2 days ago
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."
