Waratahs gun Joey Walton survives and thrives after long list of injury drama in Super Rugby
Getting roughed up as a kid has helped create two of this Waratah player’s super powers - healing fast and a knack of tackling any adversity head on and nailing it.
Rugby centre Joey Walton spent almost more time off the field than on it at the start of his Super Rugby career - and in one instance might not have made it back but a ferocious competitiveness honed in backyard battles with his big brother.
The Central Coast product, who started rugby only because he wanted to played the same sport as brother Luke, broke his ankle in a tackle back in the opening round of the 2021 competition and the very next pre-season did his ACL which put him out for seven months.
Not long after that return he woke one morning in the pre-season with a numb left leg which eventually required surgery for a herniated disc in his spine.
“I couldn’t feel my foot and calf and hamstring just felt real funny and it just got worse,” Walton said ahead of the Waratahs round four encounter of Super Rugby Pacific with the Queensland Reds on Saturday.
“I had surgery later that week and it was OK. I had 12 weeks out and then returned in round five of Super Rugby 2023. I came back pretty fast.’’
Walton said while he was a bit injury prone for a period, he is “a good healer’’ and hasn’t had anything major since, playing the back half of 2023 and then 24 without major incident.
“I’ve been sweet since. I just had that little one in round one (groin injury) which cost me a game,’’ he said.
Walton, who got a squad call-up to the Wallabies last year, said growing up trying to better his older, bigger brother helped him develop an intense competitiveness which has helped him though his injury humps.
“He was eight years older and any time we did anything when I was younger, to win or get anywhere close, I had to be really competitive,’’ Walton said.
“I don’t think he ever took it easy on me.
“In backyard cricket I was always losing my stuff. I’d try and fight him but he was too big and too old. I don’t think I ever did any damage.’’
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“So even returning form injuries, what ever time frame they give me, I make sure I beat it.
“Any game I do, I just can’t help myself, I just want to win.’’
The Waratahs v Reds battle on Saturday is between the only two undefeated teams in the competition with Tahs coach Dan McKeller rating the Queenslanders the “best team in the competition’’ this week.
“We’re going to have to go to the next level with our training, recovery and everything.
“Suncorp is a tough place to win.”
Also heading north this weekend are the Waratahs U20s who will meet their counterparts at Ballymore on Saturday afternoon after U18s sides from both Academies clash.
The rivalry between NSW and Queensland in rugby at the junior level is one of the fierecest in the game.
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