View source for Steve Walters

{{Short description|Former Australia international rugby league footballer}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name                = Steve Walters
|fullname            = Steven Walters
|image               =
|caption             =  
|birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1965|8|28|df=y}}
|birth_place         = [[Rockhampton, Queensland]], Australia
|height              = {{convert|176|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight              = 
|position            = {{rlp|HK}}
|club1               = Booval Swifts
|year1start          = 
|year1end            = 
|appearances1        =  
|tries1              =  
|goals1              =  
|fieldgoals1         =  
|points1             =  
|club2               = [[Norths Devils|Northern Suburbs]]
|year2start          = 1984
|year2end            = 85
|appearances2        = 27
|tries2              = 4
|goals2              = 0
|fieldgoals2         = 0
|points2             = 16
|club3               = [[Canberra Raiders]]
|year3start          = 1986
|year3end            = 96
|appearances3        = 228
|tries3              = 41
|goals3              = 0
|fieldgoals3         = 0
|points3             = 164
|club4               = [[North Queensland Cowboys|North Qld Cowboys]]
|year4start          = 1997
|year4end            = 98
|appearances4        = 37
|tries4              = 6
|goals4              = 0
|fieldgoals4         = 0
|points4             = 24
|club5               = [[Newcastle Knights]]
|year5start          = 1999
|year5end            = 
|appearances5        = 7
|tries5              = 2
|goals5              = 0
|fieldgoals5         = 0
|points5             = 8
|teamA               = [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]]
|yearAstart          = 1990
|yearAend            = 96
|appearancesA        = 14
|triesA              = 1
|goalsA              = 0
|fieldgoalsA         = 0
|pointsA             = 4
|teamB               = [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]]
|yearBstart          = 1991
|yearBend            = 94
|appearancesB        = 15
|triesB              = 4
|goalsB              = 0
|fieldgoalsB         = 0
|pointsB             = 16
|teamC               = [[Super League Tri-series#Queensland|Queensland (SL)]]
|yearCstart          = 1997
|yearCend            =  
|appearancesC        = 3
|triesC              = 0
|goalsC              = 0
|fieldgoalsC         = 0
|pointsC             = 0
|teamD               = [[Super League Test series|Australia (SL)]]
|yearDstart          = 1997
|yearDend            =  
|appearancesD        = 3
|triesD              = 1
|goalsD              = 0
|fieldgoalsD         = 0
|pointsD             = 4
|retired             = yes
|updated             = 21 May 2012
|source              = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Steve-Walters/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref><ref>[http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Steve-Walters_11382.aspx Yesterday's Hero]</ref><ref>[http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=history-players QRL.com.au] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201055656/http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=history-players |date=1 December 2011 }}</ref>
| module       = {{infobox person
| embed        = yes
| father       = 
| mother       = 
| spouse       = 
| education    = 
| alma_mater   = 
| relatives    = [[Kerrod Walters]] (brother)<br>[[Kevin Walters]] (brother)<br>[[Billy Walters (rugby league)|Billy Walters]] (nephew)
}}
}}

'''Steve Walters''' (born 28 August 1965), also known by the nickname of "Boxhead",<ref>{{Cite news
| last = Buckley
| first = James
| title = 'Boxhead' stands by old mate 'Sticky'
| work = [[The Canberra Times]]
| page = Australia
| date = 21 July 2010
| url = http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/boxhead-stands-by-old-mate-sticky/1890783.aspx
| access-date = 11 October 2010}}</ref> is an Australian former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s who at the peak of his career was considered the best {{rlp|hk}} in the game. An [[Australian Kangaroos]] and [[Queensland Maroons]] representative, he played in the [[Canberra Raiders]]' 1st, 2nd and 3rd [[NSWRL]] [[grand final]] victories.

==Background==
Walters was born in [[Rockhampton, Queensland]]. His family relocated to Ipswich, QLD when he was a young boy. Steve is the younger brother of [[Ipswich Jets]] winger Brett and older brother of Andrew and twins ([[Kerrod Walters|Kerrod]] and [[Kevin Walters|Kevin]]).

