Cody Walker is hoping his assistant coaching role for the Indigenous All Stars will help springboard the five-eighth towards a post-career coaching role in the NRL.
The five-eighth was a late debutant, running out for his first NRL game at 26, and has now emerged as one of the competition's attacking dynamos, leading the competition for try-assists over the last five seasons with 105, and third for tries with 68.
While he has at least three more seasons in first-grade ahead of him, the enigmatic half is already keeping one eye on his post-playing career.
โYeah I think so, it is something (coaching) that interests me in the future,โ Walker told Fox Sports.
โI'm getting my coach's course and it is something that hopefully I can fall into after I retire.
โI like the idea and the challenge of breaking down teams and coming up with game plans and putting them into fruition on the training park, but also seeing them come to life in a footy game.
โIt is quite exciting and I just love being a part of that.โ
While at club level, Jason Demetriou has the reins as does assistant coaches Ben Hornby and John Morris, however Walker revealed his love for helping the other halves, and taking them under his wing.
โ100 per cent I enjoy sharing a bit of my knowledge with the younger boys at Souths coming through,โ Walker said.
โWe have got a great group of young boys this year.
โLachie (Ilias) had a fantastic year in his first year. We have also got Deano (Hawkins), who played a fair bit of footy last year. Jye Gray has come to the club this year as a development player and he is an exciting young talent, so we have got some fair skill in the halves.โ
While his aspirations to coach are burning away, Walker's main focus over the next three seasons are plain and simple.
โThat is the ultimate goal is to bring a premiership back to Redfern and the local community,โ Walker said.
โIt is pretty special to put the colours on each and every week, but it will be even more special lifting the trophy at the end of the year.โ
