South Sydney Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker may be turning 35 next year, but he is reportedly set to earn a deal that will see him become one of the oldest players in NRL history.
Entering the final season of his contract with the Rabbitohs, Walker will become one of many free agents that will catch the attention of rival teams on November 1 when teams are able to negotiate and speak with players from rival clubs.
Attempting to get the Bunnies back into the finals next season, he has made 211 appearances in first-grade since his debut in 2016 following several seasons in the NSW Cup and QLD Cup.
According toย The Courier Mail, returning head coach Wayne Bennett is interested in handing Cody Walker a one-year contract extension that would keep him at the club until at least the end of the 2026 season.
โCody plays to a very high standard so I don't see any reason why he can't continue,โ Bennett told the publication.
โIt won't continue forever, I know that, but Cameron Smith showed us all you can play NRL at 37 and go well into your 30s.
โIf Cody is enjoying it, it doesn't have to be his last year. Cliff Lyons (Manly legend who retired from the NRL just shy of his 38th birthday) was a wonderful player and it wouldn't surprise me if he was still playing.
โThere are more 300-game players than ever, guys are playing much later in their careers because of the training and the high-performance programs. Cody hasn't had a lot of injuries in his career, so his body is in pretty good shape.
โHe is a great professional so I don't think next year will be his last year.โ
Bennett's words come after Walker previously alluded that he wants to become the oldest player in NRL history, surpassing the likes of Paul Gallen, Cliff Lyons, and Cameron Smith.
Now 34, he has shown that he is still one of the elite five-eighths of the competition. The NSW Blues selected him in last year's State of Origin series and considered him one of the options this year before being plagued by injury.
A hot commodity come November 1, Walker is one of ten Rabbitohs players who will be able to negotiate with rival teams for the 2026 NRL season alongside teammates such as Alex Johnston, Tyrone Munro, Josh Schuster and Davvy Moale.
โI just feel as though if I can keep playing the game I love, I'll keep going,'' Walker toldย The Daily Telegraphย earlier this season.
โI haven't put an end date to it. But if I can keep playing professionally at 38, 39, I'd love to. Iย don't play in the middle of the field, I'm smart enough to know where to put myself. We'll see what happens.''
