Glenelg defender Sam Walker kicking his way to success
GLENELG defender Sam Walker goes into the AFL draft boasting a potent weapon - a booming left-foot kick. But he offers so much more than that, says Andrew Capel.
SAM Walker hasn’t been tempted to see how far he can kick a football into Mount Gambier’s famous Blue Lake.
“Because I know it won’t be coming back,’’ the creative Glenelg defender said, noting the southeast town’s landmark is 657m wide.
But if any one of this year’s SA under-18 draft crop could roost a football a long way into the lake it would be Walker.
The long-kicking left-footer, who hails from Mount Gambier, is the 2016 version of former West Adelaide and current Power half-back Riley Bonner — a superboot who was drafted at pick 37 last year.
“He’s got a great leg on him,’’ SANFL high performance manager Brenton Phillips said of Tigers under-18 premiership star Walker.
“He’s your (Western Bulldogs) Matt Suckling type without the erratic kicking action. You know that when the ball is in his hands he’s going to use it well, that something good is going to happen.’’
After an injury-interrupted pre-season, Walker, who comfortably kicks the ball 50m and has the potential to boot it much further as he strengthens his leg muscles, this year emerged as one of SA’s best draft hopes.
He was one of five Croweaters selected in the under-18 All-Australian team following the national championships, along with Glenelg teammate Jonty Scharenberg, North Adelaide’s Jack Graham, Woodville-West Torrens’ Brennan Cox and Norwood’s Alex Villis.
Crucially, Walker, 18 and a nice size at 188cm and 82kg, has added a greater attacking dimension to his game after initially forging his reputation as a lockdown defender.
While his kicking has been compared to Suckling’s, Walker is modelling his game on Sydney star Dane Rampe, who earned his first All-Australian nod this year after taking his attacking game to a new level.
“I love the way Rampe defends first and then tries to create some run and carry from defence,’’ Walker said.
“One of the things the AFL recruiters have told me in my interviews during the year is that they wanted to see me be more offensive and I feel that as the season wore on I became better and better at that.
“My first goal has always been to defend but I was able to win more of the ball and create more attacking opportunities for my teammates, which has made me a better player.’’
Phillips described Walker as a “terrific intercept mark who uses the ball really nicely coming out of defence’’.
Walker has also grown in stature as a leader.
Once a shy country boy, he blossomed after moving to Adelaide this year and took it upon himself to shut down North danger man Will Hayward in the under-18s SANFL grand final.
Hayward, who booted nine goals in the preliminary final against the Eagles, kicked two goals and had six disposals in the opening 10 minutes against the Tigers before Walker put the silencer on him.
“That was a real sign of Sam’s growing maturity,’’ Glenelg talent manager Brenton Hole said.
“For him to move himself on to Will and do such a good stopping job on him (Hayward kicked two more goals for the rest of the game) showed just how far he’s come as a footballer and a person in the past 12 months.’’
PRIDE OF SA
Sam Walker
Glenelg
18, 188cm, 82kg
Defender
STICKS SAYS
“Love the way he plays. He’s a really good intercept mark who can peel off and catch it and then kick the ball really nicely coming back the other way. One of those players who can turn defence into attack very quickly.’’
- SANFL high performance manager Brenton Phillips.
DRAFT RANGE
41-60
andrew.capel@news.com.au