Name Andrew Walker Height 1.77 m | Role Rugby player Weight 87 kg | |
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Andrew Walker (born 22 November 1973 in Shoalhaven, New South Wales), is an indigenous Australian rugby footballer who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union - a dual code international. Walker was the first dual code international to represent his country at rugby league before representing rugby union.
Hailing from Nowra, Walker began his career as a rugby union player for Randwick, where he played alongside Eddie Jones in their 1991 premiership-winning season. The following season he signed with NSWRL Premiership club St. George Dragons.
Walker played for several NRL clubs including the St George Dragons, Sydney Roosters and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He played in one tour match for the Kangaroos against a Papua New Guinean side. He is known as the first dual-international to switch codes from league to union; 2 years before the more publicised exodus of Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers.
Walker's provincial rugby was with the ACT Brumbies. He is remembered among Brumbies fans for scoring thirteen tries in the 2000 season, which included two hat-tricks. Walker became Australia's 40th dual code international when he made his Wallaby debut against New Zealand in July 2000 following Scott Gourley and preceding Sailor and Rogers. However his debut was not a memorable one as he came off the bench for the last 10 minutes of the game at Stadium Australia in front of a world-record crowd and proceeded to miss a conversion, kick straight down the throat of Christian Cullen and then, after the resulting New Zealand try to Jonah Lomu to win them the game 39-35, he failed to send the kick-off 10 metres and New Zealand received the ball.
Walker switched back to rugby league after his Wallaby career ended following disciplinary difficulties, but was banned for two years in 2004 following cocaine use when playing for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
In 2006 he resurrected his career by signing to play with French rugby union club Gaillac. As of December 2006 Walker was beginning renegotiations with Queensland Reds coach Eddie Jones (who previously coached him with the Brumbies) to play in the 2007 Super fourteen season [1]. In early March, Walker was named on the bench of the Reds side and played the last 15 minutes in their Week 5 defeat to the Lions. This came just hours after he was released from Gaillac and signed by the Reds until his retirement on 26 July 2008.
On 26 July 2008, Andrew Walker announced his retirement from representative rugby union. At the time he was playing for the Easts Tigers in the QLD Cup competition. 35 Years old at the time, Walker retired, stating fatigue and a need to spend more time with his family who supported him through his successful but troubled career.
However, in early January 2010, Andrew Walker signed a minor contract with the Goodna Eagles Rugby League Club who are based in Ipswich, Queensland becoming the biggest signing in Ipswich Rugby League history.