Walker grateful for his chance
But flying winger regrets he wasn’t at his best on the Coast
CHRIS Walker openly admits his three-year Gold Coast stint wasn’t his best but he remains proud of being part of the rebirth of an NRL club on the Glitter Strip.
Walker played on the wing in the Titans’ inaugural match in 2007, scoring two tries and kicking three goals in a 20-18 loss to St George Illawarra at Suncorp Stadium.
But from that height, the now 39-year-old was only able to manage another 19 first grade games by the time he left the club at the end of 2009.
“It wasn’t really successful,” Walker assessed bluntly.
“I was suspended for 17 weeks in 2007 for an off-field incident and then I snapped my achilles and missed the 2008 season but we made the major semi-final in 2009.
“I have fond memories of the place: I scored their first try and kicked their first goal in competition so that’s something that I hold pretty dear to my resume.”
That Walker even made that maiden Round 1 squad was an achievement in itself.
The former Maroons winger’s career was in limbo after a short stint at the Storm ended but upon moving to the Gold Coast to be closer to family, he sensed an opportunity.
He knocked on the door of Titans boss Michael Searle and then banged down the selection door with his preseason efforts to gladly prove his critics wrong.
“I am forever grateful to those blokes for giving me a chance,” said Walker, who nowadays is a media freelancer, filling roles with organisations including ABC Grandstand, the QRL, Channel 10 and as an Intrust Super Cup commentator for Channel Nine.
Walker is delighted to see the Titans delivering the sustainability many Gold Coast franchises before them couldn’t, and is sure on-field glory is only a matter of time.
“It was just a beautiful thing to be a part of, to be able to play for the Gold Coast Titans and to see how they are going in the last 12 years that they have been reinstated into the competition,” he said.
“We haven’t had the results, we haven’t made a grand final in 12 years – but Rome wasn’t built in a day.”