James Tedesco will captain Australia from fullback against Fiji in round 2 of the Rugby League World Cup at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday 25 October, three years after his last Test for his country.
Match: Australia vs Fiji
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Date: Sunday 25 October
Kick-off: 7.05pm AEST / 8.05pm AEDT
He takes the captaincy from Isaah Yeo, who is resting, NRL.com reported. Fox Sports reported that coach Kevin Walters has made ten changes, with four players in line to debut: Bradman Best, Sam Walker, Blayke Brailey and David Fifita.
Australia won their tournament opener against New Zealand, a match in which Reece Walsh played at fullback, according to NRL.com. Tedesco’s recall follows a 2026 that brought Origin success with the Blues and a third grand final victory with the Roosters, and NRL.com also names him as the 2026 Clive Churchill Medallist, the award for the best player in the grand final.
Tedesco on the Recall
“Captaining your country is the highest honour, and I had the pleasure of doing that at the last World Cup, so getting another shot in the Australian jersey is very special to me,” Tedesco said, NRL.com reported.
Tedesco replaces Walsh at fullback, Fox Sports reported. “It’s not a competition. It’s my opportunity this weekend, and all I can do is make the most of it,” Tedesco said, according to NRL.com.
“We are still building up our campaign. I know we got the win last week, but there are lots of improvements to make in our game,” he said.
“I wouldn’t call it returning to form. I think he’s always been in good form,” back-rower Cameron Murray said, according to NRL.com.
The Reshaped Side
Fox Sports reported that Best comes in at centre for Latrell Mitchell, and that Tom Dearden and Walker are the new halves, with Cameron Munster on the bench. Mitchell Moses is out for the tournament with a leg injury, and Brailey starts at hooker in place of Harry Grant.
Moses has missed a big representative fixture before: in 2025, NSW recalled Jarome Luai after Moses was ruled out of Origin II.
Keaon Koloamatangi and Lindsay Smith form a new front row, and Fifita, Reuben Cotter and Murray start in the back row.
Australia’s 17, as named by Fox Sports: 1 James Tedesco (c), 2 Jack Bostock, 3 Kotoni Staggs, 4 Bradman Best, 5 Tom Trbojevic, 6 Tom Dearden, 7 Sam Walker, 8 Keaon Koloamatangi, 9 Blayke Brailey, 10 Lindsay Smith, 11 David Fifita, 12 Reuben Cotter, 13 Cameron Murray. Bench: 14 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 15 Jacob Preston, 16 Patrick Carrigan, 17 Cameron Munster. The side is subject to late changes.
Fiji Unchanged
Fiji have named an unchanged side after a resounding first-up win over the Cook Islands, with Apisai Koroisau as captain, Fox Sports reported.
Australia are chasing what they hope will be an eighth World Cup win over the Bati, as the Fiji side is known, according to NRL.com.
Fox Sports quoted Walters as saying the players “have a chance to put their best foot forward for the remainder of the tournament with a strong performance on Sunday”.
Kick-Off at Suncorp
Kick-off at Suncorp Stadium is at 7.05pm AEST, Brisbane time, on Sunday 25 October, which is 8.05pm AEDT in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart, according to NRL.com. Queensland does not observe daylight saving, which is why the Brisbane and Sydney clocks sit an hour apart for the match.
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Sources: NRL.com, “No.1 goal: Tedesco chasing perfect end to dream season”, 23 October 2026 (https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/10/23/no.1-goal-tedesco-chasing-perfect-end-to-dream-season/); Fox Sports, “Rugby League World Cup Team Lists 2026: Isaiya Katoa set to be ruled out for Tonga, Kevin Walters makes mass changes to Australia Kangaroos team, draw, schedule”, updated 23 October 2026 (https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/rugby-league-world-cup-team-lists-2026-kevin-walters-makes-x-changes-to-australia-kangaroos-team-draw-schedule-new-zealand-tonga-samoa/news-story/387ccf20bb9e06bc4ff5b4b3ec08a877)
Photo: Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Suncorp Stadium’s Milton Road entrance in Brisbane, photographed in May 2017.
