Kevin Walters has been appointed to replace Mal Meninga as coach of the champion Queensland State of Origin rugby league team.

Walters gets the job after the Queensland Rugby League initially sounded out North Queensland Cowboys premiership coach Paul Green for the role only to be knocked back.

Walters has been a longtime assistant to Meninga with the Maroons and has also been working as assistant to Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett in the NRL.

He has very big shoes to fill following Meninga’s switch to the Australian team job as Queensland will be bidding for a 10th series victory of NSW in 11 years in 2016.