Gorden Tallis skips World Cup return with family time

gorden tallis will not be part of Kevin Walters' Kangaroos coaching staff for this year's World Cup. Walters said Tallis told him he will not be backing up, leaving Australia to reshape a staff that helped deliver last year's 3-0 Ashes sweep against England.

Tallis Chooses Family Time

"Gordie told me that he won’t (be returning)," Walters said on the Inside Ball podcast. "That’s his holiday time and family time, which is fair. He won’t be backing up this year."

Tallis had been an assistant under Walters on last year’s Ashes tour, when Australia beat England 3-0. He had initially been blocked by the NRL from touring as a cultural attache, before Walters brought him in as an assistant coach instead.

Walters Eyes New Assistants

Walters expects most of last year’s staff to return, but he also said he might be without Willie Peters. Peters was one of the two assistants alongside Tallis in the Ashes and has since been appointed as the inaugural coach of the PNG Chiefs.

Peters' new role matters because PNG is set to enter the NRL competition in 2028, adding another layer to the coaching picture Walters is building for the World Cup. The tournament will be held in Australia, New Zealand and PNG, and it begins two weeks after the NRL grand final.

Ben Te'o On Walters' List

Walters said he is confident Ben Te'o will join the staff. "I’ve reached out to Ben," he said. "I would imagine so (he’ll accept the offer)."

Te'o recently stepped down as an assistant under Michael Maguire at the Broncos to work with Billy Slater in Queensland's State of Origin squad, after the Broncos were not willing to release him for Origin camp. Walters said, "There’s some great people out there looking for an opportunity to coach, so we’ll get the right people."

For Australia, the immediate change is straightforward: Tallis is out, Peters may be tied up in PNG, and Walters is already lining up replacements before a tournament that arrives only two weeks after the NRL grand final.