Forty-three-year-old Andrew Walker is ready to return to Super Rugby with the Brumbies if required.
The dual international hasn’t played professional rugby since retiring from the Queensland Reds in 2008.
But after playing for the Canberra-based Brumbies in the Brisbane Global Tens on the weekend, backline utility Walker has put his hand up for a Super Rugby return.
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham, who was a former teammate of Walker’s during a golden era at the club, has lost Lausii Taliauli and Tomas Cubelli to injury and is considering adding a player to his roster.
Walker says “the fire is still blazing” in him and will answer a call from Larkham if needed.
“I haven’t really stopped playing footy, so my fitness is pretty high,” Walker told Fairfax Media.
“I’ve probably lost about 10 per cent of speed, but I make up for that with experience. We can do things with the Brumbies and set it back on the right track again.
“The fire is still blazing, as soon as I threw the jumper on last weekend it turned into a bonfire. I was thinking, ‘how good is this?’.
Walker, who played seven Tests for the Wallabies and 145 games of NRL, and one Test for the Kangaroos, has kept fit playing rugby league in Brisbane where he works as a personal trainer.
“I really, really love the Brumbies, so if there was anything I could do to help, then I’d do it in a heartbeat,” he said.
If Walker does sign he will become the oldest player to do so in Super Rugby, surpassing Brad Thorn, who was 39.
tigranes
Guest
Mate i reckon walker would be fitter and faster than tom Brady
Browny
Roar Rookie
Really?!!...
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I agree with you generally, but George Smith just won player of the year in all of Britain - I think it is fair to say that he's probably still up to it. It was like the horror I felt when Matt Giteau, Adam Ashley-Cooper and co were brought back for the Bledisloe. What were we doing keeping the young guns out of the squad for a guy that was fat and injured, a guy who was 32 and well past it, and Matt Giteau, who was dropped in 2011 for his form, and who didn't display anything so very amazing in the world cup to suggest he was better than Samu Kerevi.
Mike Julz
Guest
Ill say heck yea. I'll tune in to Brumbies games just to watch this guy. Been a huge fan of one of Wallabies best ever eras and I like watching this guy play back in the day. All they need now is Larkam and Latham and heck throw in Samo as well. lol
In brief
Guest
If I was a young number 10 for the Brumbies i would be stoked if they signed Walker. The guy is a legend and I'm sure he wouldn't play every game. But he would provide inspiration, guidance and experience. Bring it on.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes he'll be fine. If he takes his heart and gout pills right before the match, puts his falsies in water, warms the bad hip up, and then on the field his team mates point the way to the try line, and remind him not to try and play the ball when he's tackled, I'm sure we'll get the Andrew Walker we know and love. ?
KingCowboy
Guest
Understand where you are coming from Slav but there are some big dudes chasing down the QB. Late hits have been cleaned up on QB's over the last couple of years but they still earn their money. I am biased as i have always been a massive TB12 fan.
Brett McKay
Expert
Points for the image choice! East Coast Aces in the old ARC!
BrainsTrust
Guest
The oldest players are the kickers in the NFL, then the quarterbacks.
RubberLegs
Guest
Andrew Walker is a genius. Fullback, #10 or wing he seems to have all the time in the world. I believe he has been playing rugby league at Ipswich - a tough competition on hard grounds . He has all the skills needed and he knows how to steer a team around the field. I have watched enough pop-gun kicking young gun #10s trying tragic chip kicks, throwing bad passes and hogging the ball because they have no vision to spot attacking opportunities. There are very few talented #10s in Australia. Larkham could do a lot worse than having AW in the squad showing the others how to play rugby and Andrew could use the access to up-market health treatment.
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
Point 1: There is nothing in here about the Brumbies actually considering this. It's just a former professional saying he'd love to be back where he was. Hardly news. I think most former players would love to relive their glory days. Point 2: I don't know how often and what sort of competition he's been playing but there can't be too many (if any) players in their early- to mid-40s who look as fit as Andrew Walker does. If he'd done a Radike Samo and nobody knew his age, he could probably get away with saying he was a decade or so younger than he is. And I do actually think he could cut it maybe as a reserve in many super rugby teams. Point 3: I'm not endorsing him making a professional comeback. As others have mentioned, the Brumbies (and all Australian teams) need to be looking to the future.
The Battered Slav
Guest
Bit different standing there and throwing a ball once every couple of minutes, compared to spending 80 minutes running, tackling and chasing kicks... Nevertheless, this'd be a shockingly bad move by the Brumbies.
KingCowboy
Guest
Favre was 41 and TB12 will be 40 in August. TB has another three years left in him but he is a freak, his diet and lifestyle is crazy healthy.
Tyrone
Guest
How old was Brett Favre when he retired and how old is Tom Brady?
Celtic334
Guest
I think Bozza on his new fox show summed this up perfectly in stating - if they sign him the young players sitting around the club in that position would think, obviously they don't see any future in what i can offer, guess i will look elsewhere. I am all for him coming down, being apart of training, even being involved in trials to guide young guys away but he surely cant be thought of as a signing. He doesn't offer any upside, will surely not be a difference maker on the field and is only blocking pathways. No thanks. Maybe sign him as the strength and conditioning coach.
taylorman
Guest
Is Campo available?
BrainsTrust
Guest
All Walker needs to do is put his hand up for the world cup at 50 and he can join Viv Richards and then have a shot at Pele who was offering his services for world cups and then even for 2016 Olympics at the age of 75.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Gee What are we contemplating???? I'll bet if I was a young playing number 10 I would be completely disillusioned if I read this. Try as I might I can't get my head around guys that are way too old, thinking that they can hack it with the young guns of today. There might be a lot of experience in an old head but physically they are not up to it. If you want to contribute in a positive fashion and your a bit on the old side get into coaching or mentoring. Stop thinking about the glory days. A run around at tens playing ten minutes at a time is not Super Rugby requirements. I'd love to see Walker part of the coaching team and the same for George Smith at the Reds but not as players.
Browny
Roar Rookie
Uh oh....