State of Origin 2017: Meet the hidden side of Queensland coach Kevin Walters

GET ready to meet the real Kevin Walters — and he’s a lot different to the person you think he might be.

Maroons coach Kevin Walters during the Queensland Maroons training session, ahead of State of Origin III against the New South Wales Blues at Langlands Park in Brisbane, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese) NO ARCHIVING

KEVIN Walters wants to set the record straight.

“Years ago people thought I was too much of a jokester,” he says.

“That was bullshit.”

It is a tag that has followed Walters throughout his 16-year coaching career.

How can someone so friendly and humorous transform into an authoritarian like Mal Meninga, Wayne Bennett or Craig Bellamy?

“Craig and Wayne were probably the two most influential (coaches on my career),” Walters says.

“Initially I tried to be too much like Wayne. I’m not Wayne Bennett. I don’t look like Wayne Bennett or talk like Wayne Bennett.

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Walters is searching for his second series win in as many years.

“I quickly learned that I’ve got to be myself. Once I started to do that, I started to make some progress.”

Walters is a 49-year-old toiler from Ipswich who has achieved nearly everything there is to achieve in rugby league.

He won six premierships as a player and represented Queensland and Australia.

He has been an assistant to Bennett and Bellamy, reaching grand finals alongside the two coaches regarded as the greatest of the NRL era.

In the decider at Suncorp Stadium he can become just the third Queensland coach — along with Arthur Beetson and Mal Meninga — in State of Origin history to win their first two series in charge.

But who is the real Kevin Walters?

“Hard working but I’m a realist as well,” he says.

Can Walters lead Queensland to glory?

“I like the enjoyment side of rugby league. That’s why we’re all involved in the game.

“I enjoy the game and the highs it brings but I realise you’ve got to have some low moments as well.

“I haven’t changed all that much. When I played football, we used to like having a good time but when it was time to go to work, we went to work.

“There was no bullshit around that. There was hard work.”

Walters’ public persona may have cost him head coaching roles in the past. The perception was he could not be a player’s mate and boss.

But he quickly put his stamp on the Maroons when the Queensland Rugby League eventually gave him the opportunity to succeed Meninga last year.

Walters overhauled the entire Maroons unit, bringing in new staff and assistant coaches.

When some players were late getting on to a bus during last year’s series he blasted them and set a new standard.

Walters is keen to continue in the top job for Queensland.

When they were training poorly during a game of touch football last Tuesday at Langlands Park he pulled them into a huddle and dished out an almighty spray.

“I’m very serious about my coaching,” he says.

“I feel I’ve got a good balance now of when to give someone or the team a bit of a clip or when to lighten the mood a bit.

“My personality is not like Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett. I am a different person. I think it’s an advantage more than a disadvantage. I’m different to those types of coaches.

“The three years I had at the Melbourne Storm were three of the most influential from a coaching perspective. It really topped me up and rounded off some of the stuff I didn’t know or place an importance on.

“I’m really comfortable with my personality and being in control of a group like the Maroons. I’m comfortable with my methods and the way I go about my mentality on coaching.”

Walters has ambitions to one day be an NRL head coach but the Maroons don’t want him leaving yet.

“Kevvie’s been wonderful for this group,” captain Cameron Smith said.

“There was a fair bit of pressure for him to come in after Mal’s coaching efforts (nine series wins in 10 years) but Kevvie’s been fantastic.

“The playing group really enjoy Kevvie being our coach, he’s extremely passionate about our footy team and obviously the state and he’s represented the Maroons plenty of times. He knows what it’s all about, he knows what’s needed at this level.

“I’d be encouraging the QRL to keep Kevvie as the coach for a long time to come from here.”

There will be no one riding Wednesday’s result harder than Walters.

If the Maroons are able to fight back from a 28-4 Game One thrashing and win the series it will be one of Queensland’s greatest ever victories.

Most of the accolades will go to Johnathan Thurston for his Origin II heroics and whoever stars tonight but Walters’ efforts cannot go unnoticed.

He has provided the players with the perfect preparation and now it’s time for them to deliver. Not that he wants it to be about him.

“Go Queensland, mate,” he says when asked for his final words.