New Zealand Warriors recruit Dylan Walker has spoken on his role as No.14 and the relationship he is building with fellow reserve Jazz Tevaga.
Walker, 28, transferred to the Warriors from the Manly Sea Eagles in the off-season after securing a three-year contract and has been an integral part of the club’s early-season success.
With a 4-1 record to begin the 2023 season, the Warriors are producing some of their finest performances under head coach Andrew Webster, with Walker making an immense impact off the bench.
It is a role that many would reject but Walker has become somewhat of an interchange master, something he says he has been developing in recent seasons.
“I found myself in that position a few years ago under Dessy (former Manly coach Des Hasler),” Walker told SENZ’s Running It Straight.
“The boys were playing well, I started the year at fullback and it was horrendous the first four rounds when I played.
“When I came back the boys were going really well and he said, ‘Mate, I don’t know where to put you … I’ll put you on the bench but I don’t know where to put you’.
“I just said, ‘Put me in the middle and I’ll play like a ball-playing middle,’ and he was like, ‘Oh okay…’ because we had Jake Trbojevic out there at the time.
“I was quite bitter at the time when I wasn’t starting because I’d played all my career either at centre or in the halves (but) it was just a breath of fresh air, just a new lease on life (with) this 14 role and (I am) just trying to make it my own.”
While Walker has been instrumental in the Warriors’ success, it is his partnership with fellow reserve Tevaga that has inspired several offensive assaults late each game.
The pair – nicknamed the “bald brothers” – have formed a formidable partnership, with Walker lauding his teammate for his incredible work ethic in 2023.
These two 🤝😤
— One NZ Warriors (@NZWarriors) March 20, 2023
📸 @PhotosportNZ pic.twitter.com/ZUEdNGSL7t
“The first time I properly met Jazz was in the Māori All Stars a few years ago and we just hit it off straight away,” he added.
“We’re pretty much similar in a way, I don’t know how to say it but we’re both a bit of a ratbag, don’t mind a bit of a laugh, a bit of banter and yeah … we’re quite similar in ways.
“We’ve hit it off straight away and just seeing him come back from his injuries and just the way he’s playing now has just been … it’s actually stunned me.
“Just how mentally tough he is as a person and as a player (has been immense) and he’s probably been one of our best ever since he came back.
“It’s a special connection that we’ve got at the moment.”
The Warriors will take on the Newcastle Knights on Sunday night at McDonald Jones Stadium.