==Playing career==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=February 2018}}

In Ipswich there that he started his playing career for the [[Booval, Queensland|Booval]] club. In 1984, he moved to the [[Norths Devils|Northern Suburbs]] club in the [[Brisbane Rugby League]], where his brother Brett played on the wing. Walters' first-grade debut came in Norths' 37–4 loss to the [[Redcliffe Dolphins]] in Round 8 of the 1984 BRL season, after the club lost two hookers to injury in the pre-season and Winfield State League. In 1986 Walters made his [[Winfield Cup|New South Wales Rugby League]] debut with the [[Canberra Raiders]]. He played for Canberra at hooker in the [[1987 NSWRL season]]'s grand final loss to the [[Manly Sea Eagles]] alongside his brother [[Kevin Walters|Kevin]]. Walters played for Canberra at hooker in the [[1989 NSWRL season]]'s first ever premiership victory over the [[Balmain Tigers]] alongside his brother [[Kevin Walters|Kevin]] as well. He then traveled with the Raiders to England for the [[1989 World Club Challenge]], playing hooker in their loss to British champions, [[Widnes Vikings|Widnes]].

Walters was selected by Queensland to play at hooker for game I of the [[1990 State of Origin series]], being replaced by his brother [[Kerrod Walters|Kerrod]] for games II and III. Walters played in the [[1990 NSWRL season]]'s grand final at hooker in the Raiders' victory over the [[Penrith Panthers]]. Walters was selected as Queensland's hooker for all three games of the [[1991 State of Origin series]], being named man-of-the-match in game II. He was then selected as Australia's hooker for all three games of the [[1991 Trans-Tasman Test series]] against [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]]. The Canberra Raiders reached the [[1991 NSWRL season]]'s grand final and Walters played at hooker in the loss to the [[Penrith Panthers]].

Walters was selected as Queensland's hooker for all three games of the [[1992 State of Origin series]]. He was then selected as Australia's hooker for all three of the [[1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia]]'s Ashes Tests alongside his brother Kevin. Walters played in Australia's [[1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup]] [[1992 Rugby League World Cup final|Final]] victory at {{rlp|hk}} and was named man-of-the-match. Walters was selected as Queensland's hooker for all three games of the [[1993 State of Origin series]]. He was then selected as Australia's hooker for all three games of the [[1993 Trans-Tasman Test series]]. For the [[1993 NSWRL season]] Walters was named ''[[Rugby League Week]]'''s player of the year.

Walters was selected to play for Queensland at hooker in games I and III of the [[1994 State of Origin series]]. He was then selected as Australia's hooker for the [[1994 French rugby league Oceania tour]]'s sole test match. alters, with the [[Canberra Raiders]], reached the [[1994 NSWRL season]]'s Grand Final, in which he played at hooker in the victory over the [[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs]]. During the [[1994 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France]] Walters played all three [[Ashes series (rugby league)|Ashes]] [[Test match (rugby league)|Test]]s at {{rlp|hk}} alongside his brother, [[Kevin Walters]] at {{rlp|fe}}. Steve was also man-of-the-match in Australia's victory over Great Britain in the third and deciding match of the series.

Due to the [[Super League War]] Walters, along with many of his Canberra team-mates, was a notable exclusion from the [[1995 State of Origin series]], [[1995 Trans-Tasman Test series]] and [[1995 Rugby League World Cup]]. He was selected by [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]] to play at hooker in games II and III of the [[1996 State of Origin series]]. 1996 was his last season with Canberra before moving to the [[North Queensland Cowboys]]. During the [[1997 North Queensland Cowboys season]] Steve Walters captained 8 games. He played another season in Townsville before a final season with the [[Newcastle Knights]] in 1999.

==Retirement==
In 2000, Walters was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league. In February 2008, Walters was named in the list of Australia's [[Australian rugby league's 100 greatest players|''100 Greatest Players'']] (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the [[National Rugby League|NRL]] and [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]] to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.<ref>{{cite news|author=Peter Cassidy|publisher=Macquarie National News|title=Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players|url=http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players|date=22 February 2008|access-date=1 January 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225164807/http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players|archive-date=25 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[National Rugby League|NRL]] & [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]]|title=Centenary of Rugby League – The Players|url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true|date=31 December 2011|access-date=1 January 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080226180521/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true|archive-date=26 February 2008}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{FOGS player|steve-walters}}
*[http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Steve-Walters_11382.aspx Steve Walters at yesterdayshero.com.au]
*[http://www.nrlstats.com/archive/players.cfm?PlayerID=346 Steve Walters at nrlstats.com]

{{Canberra Raiders squad 1989 NSWRL premiership}}
{{Canberra Raiders squad 1990 NSWRL premiership}}
{{Canberra Raiders squad 1994 NSWRL premiership}}
{{Australia 1992 Rugby League World Cup final squad}}
{{1994 Kangaroo Tour squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walters, Steve}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australia national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Norths Devils players]]
[[Category:Canberra Raiders players]]
[[Category:Newcastle Knights players]]
[[Category:North Queensland Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Rockhampton, Queensland]]
[[Category:Rugby league hookers]]
[[Category:Walters family|Steve]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]