No.1 battle: Edwards and Walsh set to stake Kangaroos claims

State of Origin could double as a shootout for the Kangaroos' No. 1 jersey with Reece Walsh and Dylan Edwards going head-to-head for the first time in the representative arena.

Australian coach Mal Meninga, who is now looking towards the 2026 World Cup, said long serving captain James Tedesco and injured Knights star Kalyn Ponga were also in the mix to play fullback at the end of the season.

However, after the Kiwis' record breaking 30-0 triumph against Australia in the final of last year's Pacific Championships, Meninga said Test positions were now up for grabs.

Tedesco retained the jersey in last year’s Pacific Championships, however with the Sydney Roosters skipper making way for Edwards in the NSW team for Origin II, the race to be Australia’s next No.1 is wide open.

“If a couple of players start to poke their head up, play to the best of their ability and make a difference at this level, you're worthy of being considered for the Australian job,” Meninga said at an Origin promotion with Laurie Daley in Melbourne.

“Reece was [in conversations] last year…but he was at the back end of a pretty tough year, we felt, and Kalyn Ponga, as well.

“If a couple of players start to poke their head up and play to the best of their ability and make a difference at this level, you're worthy of being considered for the Australian job.”

Meninga, who said he had committed to the coaching job through to RLWC2026, pledged to "look at the loyalty factor" in the selection policy for the Australian team after sticking solid with the players who won the 2022 World Cup in England.

“After what happened last year, we've got to look at where we're heading with the Kangaroos and I have to place a fair bit of importance this year on rep footy,” he said.

“Laurie's a selector as well, and we sat down, we had a look at where we were heading with the Kangaroos, and Tedesco was the incumbent, and he hasn't let his team, his state or his country down before.

“We've got so many great fullbacks and some of our great players are fullbacks in this day and age and when you get to the elite level, then sometimes you’ve just got to find a spot for them.”

Edwards played on the wing for Australia in last year's Pacific Championships and will also face competition from Ponga for the fullback role as Meninga said players currently injured, such as Nathan Cleary and Tom Trbojevic, would be considered.

“Just because you don't play in Origin doesn't mean you're going to miss out,” he said.

“Origin finishes in the middle of July and then the competition goes to October so a lot of things can happen in that 10-week period.

“Loyalty and club form is really important as well.”