Rob Wiley was watching on from the Richard Pratt Stand the day the 17 year-old Andrew Walker completed one of football’s most famous debuts.

Rewind to the fifth round of 2004, Carlton versus West Coast at Optus Oval, and Wiley, in his capacity as the Eagles’ forward line coach, took his place in in the visiting coaches’ box, earning a ringside seat to witness Walker’s raw talent.

“We’d heard a bit about Andrew Walker as a young man and unfortunately we got him in his first game,” said Wiley, now Carlton’s director of coaching and development.

“In his debut game he played so well. He played on a wing that day and we saw his raw talent. It was his running ability, but also his marking ability and he took some really strong marks.”

Ten years on, and on the eve of Walker’s 150^th game for Carlton, history is repeating for Wiley. As he said of the boy from Echuca: “What I saw then is exactly what I’m seeing now”.

“I’m seeing his running ability, his ability to get into good positions and his ability to get the footy,” he said. “That is exactly what I saw in game one.”

One hundred and forty nine games on, and in a brief break between training sessions at the old Carlton ground this week, Walker also took time out to reflect on his career, in answering the following questions put to him.

Ten questions to Andrew Walker

Best childhood memory?
Growing up in Moama and days on the Murray River. I must have been ten at the time, and hanging out on the river with my older brother and sister. I don’t know that I’d let my ten year-old do it thesedays, but that’s how it was then. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just a part of life.

Greatest moment in football?
Being part of our first finals win. I’d been there eight years before that happened and it happened against Essendon (in the 2011 First Elimination Final). The milestone matches are more of a personal thing, but in terms of team, winning an AFL final would have to be it.

Worst moment in football?
Probably my first shoulder injury. I remember coming into to see the doc and saying ‘I think that’s it’. That was hard to take. That, and the time when I nearly had to part ways with Carlton. That was extremely tough.

What do you like about the game?
Knowing that there’s something out on the field you can do that’s good for your teammates.

What you don’t like about it?
The constant changing of the rules. Why? Why? Why? The game is something that doesn’t need fixing.

Your thoughts on training?
You can ask anybody who knows me well enough. If I’m not training I don’t feel right. I need to be training, that’s part of my life.

If it wasn’t League football, what would you be doing?
I haven’t prepared for that question because I’ve always put my energies into League football. When I was in Year 11 I was right into the physio side of things. I’ve since ditched that idea so if it wasn’t footy I’d be probably living up on the Murray and fishing most days

Fatherhood?
Love it. It’s the thing that’s moulded me into who I am now. The beauty of it is that I’ve been able to have kids so young. I think my boy Cody is similar to what I was at his age. I take him to the games, he gets to watch and he knows all the players’ names – and I’m just grateful that I’ve got the opportunity to do it.

Is footy still fun? Is there still a place for loyalty?
Absolutely. There’s no bigger thrill than running out. It was a big thrill running out onto Princes Park for my first game and running out at Etihad last Monday night in front of the Carlton supporters – people who look up to you and admire you. I keep going back to when I was a kid, of watching these players and thinking how good it would be if that was me. It’s great to be paid for something that I love. I’m one of the lucky ones.

A line on Murphy and Scotland?
Heath Scotland is probably one of the biggest influences on me in my time at the football club. He and I came to the club in the same year, we’ve had a heap to do with eachother. 

‘Scotto’s’ an unbelievable person - he’s passionate, and one of those guys you want to play football for and alongside because you know he’s going to give 100 per cent. I love running out there with him.

‘Murph’ came to Carlton two years after I got there. He’s one of my best mates at the football club. I’m lucky enough to have been there for his whole career, now he’s my captain and he’s a fantastic leader. I might be taller than him, but he’s somebody I look up to and admire. He’s a good person, a real friend and I’m just hoping that at some stage we three guys can run out there and be part of a flag.