Former Titan winger Chris Walker to make comeback

[DIEHARD]

Former Gold Coast Titan and Maroons winger Chris Walker to make an NRL comeback

THE man who scored the Gold Coast Titans’ first ever try seven years ago is pulling on the boots after three years in retirement.

Former Gold Coast Titans and Queensland Maroons winger Chris Walker says he is hungry for another shot and plans to make a comeback to the Intrust Super Cup with the Ipswich Jets next season.

“I’ve set myself a goal to play Queensland Cup (but) ... really my goal is to play NRL again,” the 34-year-old said.

Walker started training with the Jets two months ago to improve his fitness but quickly regained the passion to have another crack at competitive football.

“We haven’t locked in anything — we’ve discussed it,” he said.

Walker has been training at Titans captain Nate Myles’ gym each morning as well as doing afternoon sessions with the Ipswich team.

The veteran scored 81 tries in 151 NRL games with six different clubs — Broncos, Souths, Roosters, Melbourne, Titans and the Eels — but the pinnacle of his career was six State of Origin appearances for Queensland between 2001 and ’02.

But the highs came with lows. He received death threats when he left the Rabbitohs after one season in 2003 and he endured a more personal struggle in 2007 when he underwent rehabilitation treatment for an alcohol problem.

Walker said he was inspired to return to competitive rugby league when he looked at footballers like Lote Tuqiri and Anthony Minichiello who have played well into their mid-30s.

“I’m feeling unreal, probably the best I’ve felt for a long time with this training I’ve been doing,” he said.

“I was only 31 when I finished so it wasn’t that long ago. I know that Lote’s just retired but he was 35 when he retired.”

The Palm Beach local is director of Walker Brothers Earthworks and said the family business had a bearing on his retirement from professional sport.

Yet, Walker said he finds he has more freedom now to manage his workload to fit in with his football schedule.

“While I’m at training, while I’m away, there’s always someone who can give an answer to someone if they want a bobcat or an excavator,” he said. “The reason I stopped playing is because the business sort of took over — I was training and running the business.”

Walker said playing for Ipswich has come up in conversations with his brothers Shane and Ben, both former NRL players, who are co-coaches at the Jets.

www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl

[mup23]

No. Just no.