From Cessnock to the Australian team: the sport on the rise in the Hunter
Harris WC Walker copped a hit so big in his first game of gridiron that his helmet went flying and he needed to take a moment to regroup.
"That was kind of my welcome to football moment," Walker recalled.
"We were two minutes into the game and I had to go to the sideline for a couple of minutes.
"Ever since then, it's been awesome."
Eight years' on, after being introduced to the sport by a schoolmate in year eight, and the Cessnock 22-year-old is set to represent his country in a sport that is gaining plenty of traction in Australia.
It is the first time Australia has had a men's gridiron team in a decade.
The team was picked from an invitational camp held this month on the Gold Coast, where Australia is set to play New Zealand on July 12.
"I did the camp and made the team, so I'm really happy with that," Walker, who plays gridiron in Newcastle and Sydney competitions, said.
"I'm just hoping for a good game and to see where I stand at a national level of a player base.
"I've played overseas in America but I've never played another country before."
The disability support worker spent three years in the United States college football system at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas between 2021 and 2023.
On the horizon next year, he is exploring opportunities to play semi-professionally in Europe.
On Sunday, he will feature in a historic moment for the Hunter Gridiron League (HGL), which comprises three teams and is looking at expansion.
The talented wide receiver will be part of the HGL All Stars team set to play ACT in their first interstate challenge at Mayfield's Dangar Park (11am).
HGL president Matthew Campbell described the match as a milestone moment for the sport in the region.
"It's quite significant, just being able to promote the game at a national level," Campbell said.
"This game is the only state game being played in Australia this year. So, being on the map for gridiron in Australia and being able to showcase that will be good, but also to promote football in the Hunter, to promote our players and show that there's football around here in Newcastle."
Campbell and Walker play for Lake Macquarie Marauders, who won the HGL men's grand final in April.
"It's a good team full of great talent," Campbell said of the HGL All Stars.
"There's a lot of older guys who have been around the game for a while and some rookies. It's a strong team. You've got players like Harris, who is going to play for Australia.
"There's guys who have trialled for Australia, people who have played for NSW, some guys have played college football in America. There's plenty of experience there."
Campbell said having an Australian representative was as much a feather in the cap for Walker as it was for the Hunter.
"I've played with Harris since the start, so it's special just to see him make it that far," Campbell said.
"For the Hunter itself ... everyone makes out that we're this little bush league and there's not much going on in the Hunter.
"But we've got a player who's going to represent Australia in one of the toughest positions in the game. It's a good way to say, 'Don't rule us out'.
"It's a real good piece to promote the Hunter as a whole for American football, being able to say we've got an athlete going to represent Australia."
Harris WC Walker copped a hit so big in his first game of gridiron that his helmet went flying and he needed to take a moment to regroup.
"That was kind of my welcome to football moment," Walker recalled.
"We were two minutes into the game and I had to go to the sideline for a couple of minutes.
"Ever since then, it's been awesome."
Eight years' on, after being introduced to the sport by a schoolmate in year eight, and the Cessnock 22-year-old is set to represent his country in a sport that is gaining plenty of traction in Australia.
It is the first time Australia has had a men's gridiron team in a decade.
The team was picked from an invitational camp held this month on the Gold Coast, where Australia is set to play New Zealand on July 12.
"I did the camp and made the team, so I'm really happy with that," Walker, who plays gridiron in Newcastle and Sydney competitions, said.
"I'm just hoping for a good game and to see where I stand at a national level of a player base.
"I've played overseas in America but I've never played another country before."
The disability support worker spent three years in the United States college football system at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas between 2021 and 2023.
On the horizon next year, he is exploring opportunities to play semi-professionally in Europe.
On Sunday, he will feature in a historic moment for the Hunter Gridiron League (HGL), which comprises three teams and is looking at expansion.
The talented wide receiver will be part of the HGL All Stars team set to play ACT in their first interstate challenge at Mayfield's Dangar Park (11am).
