Dylan Walker has been enjoying life at the Warriors. Photo / photosport.nz
Dylan Walker has been enjoying life at the Warriors. Photo / photosport.nz
A few months after signing with the Warriors, Dylan Walker wondered if he had made the right move.
The utility has been one of the best recruits across the NRL, a key part of the club’s unprecedented revival in 2023.
He has impressed – on and off thefield – and has been rewarded with the captaincy for today’s match with the Redcliffe Dolphins, in the absence of Tohu Harris.
It’s been a positive switch for both parties, with Walker enjoying the lifestyle here and finding a new lease of life at the Auckland club.
But it wasn’t completely straightforward. Walker agreed terms in March last year but by early June coach Nathan Brown was gone. Brown had decided he didn’t want to relocate to New Zealand, though the run of seven losses in eight games – including embarrassing showings in Melbourne and Cronulla – had intensified the pressure on his position.
That made for an unusual situation for Walker, who had committed to a three-year deal with the Warriors.
“After I had signed, Brownie didn’t want to come over,” Walker told the Herald. “So I never met with Nathan Brown and I found that funny. So I was like, ‘Oh, what have I got myself into coming here’.
“But [chief executive] Cam George was awesome from day dot. He made me feel very welcome, made me feel I was going to be a part of something special here and that I was important to the club.”
The other fork in the road came with the appointment of Andrew Webster as coach last July. The Warriors had initially recruited Walker to play centre, given their lack of depth in the outside backs. He had pedigree, with 100 NRL games in that position and appearances for the Kangaroos and New South Wales, but had settled into an interchange forward role at Manly since 2021.
Dylan Walker celebrates a try with Marcelo Montoya. Photo / photosport.nz
“When I first signed they wanted me to play centre,” explained Walker. “I know that I could go back there and be a top-five centre in the NRL but I knew my enjoyment was in the middle. That was the evaluation of the game, a smaller forward with a bit of footspeed.”
But from their first conversation, Webster made it clear where he planned to use the 28-year-old.
“From day one he said I want you to do exactly what you have been doing at Manly. I thought, ‘That’s perfect’,” said Walker.
It couldn’t have turned out much better. Walker has had a career season, often turning the momentum from the bench, with his pace and power close to the ruck along with his ball-playing ability. It has revived memories of Jazz Tevaga’s impact in 2018, though Walker carries more varied threats.
It’s also been notable for Walker. He is a veteran of 10 seasons – at two big Sydney clubs – but hasn’t enjoyed too many campaigns like this.
“When I first came here, I was thinking if we can make top eight, that’s a pass mark,” said Walker. “Now we are top four comfortably, locked down. Bar those South Sydney years in 2013 and 2014, that was the only time we had locked in a spot going into the last round. We made top four in 2021 at Manly but still had to win that last game.”
There are many factors to the Warriors’ success, from astute recruitment and planning to a productive pre-season. But the most striking aspect has been the contribution of all 29 players who have been used, as well as the cohesive culture that has been fostered.
“I feel like everyone in the group has grown as a football player, everyone has got smarter, everyone knows their role and we have no egos in the team,” said Walker. “There is no fuss about, I should be doing this, or I should be doing that.”
Dylan Walker heads over the line. Photo / photosport.nz
Walker is honoured to be skipper this afternoon, having never had the chance across 206 previous first-grade games.
“I was one of the older heads but Chezz [Daly Cherry-Evans] was never injured and Jake [Trbojevic] was the other choice,” said Walker.
Walker did have captaincy experience in the junior grades though, and isn’t fazed by what is coming, promising to keep things simple.
He expects the Warriors cubs – with seven players rested – to bring plenty of enthusiasm and experience, as they will want to justify their selection.
Given the changes, the Warriors will be slight underdogs against the 14th-placed Dolphins, while there is more riding on the match since the Melbourne Storm beat Brisbane on Thursday to move into third position.
“This week is going to be very simple,” said Walker. “Kick to corners, defend well and work on what we have been lacking in the last weeks, and attack wise, just back our ability.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. He has reported on the NRL and the Warriors for more than a decade.
