Darren Lockyer

Walters is a selector as well as a coach of the Maroons side and said in a statement that the "perception of my impartiality" was one of the reasons why he decided to remove himself from a club role.

Walters attended the launch of the 2018 Holden State of Origin Series in Melbourne on Tuesday where he said: "the level of interest at the media conference reinforced how privileged I am to be the head coach of a Maroons team which means so much to the people of Queensland."

Look at their longevity in the game and what they achieved. They were true greats worthy of being named in the company of the eight Immortals.

Mal went on a record-breaking four Kangaroo tours and was dominant at that level. He was one of the original Maroons in Origin and was front and centre of their success for 15 years.

Then you consider what he did for the Canberra Raiders in establishing that club as a powerhouse of the late 1980s right through to the mid-1990s.