Carlton veteran Andrew Walker is looking to increase his workload after making his much-welcomed return from injury via the Northern Blues on the weekend.
Walker made a successful comeback from an extended layoff in Northern’s demoralising 112-point loss to North Ballarat, having missed the last six weeks with a knee injury.
His return was one of few positives to come out of the day, as the Blues were humbled from start to finish by a dominant Roosters outfit.
Despite the result, Walker said he was pleased to be back playing footy and get through his return unscathed.
“I pulled up pretty well actually - it was good just to get some run back in the legs,” Walker said.
“In the first half I naturally blew up a bit, but in the second half I was starting to feel really good: the knee pulled up well and the rest of my body’s feeling good.”
Amassing 20 disposals through the midfield and off half back in limited game time, it was a welcome return for Walker who has had a heavily interrupted season.
Walker admitted that getting through the game was a relief, and getting through unscathed is a positive sign for the next six weeks and beyond.
“Absolutely it does [bode well]. The aim was to get 70 percent in this game and just keep building into it towards the end of the year,” Walker said.
“It’s obviously been a pretty injury interrupted year, but hopefully towards the end of the season I can get some sort of continuity and start playing again.”
It was an otherwise dark day for the Blues, who see themselves situated in 14th spot on the VFL ladder with four games to go in 2015.
In what was Northern’s fourth consecutive loss, Walker lamented his side’s lack of skill execution and effort in Sunday’s capitulation.
“There wasn’t a whole lot that went right: our skill level was pretty bad and we didn’t adapt to the conditions, while there were some guys who were really lacking effort and intensity,” Walker said.
With a game against Collingwood to come at both AFL and VFL level, Walker mentioned it was imperative that confidence was restored to the whole playing group.
“We just need to instil some confidence in everyone. It’s a funny game: when everyone’s up and about and feeling confident the skill level absolutely lifts and we look a whole lot fitter,” Walker said.
“We need to put in a good week on the track and have some real confidence going into the game that we can outplay teams.
“We’ve got to learn how to win again and I think that’s one thing that comes with confidence.”
In what will be a historic day on Saturday, the Blues will play the seventh-placed Pies on the MCG prior to the Collingwood-Carlton clash at the venue later that afternoon.
