Gold Coast Titans discards Joe Tomane and Shannon Walker get chance to take on the world

GOLD Coast Titans discards Joe Tomane and Shannon Walker have enjoyed two of the most incredible job trades in recent memory.

Shannon Walker

CODE converts Joe Tomane and Shannon Walker don't want to bag Tweed Heads and Ipswich, but the working-class towns just don't offer the same as Johannesburg, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Moscow.

Gold Coast Titans discards Tomane and Walker have enjoyed two of the most incredible job trades in recent memory.

The former rugby league duo have visited a combined seven countries since switching from league late last year. The pair have also found the peace of mind young men with young families need.

This weekend 12 months ago, Tomane was a chubby centre playing in front of 300 people in Ipswich struggling to make an impact in the Intrust Super Cup rugby league competition.

Walker was in the black and white strip of Tweed Heads, wondering why the Titans refused to pick him despite the team heading towards an ugly wooden spoon.

Fast forward 12 months. Tomane should be handed his debut Wallabies jersey today after playing only nine Super Rugby games on the ACT Brumbies wing.

Walker was recently man of the match in the Tokyo Sevens final, steering Australia to an incredible underdog victory over Samoa.

He is a near certainty for a trip to Moscow for next year's Sevens World Cup. Australian coach and dual international Michael O'Connor has labelled him a "freak".

The pair's fortune reversal is amazing and just reward for two of the country's best natural athletes who, despite experiencing how ugly professional sport can be, remain humble and jovial.

Tomane was once publicly derided by his ex-assistant coach at the Melbourne Storm, Brad Arthur, as a player who only cared about himself.

He had been at three clubs before he turned 22.

Titans coach John Cartwright had such little faith in Walker that he would only hand him an interchange card with 10 minutes remaining.

Reflecting on his decision to leave a struggling Titans club, for which he was not even being picked, Walker now wonders why he even bothered agonising over the choice.

"It is surreal. I've been really happy," he said.

"I didn't really know what to expect from sevens but it's been great.

"I've seen Tokyo, London and a bunch of places I never thought I would. It was frustrating the last few years.

"But winning the Tokyo final would be right up there with the best things I have ever done."

In the background the occasional murmurs of a young child are heard. It is Walker's one-year-old daughter Mylie.

"Being in rugby now my mind is at ease and I'm more content," Walker said. "It has really helped my missus (Casey) too.

"We both feel we know where we are going in life and that's important with Mylie here."

Tomane also has a young daughter, Starsha, 3.

Being a father at 19 caused the ex-Nudgee College standout to drift from football and he is the first to admit his attitude was poor during his past few years in league.

"I wasn't playing good enough football when I was at the Titans and I didn't deserve to play in the NRL," he said.

"I didn't prove to them I warranted a spot. I lost focus a bit and I put on a fair bit of weight.

"Rugby was a way for me to challenge myself again."

The sevens team is based in Canberra, allowing Walker and Tomane to keep in regular contact.

"It's great to see how well he is going. We text each other a bit," Walker said.

"I would like to catch up with him again soon but it looks like he will be pretty busy with the Wallabies.

"It's amazing how well things have worked out for both of us."