Underestimate Walker at your peril, Sailor tells Eels' rivals

WENDELL SAILOR has advised those who questioned
Parramatta's decision to recruit thirtysomething Chris Walker to be
wary, because the dual international predicted Walker would match his
exploits at St George Illawarra two years ago and show there's plenty
of life in the code's old boys.





And Sailor, who played alongside Walker at the Brisbane
Broncos in the late 1990s, has backed the former Queensland Origin
representative to shine throughout 2011 if he's given a chance.





"I think I've shown, and Mat Rogers has shown, that age is no barrier," the now 36-year-old Sailor told The Sun-Herald.
"Preston Campbell [33] is another one as well. Chris is not all that
old, he's 31 next month, and while he's had a few injuries like a
ruptured Achilles tendon [twice in 2008], he hasn't had that many hits
to his body."




Advertisement: Story continues below











Parramatta is Walker's seventh club after stints with
Brisbane, Souths, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne, Gold Coast and
French-based Super League team Catalans. His career has been dogged by
controversy. In 2004 he was expelled from the Queensland Origin team
after a late night altercation with Brisbane police, but his ejection
from a bar three years later revealed he had medical problems that
required a rest period.





"People might think 'good on Parramatta for giving him a
lifeline', but the club will be rewarded because I think he's in for a
pretty big season," Sailor said.





"The Chris Walker I've seen is mature; his head is in the right place and I'm really proud of him for that."





The veteran of six Origin matches has made an immediate
impact at the Eels by bringing their strength and what their
conditioning coach, Hayden Knowles, described as "pure energy" to their
pre-season training sessions.





"He lights up the room," Knowles said. "He's keen and he's very eager. Chris has a contagious virus that's called enthusiasm."





Sailor said that spark was one of the earliest memories
he had of Walker from 1999 when they played first grade together at the
Broncos.





"In 1999 we struggled," he said. "I think we'd lost eight
or nine straight and 'Walks' has come in off the bench, and he was
scoring freakish tries. He could make something out of nothing, and
only the special players can do that.





"I look back on some of the tries he scored in Origin as
well and only the blokes with a special gift could pull them off. If he
gets an opportunity to cement a spot at Parramatta watch him, because
it'll be exciting."





Sailor said it pleased him to hear Walker intended to
make his time at Parramatta count, saying he believed the desire stemmed
from being a father. "A few of us know how fatherhood changes
priorities, it isn't all about 'you' any more and the responsibility of
being a dad means you can't be selfish. It's great talking to him about
the upcoming season because there is a real spring in his step. As a
mate I certainly love him, and I wish him the best."