assistant coaches Trent Barrett and Ben Te’o to join as part of his coaching staff but that the NRL is hesitant to appoint assistants from NRL clubs, meaning that request is unlikely to be approved as well.
Instead, Super League-based coaches seem to be the frontrunners with Willie Peters, Adrian Lam, Brad Arthur and John Cartwright listed by the Herald.
MORE NRL NEWS
FRIDAY NIGHT TALKING PTS: Ricky slams ‘joke’; reality in Dogs’ Galvin debate
FADERS NO MORE: Why Raiders won’t be a one-hit NRL wonder
AJ controversially closes in on record | 00:41
All of that is to say that while he may be locked in as coach for the three-game series, Walters doesn’t seem to have much of a say outside of that and that hasn’t gone down well with Anasta.
“I don’t agree with this and it’s not because I’m friends with Gordie or work with him but honestly put Gordie aside, I don’t care who he wants to take with him but there’s got to be some responsibility, faith and trust in the Australian coach to take his own staff,” the NRL 360 co-host said on Triple M.
“It’s too much control the NRL have got over the coach. It’s a strange one.
“He’s only signed a three-game deal with the World Cup next year and then you can’t take the staff that you think is going to get the best out of your team, that’s going to make you the most comfortable… being given your own staff for an Australian team, a rep team or even a club team is not ideal, especially over a short period of time.
“I don’t understand why they would knock it back. If I’m Kevvie, I’m not feeling too good about it.”
The series between Australia and England begins on October 25 at Wembley Stadium.
