March 26, 2025 • 7 mins
An explanation from Warriors CEO Cameron George over the immediate release of Dylan Walker from the NRL club on compassionate grounds.
The 30-year-old utility forward will join the Parramatta Eels - having played the last of his 46 appearances for the side in last week's win over the Roosters.
George says Walker wanted to re-join his family in Australia.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk Zed Be Good.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Evening, Cameron Good Evening, Darcy.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Big news today around the fact that Dylan Walker is
no longer part of the Warriors. I suppose first up
is this immediate? Does he even play this weekend?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
No, he doesn't play this weekend. You see can buye
to the team and staff this morning and we signed
a release with immediate effects. So he's moving on and
going back to Ossie to be the kids and family,
which is pretty important to him.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
And this is the reason behind the set compassionate grounds
family reasons, which is fairly standard's based purely on that year.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Cameron, Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's one of our really
strong understandings of our players and their families are really
important to them and what makes them chicken. Dylan's family
left New Zealand about eight months ago, and you know
he's stuck it out as long as he could, but
(01:10):
it just was getting to the point in recent months,
particularly recent weeks, where it just was too hard for him.
And you know, so we had a good chat after
the game on the weekend and look, he's been able
to and us able to come to a conclusion in
his best interest that yeah, he moved back with his
(01:31):
kids and family, So.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
You did see it coming. This has been in the
pipeline for a while, Cameron.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Oh, look, it's just one of those things that you
notice and you're you're keeping constant communication about. But yeah,
it's just got harder and harder over time. So you know,
he's tried his absolute best and yeah, in recent weeks
i'd say she's got she's definitely got too hard. So
you know, as a club, we take that very seriously
(01:59):
and we consider each you know, each of these matters
on their merits and in his best interest, it was
the right thing to do.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
So what happens now as far as a replacement, you're
out there in the market looking you've been looking for
a bit because you've kind of felt that this is coming. Well,
what's happening in that space?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Can Well, I think we need to look inside before
we look outside, Darcy. We're a development club and we've
got some tremendous kids coming through that webby and Andrew
McFadden extremely excited about their futures and this presents opportunities
and you know, we've got four teams playing now, and
we're developing players left, right and center, and we're seeing
(02:36):
them starting to sprout and come into the grade and
into the NRL. So let's have a look at our
own backyard first, and that's what we're doing.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
As far as him leaving, does that open up decent
space in the salary cap for you?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Look, obviously, any player leaving under circumstances all have various outcomes,
and we're in a good space with our salary cap
and it's well managed and this, you know, this certainly
adds value. So but that's irrelevant. You know, we're now
focused on our development and pathways and the kids coming through,
(03:13):
and you know we're going to weigh all that up
as we as we explore what we do moving forward.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
He's off to para matter. Do you care where he
is gone? Does that even matter?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
No? Not really, it's look, I only focus on what's
best for the person, and you know where they end
up and under what circumstances. Sometimes it's different, you do
matter because contractually they might have been with us longer
than just this year, and that was the case, it
(03:43):
would have been a different a different consideration. But because
he was off at the end, of this year. You know,
it really didn't matter to us because we couldn't have
done any trade at this time of year. I wouldn't
have thought.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
This is all about family. We get that he's going.
It's a great thing to release the guy who's been
a wonderful addition to the Warriors since he's been around.
Great cater and utility player that can play everywhere. But
it's an account this has been not complained about, but
raised quite a lot. Do you think it's time the
NRL looked like having a trade window, so in a
(04:18):
lot of circumstance we don't have players coming and going.
Although this is a different case.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, it's hard to put them all on you know,
the same level when you consider different circumstances. Darcy. It's
a fair point you make, and I think it's closer
than than not those sort of thoughts at the NRL. However,
you know, it's it's so difficult because you know, they're
(04:46):
all humans first and foremost different things happen at different
times that are out of your control. You know, I
had someone and say to me today you know what
you just say no? And you know that was your son.
I bet you you wouldn't appreciate their employer not taking
that into account. And we've had just as many players
(05:06):
come back to New Zealand on compassionate grounds, so it's
hard to, you know, to group them all into one.
I think if a player was just wanting to leave
for the sake of leaving, you know, and you probably
see that a lot in Australia more so than here
because they can leave one club and go to another
club without moving moving homes, just travel a different direction.
