Wattles pay tribute to former player after tragic death

A southern Queensland football community has offered its heartfelt condolences to the family of a former junior player after his tragic death in far north Queensland.

THE Toowoomba football community has offered its heartfelt condolences to the family of a former junior Wattles player after his tragic death this week.

Simon Walker, 24, and partner Sherie Anderson, 32, fell to their deaths off a dangerous waterfall near Cairns on Monday in what police described as a “direct consequence of misadventure”.

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Mr Walker, a former soldier who moved to Townsville, is being remembered as a strong junior player with Wattles Rugby League and whose family had strong links to the region’s football community.

Wattles’ media manager Glyn Rees said the club was shocked on learning of the tragedy.

“It has saddened the football community considerably,” Mr Rees said.

“His whole family were great volunteers and his two brothers who played for the club, and his father who was a coach.”

Mr Rees said Mr Walker joined the junior club about 2003 playing for the under-7s and under-8s side, rising through the grades to later play for the under-14s and under-16s.

“He was a hard-running young forward and showed a lot of promise through his time with the Wattles,” Mr Rees said.

“He was more prominent in the junior Wattles rugby club and also represented the area in the Central Downs Zone 5 junior rugby league competition.

“You hear of these tragic things happening over time but for it to be linked back to a small rugby league club … the club is very shocked.”

Mr Rees said the club and playing community would remember Mr Walker for his skills on the field, but also for the young man’s support for his team, the work his family did for the game, as well as his “wonderful smile”.

“His contribution to the club was significant as a young man,” Mr Rees said.

“The whole community here is touched by the tragedy.”

Police believe the couple likely arrived at Kearneys Falls camp ground at Goldsborough on (last) Thursday night and went for a swim at the nearby falls before attempting to scale a rock face and falling.

Far North police Detective Acting Inspector Ed Kinbacher described the event as a “tragedy” which had devastated each of the couple’s families.

Originally published as Wattles pay tribute to former player after tragic death