When Andrew Walker joins Marc Murphy and Heath Scotland in chesting the crepe at Etihad Stadium come Sunday, he’ll know his grandfather Archie will be watching on with great interest from the Murray River town of Moama.

With the notable exceptions of his partner Kylie and their son Cody, the man in the No.1 guernsey unhesitatingly rates 84 year-old Archie as “my No.1 fan”.

“Archie was brought up out at Cummeragunja, which was an Aboriginal Mission . . . ‘Pop’ grew up in a time when it was pretty difficult for the Indigenous people, the time of the Stolen Generation,” said Walker, who becomes only the second Indigenous player behind Eddie Betts to play 150 games.

“He’s pretty quiet when it comes to that, but he’s got extremely fond memories of his days as a shearer, and he’s often told me of his shearing days when he saw so much of Victoria.”

Of course, there’s a beautiful synergy here for Walker, who together with Murphy, turns out against Port Adelaide for game No.150 on a day in which ‘Scotto’ brings up his 250^th League game. Doubtless he’ll take to the field filled with pride, just as he will against Brisbane on the following Saturday night at the Gabba, on a weekend in which the AFL acknowledges its Indigenous.

“It’s come a long way,” Walker said of next weekend’s celebration of all those of his ilk who are linked with the land’s original keepers. “It’s so good to see there’s that recognition out there now for the Indigenous players in the AFL. They bring a different element to the game the way they play their football.

“I’m extremely lucky I’ve been able to get my hands on the Walker family history to understand where we’ve all come from. We can trace it back to the Cummeragunja, that’s how far back it goes. It obviously means a lot to me. I have a strong Aboriginal background, Archie’s still around, and he’s been able to see my first game, my 50^th, my 100^th and now my 150^th.”

Archie sat in the stands at the old Carlton ground on Anzac Day 2004, when Walker completed one of the more spectacular first-up showings in the match with West Coast at the old Carlton ground.

In reflecting on that maiden senior appearance, Walker said what he remembered most was lining up on another Echuca boy, Michael Braun, the 228-game West Coast premiership player.

Only seems like yesterday that Walker’s name was called with Carlton’s first selection (he was one of the three priority choices of the 2003 National draft) at No. 2, between Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs/Footscray) and Colin Sylvia (Melbourne).

A decade later, and now at the peak of his powers as a truly elite League footballer, does Walker believe the best is yet to come?

“My feet are firmly fixed to my wood floorboard as I tell you this, so touchwood nothing wrong happens,” came the reply.

“I think I’ve regained confidence in my body again to play the role I was drafted for as a running half-back. “I’ve got as much faith in my ability as ever . . . I’m more than capable of taking the game on and I’m just trying to grab it with both hands.”

Old Archie would be happy.