Australian Football League (AFL) player and proud Broken Hill lad Taylor ‘Tex’ Walker was inducted onto the AFL Broken Hill Wall of Fame this week; the second local football player in 70 years to receive the honour of being named as an All Australian after a successful season with Adelaide Football Club where he’s now referred to as “Adelaide’s greatest ever goal kicker”.
Broken Hill’s 33-year-old home-grown footy hero is in town with his wife and three children to enjoy festivities with friends and family. So, we caught up with the local legend this week to find out how he felt about being the second local football player to have his photo hung on the Lionel Johnston Room Wall of Fame since Neil Davies in 1953.
“Being the second Broken Hill footballer to be named an All Australian was definitely something pretty special,” said Tex.
“I’ve never been in the Lionel Johnston Room before. You usually only go in there when you get reported. So, it was nice to get in there for something other than that,” he laughed.
“The room was pretty run down before so it was really awesome to see the work the committee have been able to do to showcase the history of Broken Hill football.
“It was a nice little gathering. A few people on the committee and a few from the North Footy Club and then my family and my wife and kids came down. It was really good,” said Tex. “And I got some nice photos out on the Jube [Jubilee Oval] so it was great to show my kids where I grew up playing footy.
“Every time I’d been home, I’d sit up the north end of the grandstand, but I’d never been down the south end. It was awesome to see the work the Broken Hill Footy League had done to upgrade all the facilities.
“I’m very grateful and very honoured to be up on the Wall of Fame,” said Tex. “And it was great to be able to get home for Christmas and see all my family and friends, where my kids were able to play with my friends’ kids – good times.
“I’ve loved being home. It’s been a while, but I love being here, and I’ll always call Broken Hill home.”
