Brooke Walker is loving her start to life in Essendon colours.
The triple-sport athlete is no stranger to starting anew, joining the Bombers from Carlton’s AFLW outfit after a tenure with the Parramatta Eels in the NRLW, as well as representing Australia in Rugby Sevens.
The multitude of experiences across different sports have prepared Walker to share the learnings with her new teammates at the NEC Hangar.
“I thrive on opportunities where I can learn and grow as a player, teammate and person and being a part of NRLW was exactly that. Gaining that appreciation (for trailblazers in women’s sport) through being a part of it has had an impact on the individual and teammate I want to be,” Walker said.
“Hopefully from that experience I can help others reach feeling a genuine sense of gratitude.”
Walker joined the Bombers in this season’s trade period, with her ability to spread around the ground as a utility sure to be a valuable asset in the club’s sophomore AFLW season.
From afar, Walker was impressed by the Bombers’ inaugural season, which caused some nerves to filter through upon learning she would be joining the journey.
“My perspective was that the Dons did an excellent job in establishing themselves as immediate competitors during their inaugural season, which was no small feat, so initially I was quite nervous,” Walker said.
“It is always daunting integrating into a new team, but that feeling was quickly surpassed with excitement, motivation and a real willingness to learn, grow and build relationships with my new teammates.”
Walker has found herself appreciative of the growing connectivity within the group under Senior Coach Natalie Wood.
The mix of enduring a challenging pre-season with the upbeat atmosphere around the club is what Walker believes can set the Bombers up to keep building their relationships.
“Without giving too much away, at the start of pre-season we were challenged to really understand ourselves and our teammates. It was presented to us so that as individuals, teammates and as a club we are able to all be tough in our own way,” Walker said.
“With that, the vibes are high, the energy is high, we are blasting Happiness by Alexis Jordan multiple times a week in the rooms - shoutout to ‘BonBon’ (Bonnie Toogood) - so life is good.”
Toogood is one of many senior teammates who Walker is excited to build alongside, pointing to the club’s leaders as those she has focused on learning from.
Among that group, Walker is also buoyed by the steady development of the Bombers’ youth, including one emerging star set for big things.
“Mia Busch is in her second year fresh out of school, and she has impressed all of us at Essendon with her work rate around the ground, her contagious positivity energy and her leadership qualities. Big things are coming for this one,” Walker said.
“It has also been great for me to connect with people I haven’t crossed paths with before, like Steph Cain and Jacqui Vogt. I admire the way they both lead on-field, so being able to delve deeper into who they are as humans and getting to know them has been special.”
To Walker, who has experienced success across multiple codes in her career, the potential to build something special at the Bombers is not lost on her in the slightest.
“I am sure once I sit down when I am retired I will have a better understanding on where it may rank, but the possibility of being successful at Essendon would most definitely be a highlight of my sporting career,” Walker said.
