The man once dubbed the most hated player in the NRL has nominated fellow Rugby League player Chris Walker for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Willie Mason took to instagram to suggest to the judges of Australia’s most prestigious inter-code award that Walker be nominated for his involvement in incidents which occurred during his NRL career.
Mason commented,
“Lads chris walker is filthy he’s not on your page!!! Lol use the pic when he’s getting capsicum sprayed and walking out of the cop shop lol.”
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. Kiwi international Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015 before Corey Norman in 2016 and Tim Simona in 2017.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
The incident to which Mason is referring is the use of capsicum spray by police to subdue Walker outside a Brisbane nightclub in 2004. Walker had crept out of the Queensland State of Origin camp earlier the same evening and ended up being charged with assaulting police, obstructing police and being a public nuisance. As a result, he was kicked out of the Origin squad for breaking curfew. He was also suspended by the Sydney Roosters and placed on an alcohol ban for the rest of the season.
Walker joined the Sydney Roosters after walking out of a contract with arch-rivals South Sydney Rabbitohs. However, the speedy backline player’s troubles began much earlier than this.
In 2002, he was arrested for disorderly conduct while playing for the Brisbane Broncos.
Later, he was released by the Melbourne Storm in 2006 and the following year he was also suspended by the Gold Coast Titans after after breaking glasses and disturbing other patrons at a nightclub.
Walker later admitted to alcohol dependency.
Mason was determined to share the love after himself being inducted intoThe Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame in 2016.
Mason earned his rightful place in the pantheon of footballing greats for running away from a taxi fare, illicit drug use, a forged signature, breaking curfew, altercation with a female journalist and public urination.
He was voted the most hated NRL player in 2007.
The Frownlow Medal judges thanked Mr Mason for his contribution and reminded him that proper nouns always begin with capital letters, to which Mason replied,
“Lol fuck him!! He’s a good mate of mine!! You’ll make his day!!!” this time devoid of grammatical errors.
The judges then considered supplying Mr Walker with a suitable reposte in the form of a replay of David Kidwell’s shoulder charge which put Mason flat on his back during a test between Australia and New Zealand.
The Frownlow Medal judges will now deliberate on Mason’s suggestion and announce the inductees into The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame in late 2018.
For a full list of current nominees for The Frownlow Medal and The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame, go to http://www.instagram/thefrownlowmedal/
Image:Nuna
First published in January, 2018.
The Frownlow Medal 