Kangaroos captain Isaah Yeo offered indications on Monday about whether James Tedesco or Reece Walsh would take the fullback jersey for Australia's opening World Cup fixture. Coach Mal Walters has kept his selection cards close ahead of Thursday night's match between Australia and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium.

Speaking with reporters at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence three days before the match, Yeo gave the impression that Walsh would be handed the role. Ahead of the interstate fixture, the Broncos representative occupies the Kangaroos fullback berth on the strength of a three-test Ashes tour through England in which Australia claimed all matches, while Tedesco brings his own catalogue of honours to the contest — a premiership ring earned in a Roosters jersey and the Clive Churchill Medal awarded to him across that same title-winning run.

When asked directly about his confidence in Walsh, Yeo described his belief as strong, pointing to the player's track record over an extended period and noting that Walsh had performed at a high level during the previous year's Ashes series. An ankle problem toward the end of the year kept Walsh's appearances on the pitch to a minimum.

Yeo then suggested that Tedesco, described as a player capable of creating opportunities where none appear to exist and of lifting those around him, might be managed carefully through the early stages of the tournament. Yeo noted that the Roosters player had been carrying a bandaged knee following the 19-18 grand final victory over the Knights, adding that work had been done at the back of training to allow Tedesco some recovery time, while the final team composition remained unclear — though Yeo expressed confidence in the depth available in that area.

Each of the pair holds a Clive Churchill Medal, and both have demonstrated the playing ability to earn that recognition. Squad depth across all positions stands as a defining characteristic of Australian team selection.

Yeo is pressing on toward the World Cup while facing a pectoral injury that will require surgery, with his workload in training being kept lighter following a demanding stretch of recent weeks. With Penrith's backing in place, Yeo chose to delay the procedure until after the tournament concludes — a decision that points toward him missing the Panthers' opening fixtures of the 2027 campaign, though he told reporters his body came through the preliminary final without any issues.

Competing at a World Cup carried enough weight for Yeo that stepping away from the opportunity would have left a lasting sense of what might have been. Both coach Ivan Cleary and the club conveyed that regret over the decision would have been felt on their side as well. Yeo later stated that authorisation had been granted by those parties before any action was taken.

No complications were reported in relation to the injury, and the condition was described as tracking well. Yeo noted that the procedure was planned for later in the year, adding that many others would be undergoing the same operation around that time.