HGL president Matthew Campbell described the match as a milestone moment for the sport in the region.
"It's quite significant, just being able to promote the game at a national level," Campbell said.
"This game is the only state game being played in Australia this year. So, being on the map for gridiron in Australia and being able to showcase that will be good, but also to promote football in the Hunter, to promote our players and show that there's football around here in Newcastle."
Campbell and Walker play for Lake Macquarie Marauders, who won the HGL men's grand final in April.
"It's a good team full of great talent," Campbell said of the HGL All Stars.
"There's a lot of older guys who have been around the game for a while and some rookies. It's a strong team. You've got players like Harris, who is going to play for Australia.
"There's guys who have trialled for Australia, people who have played for NSW, some guys have played college football in America. There's plenty of experience there."
Campbell said having an Australian representative was as much a feather in the cap for Walker as it was for the Hunter.
"I've played with Harris since the start, so it's special just to see him make it that far," Campbell said.
"For the Hunter itself ... everyone makes out that we're this little bush league and there's not much going on in the Hunter.
"But we've got a player who's going to represent Australia in one of the toughest positions in the game. It's a good way to say, 'Don't rule us out'.
"It's a real good piece to promote the Hunter as a whole for American football, being able to say we've got an athlete going to represent Australia."
Harris WC Walker copped a hit so big in his first game of gridiron that his helmet went flying and he needed to take a moment to regroup.
"That was kind of my welcome to football moment," Walker recalled.
"We were two minutes into the game and I had to go to the sideline for a couple of minutes.
"Ever since then, it's been awesome."
Eight years' on, after being introduced to the sport by a schoolmate in year eight, and the Cessnock 22-year-old is set to represent his country in a sport that is gaining plenty of traction in Australia.
It is the first time Australia has had a men's gridiron team in a decade.
The team was picked from an invitational camp held this month on the Gold Coast, where Australia is set to play New Zealand on July 12.
"I did the camp and made the team, so I'm really happy with that," Walker, who plays gridiron in Newcastle and Sydney competitions, said.
"I'm just hoping for a good game and to see where I stand at a national level of a player base.
"I've played overseas in America but I've never played another country before."
The disability support worker spent three years in the United States college football system at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas between 2021 and 2023.
On the horizon next year, he is exploring opportunities to play semi-professionally in Europe.
On Sunday, he will feature in a historic moment for the Hunter Gridiron League (HGL), which comprises three teams and is looking at expansion.
The talented wide receiver will be part of the HGL All Stars team set to play ACT in their first interstate challenge at Mayfield's Dangar Park (11am).
HGL president Matthew Campbell described the match as a milestone moment for the sport in the region.
"It's quite significant, just being able to promote the game at a national level," Campbell said.
"This game is the only state game being played in Australia this year. So, being on the map for gridiron in Australia and being able to showcase that will be good, but also to promote football in the Hunter, to promote our players and show that there's football around here in Newcastle."
Campbell and Walker play for Lake Macquarie Marauders, who won the HGL men's grand final in April.
"It's a good team full of great talent," Campbell said of the HGL All Stars.
"There's a lot of older guys who have been around the game for a while and some rookies. It's a strong team. You've got players like Harris, who is going to play for Australia.
"There's guys who have trialled for Australia, people who have played for NSW, some guys have played college football in America. There's plenty of experience there."
Campbell said having an Australian representative was as much a feather in the cap for Walker as it was for the Hunter.
"I've played with Harris since the start, so it's special just to see him make it that far," Campbell said.
"For the Hunter itself ... everyone makes out that we're this little bush league and there's not much going on in the Hunter.
"But we've got a player who's going to represent Australia in one of the toughest positions in the game. It's a good way to say, 'Don't rule us out'.
"It's a real good piece to promote the Hunter as a whole for American football, being able to say we've got an athlete going to represent Australia."
Harris WC Walker copped a hit so big in his first game of gridiron that his helmet went flying and he needed to take a moment to regroup.
