Kelvinator
21-10-07, 07:26 AM
Expect plenty of flair and flamboyance when Shannon Walker makes his NRL debut next year, Adrian Proszenko writes.
Shannon Walker can be summed up by a 23-second clip on YouTube, appropriately called "lairising".
Picture Matt Bowen with an affro. We're talking the sort of hair which earns you the nickname "Whoopie", as in Whoopie Goldberg.
Then think Preston Campbell, because that's about how big this bloke is.
Throw in a touch of David Peachey for good measure, because a good fullback can't just plant the ball over the tryline, he needs to give fans a coronary every time he crosses the white stripe.
And then add a bit of lair for good measure, because all entertainers have a bit of that.
The clip begins when Tweed Heads fullback Walker collects an ill-fated chip ahead on his own side of halfway in the Queensland Cup final against Redcliffe.
Then the magic happens.
He evades the kicker, ducks under a high shot and gallops into open space. The commentators go bananas.
Then he shows the turn of speed which prompts comparisons to "The Black Flash", Balmain legend Larry Corowa.
But the best part comes after he's torched the cover defence and he's in the clear.
Then the showboating begins.
On the final 25 metres of the journey he extends his arms aeroplane-style, a la former league and Wallaby star Peter Jorgensen. It's a post-try celebration before he's scored a try.
He's too busy "lairising" to worry about trivial matters, like grounding the football properly.
"People are yelling at me 'put the ball down, put the ball down!"' Walker laughs.
"But the main thing for me is just to have fun."
Walker is certainly having fun. In his rookie season in the Queensland Cup he took out the player of the year and rookie of the year honours while leading the Tweed Heads Seagulls to the title.
The $10,000 prizemoney he won from the awards went towards a new Nissan Skyline after his old one was stolen and found torched on the side of the road.
He then donned the green and gold last weekend for the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis. And he's expected to make his first-grade debut for the Gold Coast next season.
The rise of the skinny little kid from the northern NSW town of Kyogle, like everything he does, has been fast.
When he was last timed over 100 metres, he was clocked at a scorching 10.55 seconds. That was two years ago, when he was just 16. No wonder good judges reckon he will become the fastest man in the NRL.
"He caught my eye because of his speed," says the scout who discovered him, Titans junior recruitment manager Tom Searle.
"He can score a try from any part of the paddock.
"If you're looking for a [modern-day] comparison, think of Matt Bowen two years ago. If we're going to compare him to someone, it may as well be a good 'un."
So where does that speed come from?
"'It's probably a bit of a natural thing, it comes from Mum and Dad," Walker said, referring to his father's bush football career and his mother's swimming and netball exploits.
"Dad used to jump fences [as part of football training]. He used to jog along the road and then start jumping all the fences, spring over them to get a bit of agility.
"One day, he jumped over one fence right onto a king brown snake. He started wetting himself. Mum was outside, looked over and cracked up."
Walker is proud of his Aboriginal heritage. The Walker family have been producing traditional Aboriginal artwork - including boomerangs, didgeridoos and clap sticks- for the past 45 years.
A non-drinker, he considers himself a role model to other indigenous children and has been recognised for his community work, including visits to schools.
But the question remains who he'll play for if, as expected, he graduates to representative honours.
A State of Origin tug of war is brewing after he made the Australian Schoolboys side from Palm Beach Currumbin High School and represented Queensland Residents against NSW this year.
So who does he barrack for come Origin time?
"I don't know, I have a look at the teams and go from there."
Regardless of where he ends up, there are plenty of highlights reels to come.
Source: The Sun-Herald
Shannon Walker can be summed up by a 23-second clip on YouTube, appropriately called "lairising".
Picture Matt Bowen with an affro. We're talking the sort of hair which earns you the nickname "Whoopie", as in Whoopie Goldberg.
Then think Preston Campbell, because that's about how big this bloke is.
Throw in a touch of David Peachey for good measure, because a good fullback can't just plant the ball over the tryline, he needs to give fans a coronary every time he crosses the white stripe.
And then add a bit of lair for good measure, because all entertainers have a bit of that.
The clip begins when Tweed Heads fullback Walker collects an ill-fated chip ahead on his own side of halfway in the Queensland Cup final against Redcliffe.
Then the magic happens.
He evades the kicker, ducks under a high shot and gallops into open space. The commentators go bananas.
Then he shows the turn of speed which prompts comparisons to "The Black Flash", Balmain legend Larry Corowa.
But the best part comes after he's torched the cover defence and he's in the clear.
Then the showboating begins.
On the final 25 metres of the journey he extends his arms aeroplane-style, a la former league and Wallaby star Peter Jorgensen. It's a post-try celebration before he's scored a try.
He's too busy "lairising" to worry about trivial matters, like grounding the football properly.
"People are yelling at me 'put the ball down, put the ball down!"' Walker laughs.
"But the main thing for me is just to have fun."
Walker is certainly having fun. In his rookie season in the Queensland Cup he took out the player of the year and rookie of the year honours while leading the Tweed Heads Seagulls to the title.
The $10,000 prizemoney he won from the awards went towards a new Nissan Skyline after his old one was stolen and found torched on the side of the road.
He then donned the green and gold last weekend for the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis. And he's expected to make his first-grade debut for the Gold Coast next season.
The rise of the skinny little kid from the northern NSW town of Kyogle, like everything he does, has been fast.
When he was last timed over 100 metres, he was clocked at a scorching 10.55 seconds. That was two years ago, when he was just 16. No wonder good judges reckon he will become the fastest man in the NRL.
"He caught my eye because of his speed," says the scout who discovered him, Titans junior recruitment manager Tom Searle.
"He can score a try from any part of the paddock.
"If you're looking for a [modern-day] comparison, think of Matt Bowen two years ago. If we're going to compare him to someone, it may as well be a good 'un."
So where does that speed come from?
"'It's probably a bit of a natural thing, it comes from Mum and Dad," Walker said, referring to his father's bush football career and his mother's swimming and netball exploits.
"Dad used to jump fences [as part of football training]. He used to jog along the road and then start jumping all the fences, spring over them to get a bit of agility.
"One day, he jumped over one fence right onto a king brown snake. He started wetting himself. Mum was outside, looked over and cracked up."
Walker is proud of his Aboriginal heritage. The Walker family have been producing traditional Aboriginal artwork - including boomerangs, didgeridoos and clap sticks- for the past 45 years.
A non-drinker, he considers himself a role model to other indigenous children and has been recognised for his community work, including visits to schools.
But the question remains who he'll play for if, as expected, he graduates to representative honours.
A State of Origin tug of war is brewing after he made the Australian Schoolboys side from Palm Beach Currumbin High School and represented Queensland Residents against NSW this year.
So who does he barrack for come Origin time?
"I don't know, I have a look at the teams and go from there."
Regardless of where he ends up, there are plenty of highlights reels to come.
Source: The Sun-Herald