Australia were all conquering through the Ashes series, sealing an emphatic 3-0 whitewash against England. They capped that last win at Headingley with a superb 30-8 scoreline. Australia’s dominance extended into the October 15, 2023 match, where even the weather favoured them. With the lightning-quick guidance of coach Kevin Walters, this band of national misfits celebrated their biggest gold.
The last game was filled with amazing performances. Reece Walsh dazzled, running for two tries and doing everything he could to give Australia a seemingly insurmountable lead. Grant was named the player of the match. At the same time, Cameron Munster emerged as the electric playmaker that fueled Australia’s offensive attack. His all around offense contributed greatly to setting a scoring tone for the game that was maintained from start to finish.
Business and labor Walsh delivered an equally commanding performance. Back for the second time this tournament, Josh Addo-Carr and Hudson Young made their marks too, each scoring a try. Nathan Cleary showed his accuracy, kicking five from five from the tee as Australia continued to push their lead over England. The English-language side of the enterprise has made terrific efforts but have for too long shot themselves in the foot, fumbling their great chances. AJ Brimson’s early shoulder injury severely limited their chances of winning.
Isaah Yeo holds the trophy aloft after full-time, confirming Australia’s series win. The victory, a sign of just how dominant they’ve been this season. Such is the storied history of rugby league in Queensland that it serves to remind everyone of their historic rivalry with England.
Walters said he was proud of the performance his team put up, how competitive they were and the importance of the Ashes series.
“For 20-odd years the Ashes haven’t been played, and now it needs to continue on a regular basis, to allow both teams to continue to get better.” – Kevin Walters
England’s head coach Shaun Wane was left to ponder what amounted to a disappointing series result.
“To lose 3-0, I feel so gutted for the players, and we’ll reflect hard on what we’ve done, how we’ve played, the squad we’ve picked, how hard we’ve trained.” – Shaun Wane
Wane understood the difficulty with which the series was fought. He said any analysis would need to go deep to inform what’s necessary to make future races better. The English side will be even more determined to retrain and plan ahead for future tournaments.
As Broncos fullback Reece Walsh reflected after their brawl of a final game, it was that kind of battle.
“It was a tough one, mate.” – Reece Walsh
As the championship series came to a close, Munster was showered with accolades for his game-changing contributions. In 2018, he was awarded the inaugural Fulton-Reilly award, naming him the player of the series. His creativity and leadership on the field proved effective in leading Australia to their first …
