Will we finally get to see the famed Walker Brothers coach in the NRL?
After guiding Ipswich Jets to unexpected success in 2015, Ben and Shane Walker have been consistently linked with higher honours, but for now, an NRL post has eluded them.
They were recently passed over for the Titans job, which Josh Hannay landed, while they were reportedly in the mix for a gig at the Warriors prior to Nathan Brown's appointment in 2020.
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"We certainly won't be giving up on our quest to coach in the NRL," Ben Walker told AAP last month.
"The dream is still alive."
After a nine-season stint in Ipswich ended in 2019, it's now been confirmed the pair will be taking on their next challenge - returning to their home town of Toowoomba to lead the Western Clydesdales.
Reports have suggested NRL club powerbrokers wanted to see the brothers back in action at Cup level before taking a punt on them in the big time.
Adding to the intrigue around the pair is the continued development of Roosters halfback Sam Walker, Ben's son, and his brother Tyson, who will make a move to the Cowboys for next season.
If they are granted an NRL head-coaching job, expect the contract talk around Sam and Tyson to ramp up.
“It is a real honour to coach this iconic team that represents a rugby league community that both Shane and I have grown up in,” Ben Walker said following news of their move to the Clydesdales.
“We are proud to lead a region that is immersed in rugby league history.
“We are coaches who believe in winning and making the lives of young footballers better both on and off the field and this starts today.”
The Clydesdales finished their 2025 campaign last on the ladder with just two wins, earning them a second-consecutive wooden spoon.
If they are to find success, the Walkers can draw inspiration from their efforts at Ipswich, which saw them rise from the bottom of the ladder in 2010 to win the Queensland Cup and State Championships within five years.
That Ipswich team was characterised by a style of play which bucked many rugby league conventions, and even contributed to the popularity of short kick-offs and drop-outs seen in the NRL today.
All eyes will no doubt be on the Clydesdales in 2026 to see what new ideas they've been cooking up.