"That was kind of my welcome to football moment," Walker recalled.
"We were two minutes into the game and I had to go to the sideline for a couple of minutes.
"Ever since then, it's been awesome."
Eight years' on, after being introduced to the sport by a schoolmate in year eight, and the Cessnock 22-year-old is set to represent his country in a sport that is gaining plenty of traction in Australia.
It is the first time Australia has had a men's gridiron team in a decade.
The team was picked from an invitational camp held this month on the Gold Coast, where Australia is set to play New Zealand on July 12.
"I did the camp and made the team, so I'm really happy with that," Walker, who plays gridiron in Newcastle and Sydney competitions, said.
"I'm just hoping for a good game and to see where I stand at a national level of a player base.
"I've played overseas in America but I've never played another country before."
The disability support worker spent three years in the United States college football system at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas between 2021 and 2023.
On the horizon next year, he is exploring opportunities to play semi-professionally in Europe.
On Sunday, he will feature in a historic moment for the Hunter Gridiron League (HGL), which comprises three teams and is looking at expansion.
The talented wide receiver will be part of the HGL All Stars team set to play ACT in their first interstate challenge at Mayfield's Dangar Park (11am).
HGL president Matthew Campbell described the match as a milestone moment for the sport in the region.
"It's quite significant, just being able to promote the game at a national level," Campbell said.
"This game is the only state game being played in Australia this year. So, being on the map for gridiron in Australia and being able to showcase that will be good, but also to promote football in the Hunter, to promote our players and show that there's football around here in Newcastle."
Campbell and Walker play for Lake Macquarie Marauders, who won the HGL men's grand final in April.
"It's a good team full of great talent," Campbell said of the HGL All Stars.
"There's a lot of older guys who have been around the game for a while and some rookies. It's a strong team. You've got players like Harris, who is going to play for Australia.
"There's guys who have trialled for Australia, people who have played for NSW, some guys have played college football in America. There's plenty of experience there."
Campbell said having an Australian representative was as much a feather in the cap for Walker as it was for the Hunter.
"I've played with Harris since the start, so it's special just to see him make it that far," Campbell said.
"For the Hunter itself ... everyone makes out that we're this little bush league and there's not much going on in the Hunter.
"But we've got a player who's going to represent Australia in one of the toughest positions in the game. It's a good way to say, 'Don't rule us out'.
"It's a real good piece to promote the Hunter as a whole for American football, being able to say we've got an athlete going to represent Australia."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
Concussion grounds Eagles high-flyer, permanently; Bont about to get ball rolling on Dogs contract
'As much as this isn't the way I would have liked to go out – I respect the decision. I'm gutted I don't get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect. 'I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey. 'I've always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid's dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything. I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.' McGovern, whose intercept mark launched the passage of play that led to teammate Dom Sheed's match-winning goal in the 2018 grand final, played his 197th and final match against Melbourne early last month. The 33-year-old was subbed out in the second quarter that day after sustaining a concussion when Demon Jake Melksham nudged him forward in an aerial contest, resulting in his head crashing into Harry Petty's back. Loading Match review officer Michael Christian cleared Melksham of any wrongdoing, but the Eagles confirmed barely a fortnight later that McGovern would consult the league's concussion experts because of ongoing symptoms. McGovern will go down as one of the best key defenders in his era after West Coast selected the Claremont product with the No.44 pick in the 2010 rookie draft. He signed a one-year deal in February to continue playing into next season after winning his first club best-and-fairest award in 2024. McGovern's 77 intercept marks in the Eagles' 2018 premiership season remains the most ever recorded in a single year. West Coast football boss Gavin Bell paid tribute to McGovern's rags-to-riches rise. 'To see 'Gov' come from WAFL reserves when he was drafted through to what he has achieved as a premiership player and five-time All-Australian, it's just a wonderful example to our current players,' Bell said. 'It didn't start off easily for him, and he had to get to work, focus on his strengths and develop his game. Even to overcome the injury setbacks he has battled in recent years, to bounce back and become our club champion for the first time last year showed his commitment to getting the best out of himself.' Bont to get contract 'rolling' Andrew Wu Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli is expecting contract talks with the club to play out smoothly, in a strong indication the superstar midfielder will not be going anywhere. Dogs fans cannot yet breathe a sigh of relief, but there is little chance of Bontempelli departing Whitten Oval any time soon. Discussions have begun between Bontempelli, 29, and the Bulldogs on a new deal that will likely see one of the greatest players to pull on the red, white and blue become just the eighth player in the club's 100-year history to play 300 games. 