NRL 2016: South Sydney’s Cody Walker has overcome more than most on his way to debut

South Sydney’s Cody Walker will run out onto Allianz Stadium against archrivals the Sydney Roosters in the No. 6 jumper having overcome more obstacles and setbacks than an episode of Survivor.

Cody Walker impressed during pre-season for South Sydney and makes his debut this Sunday against the Roosters.

CODY Walker was throwing cardboard boxes three years ago.

Earning $24 an-hour at Suzuki’s spare-parts factory at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, while playing reserve grade in Queensland, Walker pulled into the loading dock five-days-a-week for two years, leaving each afternoon stricken by self-doubt and torment that a day like today may never happen.

“Cody’s story is a great one,’’ South Sydney captain Greg Inglis told The Sunday Telegraph.

Walker has impressed in the halves for the Rabbitohs during the pre-season.

“We talk about inspiration and not giving up lightly, but for any young footballers coming through, Cody’s story is exactly that.

“They should all know the Cody Walker story after Sunday.’’

Perhaps Inglis has a future after footy as a newspaper editor because the Walker story has the all the heartache, pain, persistence and triumph that every feel-good story needs.

Today, Walker runs out onto Allianz Stadium against archrivals the Sydney Roosters in the No. 6 jumper, having overcome more obstacles and setbacks than an episode of Survivor.

Over the past four years, the 26-yer-old has endured the tragic passing of several close relatives, been let go by the Gold Coast, Penrith and Melbourne, had his NRL debut devastated by injury, experienced off-field issues and before all this — so deeply convinced his dream to play NRL would remain unfulfilled — he told his brothers he would prefer to play bush footy for $400-a-game with the Casino Cougars.

“But I called him in 2011 and asked why doesn’t he give it one more crack with the Easts Tigers in Brisbane,’’ his manager Kim Ingebrigtsen said.

“He’d played reserve grade with Penrith ... and he just couldn’t see a way.’’

The Tigers were the feeder club to the Melbourne Storm and Ingebrigtsen believed Walker may just catch the eye of coach Craig Bellamy and his coaching staff.

Walker was Intrust Super Cup leading pointscorer in 2013 with Melbourne feeder club Easts Tigers. Pic: Mark Calleja

Working at Suzuki, in between playing alongside Parramatta’s Luke Kelly in the halves for the Tigers, Walker was offered a 12-month base contract with the Storm at the end of 2013.

However, 10-days into the pre-season under Bellamy in October, 2013, Walker wrenched his shoulder, requiring reconstructive surgery.

Despite missing the first nine games of the Intrust Super Cup 2013 season with the Tigers, Walker finished the year as the competition’s leading pointscorer and Courier-Mail Player of The Year.

“From the injury where he had reached a major low-point, we now had him at a place where we would say ‘mate, you’re good enough to play NRL,’’ Ingebrigtsen said.

Bellamy thought so too.

Walker had paid for the flights and accommodation. His family would fly to Melbourne from their home of Casino, on the Northern Rivers of NSW. Their boy was finally making his NRL debut.

Michael Maguire convinced Walker to sign with South Sydney where he has been playing for feeder club North Sydney Bears.

It was round nine of the 2014 season and Walker was told by Bellamy, his big moment had arrived.

Two days later, Walker phoned his family again.

“Don’t bother coming,’’ he said. “I don’t think this is meant to be, for me.’’

Just under 48 hours before the Storm were due to face Manly, a shattered Walker had torn his hamstring at training.

Bellamy never called on Walker again.

South Sydney had begun circling six months earlier, but it wasn’t until mid-2014 that coach Michael Maguire had finally convinced Walker his home should be in Redfern for the next two years.

Walker agreed, but not before finishing the 2014 with the Tigers, losing the grand final to Northern Pride.

Walker and his family have had tough times in recent years, having lost family members. Pic: Peter Cronin

At 6am the day before the Tigers’ semi-final clash, Walker jumped into his car and drove more than 200km to Casino for one of the toughest days of his life.

For the second consecutive year at finals time, Walker had lost a family member.

The year before, it was an uncle. This time, it was his niece Latayah, 3, taken way too soon in a tragic road accident.

The turmoil would follow Walker into 2015.

It would be April last year, before he would be cleared to play by South Sydney, for feeder club North Sydney, after the club had originally suspended him from playing despite maintaining his innocence against domestic violence charges.

He was eventually cleared of all charges.

However, the controversy robbed Walker of any hope last season of applying pressure to premiership-winning five-eighth Luke Keary.

Until today.

With Keary suspended for round one, Walker has the chance against the Roosters to make the famous Rabbitohs jumper he thought he’d never wear, his own.

And for the father of two, today could be just the beginning.

Originally published as NRL 2016: South Sydney’s Cody Walker has overcome more than most on his way to debut