Kevin Walters needs to coach as he played, says twin brother Kerrod

KERROD Walters believes the secret to his twin brother Kevin becoming a successful State of Origin mentor will be coaching as he played.

Kevin Walters with the ball in the 1992 State of Origin - Photo Jim Fenwick

KERROD Walters believes the secret to his twin brother Kevin becoming a successful State of Origin mentor will be coaching as he played.

By that he means keeping things light between games, knowing when to switch on and not over-complicating a simple game.

When Kevin told his twin and he had landed the Origin coaching job Kerrod responded “you’ve earnt it … it’s your time.’’

Kerrod believes as a player Kevin found the balance between hard graft and humour and he feels that blend can still be effective in his new posting at the helm of Queensland.

“When he played he was obviously a bit of a larrikin but when it came to game day there was no one more focused and switched on than Kevvie and that is the way he will coach,’’ Kerrod said.

“People thought he was more of a joker and was not serious enough to be a head coach. But what he does is find a happy medium.

Kevin Walters during the 1994 State of Origin series — Photo Ray Cash

“He is very passionate about the game and has a good knowledge of the game — for a guy with limited ability he achieved a fair bit, didn’t he?’’ Kerrod quipped.

“I know he won’t get too technical with things. That is the key.

“A lot of coaches get pretty technical and serious to a degree. Most players are simple men and if you keep things simple everyone is happy.

“I don’t know how players take it all in. The game has got so scientific and technical I feel for the modern player.

“They have so much to take in I think it confuses them. Rather than having a simple game plan and away you go.

“Kevvie will make sure they enjoy what they are doing but make sure they are switched on at training and games but in between that have a good time.’’

The Walters family have lived through Kevin’s agonising near misses of major coaching jobs at Wests Tigers and North Queensland and were concerned he could miss out again, particularly when Paul Green was offered the job ahead of him.

“He certainly has done a long apprenticeship,’’ Kerrod said.

“He was long overdue to get a chance to be head coach at that level.

“I was concerned he was going to miss this job but he had hung in for this long so I think he would have considered it a speed bump and kept going.’’

Kevin said at his first press conference as Origin coach his sense of humour may have been misinterpreted in his long run towards the Origin coaching role.

“Possibly. I’m the sort of person who is a glass half-full person,’’ Kevin said.

“I always see the positive in anything and that can be (misinterpreted as) a bit of a prankster.

“That couldn’t be further from the truth. I was very serious about my football. I wouldn’t have been to another country where they don’t speak English (France), I wouldn’t have driven up and back to Ipswich to coach for no money the team who finished last the year before if I wasn’t passionate about my coaching or serious about it.’’