'It's going well, obviously it's getting to the point now where things will start to open up, those conversations will happen,' Bontempelli, who missed the first six games of the season due to injury and proposed to his partner last November, said on Friday. 'There was a lot going on in my life early on in the season and hence why I, no different to other years, took my time a little bit with it. Loading 'Those conversations will definitely start to take place, pretty much as of next week. So the ball will well and truly get rolling with that. I see it going quite smoothly.' Despite speculation that Collingwood are interested in a blockbuster trade to move him across Melbourne, Bontempelli said no such offer had been relayed to him through his manager Tom Petroro. 'That information never really came to me at all, to be honest,' Bontempelli said. The Bulldogs captain was speaking at the unveiling of touch and track technology that allows blind and low-vision fans to follow the game live at a venue. Launched by the AFL and Telstra with technology company Field of Vision and Champion Data, the hand-held device includes a magnetic ring which moves across a tactile map of the field, mirroring the ball's movement in real time. The device uses distinct vibrations to mark goals and behinds, and developers are working on how other key plays, such as turnovers, can be recognised. Previously, fans such as Bulldogs supporter Shaun Keath, have relied on radio commentary and the kindness of friends and family to inform them of the on-field action. Loading 'I'm always nagging my wife, 'where's the ball, where's the ball?' So it's going to be great to actually be able to enjoy it a lot more than I am,' Keath said. 'I've only even been able to listen to it and been quite antisocial because I've got to have my headphones in, and I rely on the crowd and what they do as well.'
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson says retired Eagles star defender Jeremy McGovern is a ‘modern day great'
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson has paid tribute to Jeremy McGovern, labelling him a 'modern day great' who revolutionised their successful era in the wake of his medical retirement. It came as Simpson revealed he had addressed the Eagles' playing group in the wake of McGovern's announcement on Friday to express just how much the star defender meant to the club. McGovern drew the curtain on his accomplished career on Friday after being advised by the AFL's concussion panel to finish up following the latest in a series of head knocks over his 197-game career. A five-time All-Australian and 2018 premiership hero, McGovern earned a reputation as incredible intercept marking defender in a successful era for the Eagles. Having coached McGovern for the majority of his career, Simpson spoke to the group on Friday about the defender's career which was pivotal in delivering them a flag. 'I didn't really talk about why he's finishing, it's more about his career. I think he's played just under 200 games and he's almost averaging an All-Australian every second year,' Simpson told SEN. 'He's a modern day great and he's changed the game, the way it was played. He definitely changed the way we played when we started getting some success. 'He was a forward, we put him as a back and I remember the conversation it was 'just see if you can read the play' … it was (against) Swan Districts, I remember it like it was yesterday, he took 10 marks, his man kicked five goals because he was that aggressive. 'He dictated what we were going to do because we ended up losing three or four key position players at the start of 2015 … him and young Tom Barrass started his career around the same time, and they started to develop a gap control way of defending all the time. 'We defended space, and he would dare you to kick it near him. He took that to another level, the evolution of what we did as a team started with McGovern at Swan Districts.' Simpson also revealed that such was McGovern's star power that he was getting massive offers when he was out of contract in 2018. 'During that season he was out of contract and he got massive offers and I'm talking the offers that (Tom) De Koning is getting now, that was in 2018,' Simpson said. 'He had every right just to hold off a bit but I think he knew what was coming with the success we were building, so he locked himself away, sacrificed a little bit.' Simpson praised McGovern's incredible ability to play through adversity, often taking to the field injured including in the 2018 premiership victory. 'From a coaching point of view, it was an absolute pleasure to coach him,' Simpson said. 'He had to step away because he refuses to yield, he'll never take a knee. 'And that's the piece that we spoke about yesterday, you have to stop him from playing.' Simpson said McGovern's impact off the field was just as significant as it was on it as he stepped away from the game. 'I can't speak highly enough of the bloke. His biggest asset really is what he's done off-field. He is the number one advocate for how to set you up field,' he said. 'In 30 years in the AFL I've never seen anyone develop a next phase of your life and it's not money, it's the family and then it's the networking and the connection he had with the people who he was connected to before he got drafted. 'He's built that plumbing business up now where he's acquired other businesses around that … he steps away knowing the next part of his life is maybe not as exciting but it's just as prosperous.'
