[3] Despite his being regarded as perhaps the best country prospect in Western Australia in 1960, Walker’s father thought him too small to be successful at WANFL football.
Despite this, once all eight WANFL clubs showed interest in him, his father suggested Walker – who barracked for West Perth as a boy – should sign with Swan Districts, who implemented a major recruiting program during the 1960-61 off-season after spending 15 years in the doldrums, alongside the signing of Haydn Bunton junior as captain-coach.
Walker had to be coaxed into playing again for each of three seasons after 1965, owing to his farm work and managing a Midland Junction hotel,[4] but it was in this period that Walker reached his peak for a Swan Districts team that was struggling severely owing to the lack of ruckmen of even moderate ability.
[5] Between 1969 and 1971, Walker captain-coached Swans with very little success, but his experience was valuable as the black and whites climbed the ladder under Jack Ensor in the following four seasons, during which their scarcity of ruckmen turned into a glut as future VFL players, such as Bob Beecroft and Garry Sidebottom, joined the club.
[7] His son, Greg Walker, played 139 games for Swan Districts, winning the 1990 Simpson Medal.