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Great story about Andrew Walker turning his life around & wanting to help kids, I couldn't be happier for a great ex Rooster (admittedly amongst many other clubs & codes!) to finally find his calling & his place in life:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226544796707
ANDREW Walker debuted in the Winfield Cup when Wally Lewis was captaining the Gold Coast Chargers. After 21 years in grade football, the dual international will go around again next year as he heads towards 40.
Walker's career is one of the most incredible in Australian sport. It should have finished many times as he battled alcohol and drug issues but Walker has proved to be stronger than anyone predicted.
Walker's career began with St George in 1992 during Paul Keating's first term as Prime Minister.
He has played opposite Balmain legend Garry Jack, scored a try against the British and Irish Lions and thrown cut-out passes to precocious Wallaby James O'Connor.
Yet Walker rates the Ipswich Rugby League premiership he won this year with the Fassifern Bombers, a club facing extinction just two years ago, alongside his Australian jerseys.
It is why he will become one of the oldest rugby league players still competing at a high level next year.
He now wants to establish his own sports academy and use his unrivalled experience to help wayward young men achieve their dreams.
"I want to give people a hand-up, not a hand-out," Walker said.
"I did have those problems (with drugs) and I know what temptations there are and how to avoid them.
"My dream is to help people avoid the mistakes I made. I want to empower people.
"Out here in Ipswich there's so much raw talent they just need help taking those next steps.
"While I'll keep playing footy, I really want to get the academy up and running.
"I just need to make contacts that can help me get it set up. It is a career I think I was made for."
Walker is the classic bush footballer who always struggled with city life. Nearly all the mistakes he made involved alcohol and he battled depression.
In 2004, Phil Gould wrote that he feared Walker's life could spiral out of control.
Walker had just "retired" from rugby league after admitting to taking cocaine while signed to the Manly Sea Eagles.
It followed a series of incidents during his Wallabies career where he went missing from team camps.
"I hold genuine fears for Andrew Walker's future. I do not know what will become of him. I just hope we can do more to save the next one," Gould wrote at the time.
However, Walker turned his life around later playing for the Queensland Reds and Australian Sevens team alongside O'Connor.
He is now an inspiration for kids in Ipswich.
Just don't ask him about his 40th birthday.
"I'm still 39, mate," Walker said. "Age is just a number anyway.
"Playing for Fassifern gave me a new lease of life."
Walker's career is one of the most incredible in Australian sport. It should have finished many times as he battled alcohol and drug issues but Walker has proved to be stronger than anyone predicted.
Walker's career began with St George in 1992 during Paul Keating's first term as Prime Minister.
He has played opposite Balmain legend Garry Jack, scored a try against the British and Irish Lions and thrown cut-out passes to precocious Wallaby James O'Connor.
Yet Walker rates the Ipswich Rugby League premiership he won this year with the Fassifern Bombers, a club facing extinction just two years ago, alongside his Australian jerseys.
It is why he will become one of the oldest rugby league players still competing at a high level next year.
He now wants to establish his own sports academy and use his unrivalled experience to help wayward young men achieve their dreams.
"I want to give people a hand-up, not a hand-out," Walker said.
"I did have those problems (with drugs) and I know what temptations there are and how to avoid them.
"My dream is to help people avoid the mistakes I made. I want to empower people.
"Out here in Ipswich there's so much raw talent they just need help taking those next steps.
"While I'll keep playing footy, I really want to get the academy up and running.
"I just need to make contacts that can help me get it set up. It is a career I think I was made for."
Walker is the classic bush footballer who always struggled with city life. Nearly all the mistakes he made involved alcohol and he battled depression.
In 2004, Phil Gould wrote that he feared Walker's life could spiral out of control.
Walker had just "retired" from rugby league after admitting to taking cocaine while signed to the Manly Sea Eagles.
It followed a series of incidents during his Wallabies career where he went missing from team camps.
"I hold genuine fears for Andrew Walker's future. I do not know what will become of him. I just hope we can do more to save the next one," Gould wrote at the time.
However, Walker turned his life around later playing for the Queensland Reds and Australian Sevens team alongside O'Connor.
He is now an inspiration for kids in Ipswich.
Just don't ask him about his 40th birthday.
"I'm still 39, mate," Walker said. "Age is just a number anyway.
"Playing for Fassifern gave me a new lease of life."
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