Andrew Walker (rugby)

Andrew Walker

Walker in 2004
Personal information
Born (1973-11-22) 22 November 1973
Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 87 kg (13 st 10 lb)
Rugby union
Position Wing / Full-back

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1991 Randwick
2000–03 ACT Brumbies
2006–07 Gaillac
2007–08 Queensland Reds
Total 0 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000–01 Australia 7 11
Rugby league
Position Five-eighth, Fullback

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1992–94 St. George Dragons 18 6 0 2 26
1995–99 Sydney Roosters 103 46 102 6 394
2004 Manly Sea Eagles 24 5 80 0 180
Total 145 57 182 8 600
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1996 City NSW 1 0 1 0 2
1996 Australia 1 0 0 0 0

Andrew Walker (born 22 November 1973 in Shoalhaven, New South Wales), is an indigenous Australian rugby footballer who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union - a dual code international. Walker was the first dual code international to represent his country at rugby league before representing rugby union.

Hailing from Nowra, Walker began his career as a rugby union player for Randwick,[1] where he played alongside Eddie Jones in their 1991 premiership-winning season. The following season he signed with NSWRL Premiership club St. George Dragons.

Walker played for several NRL clubs including the St George Dragons, Sydney Roosters and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. In 1996, he played in one match for the Kangaroos against a Papua New Guinean side. He is known as the first dual-international to switch codes from league to union; 2 years before the more publicised exodus of Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers.

"One of my all-time favourite players was Andrew Walker. Andrew was a tremendously talented individual who could do almost anything on a football field; except stick to a structure."

−Phil Gould [2]

Walker's provincial rugby was with the ACT Brumbies. He is remembered among Brumbies fans for scoring thirteen tries in the 2000 season, which included two hat-tricks. Walker became Australia's 40th dual code international when he made his Wallaby debut against New Zealand in July 2000 following Scott Gourley and preceding Sailor and Rogers. However his debut was not a memorable one as he came off the bench for the last 10 minutes of the game at Stadium Australia in front of a world-record crowd and proceeded to miss a conversion, kick straight down the throat of Christian Cullen and then, after the resulting New Zealand try to Jonah Lomu to win them the game 39-35, he failed to send the kick-off 10 metres and New Zealand received the ball. [3]

Walker switched back to rugby league after his Wallaby career ended following disciplinary difficulties, but was banned for two years in 2004 following cocaine use when playing for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[4]

In 2006 he resurrected his career by signing to play with French rugby union club Gaillac. As of December 2006 Walker was beginning renegotiations with Queensland Reds coach Eddie Jones (who previously coached him with the Brumbies) to play in the 2007 Super fourteen season . In early March, Walker was named on the bench of the Reds side and played the last 15 minutes in their Week 5 defeat to the Lions. This came just hours after he was released from Gaillac and signed by the Reds until his retirement on 26 July 2008.

On 26 July 2008, Andrew Walker announced his retirement from representative rugby union. At the time he was playing for the Easts Tigers in the QLD Cup competition. 35 Years old at the time, Walker retired, stating fatigue and a need to spend more time with his family who supported him through his successful but troubled career.

However, in early January 2010, Andrew Walker signed a minor contract with the Goodna Eagles Rugby League Club who are based in Ipswich, Queensland becoming the biggest signing in Ipswich Rugby League history.

References

  1. ↑ "Andrew Walker". yesterdayshero.com.au. SmartPack International. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Phil Gould (14 June 2015). "Parramatta Eels halfback Chris Sandow another example of age-old structure versus no structure debate". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  3. ↑ news.bbc.co.uk (22 July 2003). "Walker returns to rugby league". BBC Sport. UK: BBC. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  4. ↑ Whiticker, Alan. "Andrew Walker". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
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