DANE ELDRIDGE: Australia might be dominant but they’re are out of sorts and hurting coach’s fight for respect

The undefeated Kangaroos are defending champions, current hosts and holders of a 99-year lease on $1.01 favouritism at the Rugby League World Cup.

But the casual and unconvincing nature of their tournament so far suggests they either think they’ve already won or aren’t particularly bothered if they do.

Despite overcoming a sluggish start against the Cook Islands on Saturday, the No.1 seeds are yet to stamp their authority on this competition after a scare against Fiji and a jailbreak from the Kiwis.

Considering Australia’s World Cup campaigns have historically been like Olympic men’s basketball or Russian elections - a basic administrative exercise - seeing the 12-time champions laboring in such fashion has been unconvincing, and dare say it, unAustralian.

With Samoa awaiting in Sunday’s semi-final at Allianz Stadium, they’ll need more than aura and intercept tries to overcome the visitors in front of a manic crowd that will surely feel like they’re playing in Apia.

It doesn’t help the halfback role remains in flux between Tom Dearden and Sam Walker, nor that new edge combinations are struggling for chemistry after three weeks of speed dating.

And while there’s a pleasant headache at fullback between Reece Walsh and James Tedesco, it’s the forwards causing most concern with opposition packs flooding through the middle with sheer contempt.

Lead by Isaah Yeo, Harry Grant and company, Australia’s pack is a thinking man’s operation best known for being more insightful than inciteful.

But unless they can add bulk muscle by Sunday or run every hit-up one metre inside the touchline, there could be dramas against a behemoth Samoa and even more against the Kiwis- should they make it that far.

Nobody is writing off the defending champions yet, but this worrying form spells most trouble for the coach.

Sam Walker isn’t the only beleaguered Queensland larrikin in Kangaroos camp, with Kevin Walters requiring nothing short of world domination if he’s to drop the mic on his way out to England.

With the former five-eighth jetting off to coach St Helens in the English Super League at tournament’s end, Walters is not only under pressure to deliver in a lose/lose situation where nobody cares if they win, only if they fail.

Nope, he also needs a trophy to flip the bird on the way out at his fiercest enemies: those who think he’s a good bloke.

Despite a respectable record as Queensland Origin coach and a grand final with the Broncos in 2023, the Ipswich legend is still copping footy’s worst insult as the game’s nicest guy.

Being popular in footy is good when it’s Mad Monday, but not if you’re running the team because it means you’re either not ruthless, nor achieved anything significant enough to replace the memories of all the great nights on the beers you’ve lead.

This narrative has bled down to Walters professional life where clubs with commitment phobia have prioritised him like an Aldi banana in a premium hamper.

Walters return to Brisbane in 2021 was a glorious homecoming, but it was also dogged by notions he was a Clayton’s signing to appease the outspoken old boys after years of publicly ragging on the club.

This wasn’t helped by his deal being laced with cold payout protections, nor that he was sacked at the first sign of turbulence in 2024- his second axing by the Broncos after being dumped in 2005 as Wayne Bennett’s assistant.

Then when the Kangaroos followed up a year later with a short-term contract, it was as blatantly non-committal as a groom leaving the engine running outside the church.

But it’s not just the administrators who consider Walters more court jester than coach.

Even his own players act like they were never truly sure at training whether they’d cop a hill climb or a tight five about airline peanuts.

Former Bronco Tyson Gamble once clumsily admitted that halfback Adam Reynolds was the “mastermind” and the “go-to man for everybody” under Walters’ reign, whereas Selwyn Cobbo described him as a “good bloke” but “not the best coach.”

Walters will need his unconvincing side to spring to life in the knockout matches if he is to reverse this narrative, otherwise continue with the infamy of being a top bloke.