FOND SHIELD MEMORIES
Walker recalls days at powerhouse league school
LEAGUE: As young teenager Ben Walker held one rugby league dream.
Before he dreamt of playing in the Australian Schoolboys
side or the Brisbane Broncos he wanted to play Confraternity Shield.
“I loved my football at St Mary’s,” Walker said.
“Unfortunately I never won a Confraternity Shield but when I look back those days and those games are some of my favourite memories.
“All I dreamt of when I was young was getting into that First 13.
“I remember when Paul Canning invited me to play Confraternity Shield when I just 15 years old.
“I played alongside guys like John Butler and Tim Gabbett, two guys that I’m still really good mates with now.
“I was pretty small but they looked after me as front rowers.
“Playing Confraternity and the games we played against Harristown Hawks at Athletic Oval in front of some absolutely massive crowds was fantastic.
“Even now I still keep an eye on how the team is
going.
“There’re a few blokes I’m still mates with and when our teams beat each other in Confraternity we let each know about it.”
St Mary’s ability to produce footballers of the highest order is well known, and when they face Coombabah SHS on July 22 for the final place in the elite schoolboy Langer Cup Walker is adamant they will be ready.
“It’s the culture and it’s been there forever,” Walker said.
“When you’re a kid playing football there all you aspire to is playing for the First 13.
“And when you’re in that side all you want to do is succeed.”
Cory Paix is the latest St Mary’s product to debut on rugby league’s biggest stage, the NRL, and Walker speaks highly of the young Brisbane Broncos player.
“I met Cory a while back when my son Sam was involved with the Broncos,” he said.
“Cory’s a good kid and it was good to great to see him make his debut for the biggest club in the country.
“Shane and I also coached against him when he was at Redcliffe.
“He’s got all the tools and I think he will go places.”