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘He's changed the game': What Gov means to Simmo
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson has paid tribute to Jeremy McGovern, labelling him a 'modern day great' who revolutionised their successful era in the wake of his medical retirement. It came as Simpson revealed he had addressed the Eagles' playing group in the wake of McGovern's announcement on Friday to express just how much the star defender meant to the club. McGovern drew the curtain on his accomplished career on Friday after being advised by the AFL's concussion panel to finish up following the latest in a series of head knocks over his 197-game career. A five-time All-Australian and 2018 premiership hero, McGovern earned a reputation as incredible intercept marking defender in a successful era for the Eagles. Having coached McGovern for the majority of his career, Simpson spoke to the group on Friday about the defender's career which was pivotal in delivering them a flag. 'I didn't really talk about why he's finishing, it's more about his career. I think he's played just under 200 games and he's almost averaging an All-Australian every second year,' Simpson told SEN. 'He's a modern day great and he's changed the game, the way it was played. He definitely changed the way we played when we started getting some success. 'He was a forward, we put him as a back and I remember the conversation it was 'just see if you can read the play' … it was (against) Swan Districts, I remember it like it was yesterday, he took 10 marks, his man kicked five goals because he was that aggressive. 'He dictated what we were going to do because we ended up losing three or four key position players at the start of 2015 … him and young Tom Barrass started his career around the same time, and they started to develop a gap control way of defending all the time. 'We defended space, and he would dare you to kick it near him. He took that to another level, the evolution of what we did as a team started with McGovern at Swan Districts.' Coach Adam Simpson and Jeremy McGovern. West Coast Eagles training at Optus Stadium. 26 JUNE 2021 Danella Bevis The West Australian Credit: Danella Bevis / The West Australian Simpson also revealed that such was McGovern's star power that he was getting massive offers when he was out of contract in 2018. 'During that season he was out of contract and he got massive offers and I'm talking the offers that (Tom) De Koning is getting now, that was in 2018,' Simpson said. 'He had every right just to hold off a bit but I think he knew what was coming with the success we were building, so he locked himself away, sacrificed a little bit.' Simpson praised McGovern's incredible ability to play through adversity, often taking to the field injured including in the 2018 premiership victory. 'From a coaching point of view, it was an absolute pleasure to coach him,' Simpson said. 'He had to step away because he refuses to yield, he'll never take a knee. 'And that's the piece that we spoke about yesterday, you have to stop him from playing.' Simpson said McGovern's impact off the field was just as significant as it was on it as he stepped away from the game. 'I can't speak highly enough of the bloke. His biggest asset really is what he's done off-field. He is the number one advocate for how to set you up field,' he said. 'In 30 years in the AFL I've never seen anyone develop a next phase of your life and it's not money, it's the family and then it's the networking and the connection he had with the people who he was connected to before he got drafted. 'He's built that plumbing business up now where he's acquired other businesses around that … he steps away knowing the next part of his life is maybe not as exciting but it's just as prosperous.'
