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Chris Walker (rugby league)
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Chris Walker (born in 27 February, 1980, in Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer. He primarily plays at wing, centre and fullback. He has played with five different National Rugby League teams. Walker is the younger brother of fellow professional rugby league players Shane Walker and Ben Walker. At one point in the late 1990s all three brothers were playing together for the Brisbane Broncos.
Career highlights
While attending St. Mary's High School, Toowoomba, in 1996, Walker was selected to play for the Australian Schoolboys team.[1]
Walker has played for the Brisbane Broncos, the Melbourne Storm, the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters, as well as Queensland in all 6 State of Origin matches in 2001 and 2002. Walker scored in all three games of the 2001 State of Origin series. Also, along with Lote Tuqiri and Darren Lockyer, he was the top try-scorer for the Broncos in the 2002 season. Walker was also a try-scorer in the Roosters' loss in the 2003 Grand Final.
In August, 2006, Walker was dropped by Melbourne Storm and was not picked up by any other NRL club. Then in November it was announced that he had been given a trial with the Gold Coast Titans. In early March 2007 after a series of strong performances in pre-season trial matches with the Titans, Walker signed a one-year deal with the Gold Coast club. In the first NRL premiership game for the new club Walker scored two tries, but then broke a bone in his hand early in the second half.
Controversy
Walker has a reputation as a "bad boy" of rugby league.[2] In 2004 he was involved in a drunken altercation with police outside a Fortitude Valley nightclub. Police used capsicum spray to subdue him, and charged him with assaulting police, obstructing police and being a public nuisance.[3] The Roosters club fined the winger and placed him on an alcohol ban for the rest of the season.[4]
In April, 2007, while sidelined with injury, Walker was reported to have been ejected from a bar after for "bad behaviour"[5]. The Gold Coast Titans suspended him as a result and it was later revealed that Walker had been suffering from alcoholism and an anxiety disorder.[6] After a period of rehabilitation and several games in the Queensland Cup, Walker returned to the NRL in Round 19 against the Bulldogs. [7]
2008
Walker suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon for the second time in five months.[8]
References
- ^ "Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League". Sporting Pulse. Retrieved on 2008-10-10.
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Walker_%28rugby_league_footballer%29&action=edit§ion=2 The Sydney Morning Herald, 18 April, 2007. Story: "Walker suspended over bar incident"
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald, 3 May, 2004. Story: "Walker suspended over police incident"
- ^ ABC Sport, 3 May, 2004. Story: "Walker cops fine, booze ban after Brisbane arrest"
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21576063-5001023,00 The Daily Telegraph, 18 April, 2007. Story: "Walker in strife again"
- ^ http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21581337-23214,00 Fox Sports, 19 April, 2007. Story: "Titans fear for Walker"
- ^ "Walker's time to prove himself", Fox Sports Australia (2007-07-24). Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
- ^ "Walker snaps Achilles again". Fox Sports (2008-03-15). Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
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