Lloyd Walker

Lloyd Walker is a former Australian international rugby union player from the La Perouse Aboriginal community. He attended Matraville High School, where he captained the 1st XV and led his side to back-to-back victories in the Waratah Shield in 1976 and 1977. He went on to have a remarkable club career at Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club. He played over 225 first-grade games during 1980s and early 1990s, featured in ten Grand Finals and scored 58 tries for the club.

He broke into representative rugby later than many peers: he made his debut for New South Wales Waratahs in 1985, and earned his first Test cap for Wallabies at age 29, playing fly-half against New Zealand All Blacks in 1988. He went on to earn 8 Test caps between 1988 and 1989. Lloyd was widely regarded as a “footballing genius,” praised for “extraordinary ball-handling skills, a softness of touch and a unique sense of timing and space,” attributes that made him a joy to watch.

Walker has remained deeply committed to his community. He is a respected Elder in the La Perouse Aboriginal community and serves as Deputy Chair of the local Aboriginal Land Council. In this role and as a mentor, he works toward creating better opportunities for Aboriginal youth and advocating for social justice and community wellbeing.

About his identity and drive, Walker has said: “Rugby League was a [big] part of the La Perouse Aboriginal Community… in those days rugby union was a very private-school situation, and I think myself and the Ella brothers broke through that private school with our success… It’s an achievement for us to succeed.”