Andrew Walker has today re-signed with Carlton for a further three years, effectively tying him to the club until the end of the 2017 season.
Walker, who has one year to run of his existing contract, put pen to paper this afternoon.
“This is something I wanted to get out of the way early in the year. I know where I want to be, so I’m pretty pumped,” Walker said.
“Carlton is home to me, all parties knew that, and we were all pretty confident in getting the deal done now.”
Taken with Carlton’s priority selection (No.2 overall behind the Western Bulldogs’ Adam Cooney) in the 2003 NAB AFL Draft, Walker was duly handed the coveted No.1 dark Navy Blue guernsey worn with such distinction by Fred Elliott through 196 matches, Ken Hands (211), Sergio Silvagni (227) and the record holder Stephen Silvagni (312).
Not surprisingly, Walker deems it a massive honor to wear the famous No.1 at Carlton. As he said: “If you look at the players who have worn that number, I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting Ken Hands and then there’s the Silvagnis both Stephen and Serge who everybody knows about.”
At 17, the boy from Echuca completed a sensational senior debut in the fifth round of the 2004 season against West Coast at Princes Park, which subsequently earned him an AFL Rising Star nomination.
Having since overcome the considerable setbacks associated with reconstructive shoulder surgery through 2007 and 2008, Walker, last year’s runner-up to Kade Simpson for the John Nicholls Medal, is now at the peak of his powers as an elite, athletic League footballer.
With 165 senior Carlton matches to his name, “Walks” is closing in on the 200-game mark, which will afford him exalted status as this club’s first Indigenous footballer to achieve the milestone.
“That is an extremely exciting prospect,” he said. “At the end of the day, every player wants to get to 200 games and be a one-club player.”
As his 28th birthday draws ever closer, Walker genuinely looks forward to what the immediate future holds for both him and his football club.
“I’m not the young No.2 draft pick anymore. I’ve been at Carlton for 11 years, this will take me through to 14 and touchwood I’m on top of my injuries,” Walker said.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself now and I feel like I’ve settled inside. I think I can be a multi-position player, which is where the game is heading, because I think I’m equipped to handle that sort of role.
“I had one of my best seasons last year and leading into this season I’m feeling a bit fitter and a bit better, so hopefully I’m like that rare bottle of wine, only getting better with age.”
Andrew Walker Fact File
DOB: May 18, 1986
Guernsey No.: 1
Games: 165*
Goals: 116*
Height: 186cm (6 ft. 1in.)
Weight: 83kg (13 st., 1lb.)
Carlton career: 2004 -
Senior debut: Round 5, 2004 vs West Coast, aged 17 years, 341 days
Carlton player No.: 1079
Milestones
50 Games: Round 17, 2006 vs Fremantle
100 Games: Round 17, 2010 vs West Coast
50 Goals: Round 6, 2011 vs Sydney
100 Goals: Round 9, 2012 vs Melbourne
150 Games: Round 8, 2013 vs Port Adelaide
Career Highlights
2004 AFL Rising Star Nominee
2005 Pre-season Premiership player
2006 6th Best & Fairest
2007 Pre-season Premiership player
2007 10th Best and Fairest
2011 Club leading goalkicker
2011 Life Membership
2013 2nd Best & Fairest