(05:30):
So you know, I think in those circumstances, yeah, there
should be a trade window, But I don't know how
you control the compassionate ones, and that's something we never
want to put a roadblock in front of. At the
end of the day, they are humans, and you know,
we understand the stress and the and the problems they
can go through by living in another country. So we've
(05:52):
got to work individually with those.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
So is it being actively discussed around the NRLs idea
of opening a trade window you touched on it before.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
No, I don't think it's been actively discussed, but I
know there's been different forms of trey windows to draft
systems that all sorts of things been discussed, and I
know the NRL, you know there's one thing about and
they always look to evolve and you know it might
be something that down the track they look at.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
And finally, Camon George, always good for you to come
on the program. I'm glad that you do. Is great
for us. Roger two of Vasas ship Now that's a
punch and the kidneys for the club, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah, But again you know we've got rock A Berry
coming in. This is what it's all about. You know,
you want to stay as fit as long as you can,
but you build up the depth so you can, you
know you can combat these challenges such as this. Roger's
a huge loss, don't get me wrong, but equally as
excited for Rocker to get his opportunity to come back,
and he's been killing it in the last few weeks
(06:57):
in New South Wales Cup. Roger will go away, he'll
repair well, he'll know, he'll certainly rehab well and quickly,
and he'll be putting pressure on the team as well.
And Dallon's not far away. So it's sad. It's hard
to take, but it is footy. You know they do
play this contact sport and you know you've got to
(07:17):
wear the injuries as they come, but that's why we
build up the depth and we're very happy with what
we've got underpinning our NROL squad for these reasons.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news Talks
they'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk Zed Be Good.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Evening, Cameron Good Evening, Darcy.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Big news today around the fact that Dylan Walker is
no longer part of the Warriors. I suppose first up
is this immediate? Does he even play this weekend?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
No, he doesn't play this weekend. You see can buye
to the team and staff this morning and we signed
a release with immediate effects. So he's moving on and
going back to Ossie to be the kids and family,
which is pretty important to him.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
And this is the reason behind the set compassionate grounds
family reasons, which is fairly standard's based purely on that year.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Cameron, Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's one of our really
strong understandings of our players and their families are really
important to them and what makes them chicken. Dylan's family
left New Zealand about eight months ago, and you know
he's stuck it out as long as he could, but
(01:10):
it just was getting to the point in recent months,
particularly recent weeks, where it just was too hard for him.
And you know, so we had a good chat after
the game on the weekend and look, he's been able
to and us able to come to a conclusion in
his best interest that yeah, he moved back with his
(01:31):
kids and family, So.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
You did see it coming. This has been in the
pipeline for a while, Cameron.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Oh, look, it's just one of those things that you
notice and you're you're keeping constant communication about. But yeah,
it's just got harder and harder over time. So you know,
he's tried his absolute best and yeah, in recent weeks
i'd say she's got she's definitely got too hard. So
you know, as a club, we take that very seriously
(01:59):
and we consider each you know, each of these matters
on their merits and in his best interest, it was
the right thing to do.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
So what happens now as far as a replacement, you're
out there in the market looking you've been looking for
a bit because you've kind of felt that this is coming. Well,
what's happening in that space?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Can Well, I think we need to look inside before
we look outside, Darcy. We're a development club and we've
got some tremendous kids coming through that webby and Andrew
McFadden extremely excited about their futures and this presents opportunities
and you know, we've got four teams playing now, and
we're developing players left, right and center, and we're seeing
(02:36):
them starting to sprout and come into the grade and
into the NRL. So let's have a look at our
own backyard first, and that's what we're doing.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
As far as him leaving, does that open up decent
space in the salary cap for you?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Look, obviously, any player leaving under circumstances all have various outcomes,
and we're in a good space with our salary cap
and it's well managed and this, you know, this certainly
adds value. So but that's irrelevant. You know, we're now
focused on our development and pathways and the kids coming through,
(03:13):
and you know we're going to weigh all that up
as we as we explore what we do moving forward.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
He's off to para matter. Do you care where he
is gone? Does that even matter?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
No? Not really, it's look, I only focus on what's
best for the person, and you know where they end
up and under what circumstances. Sometimes it's different, you do
matter because contractually they might have been with us longer
than just this year, and that was the case, it
(03:43):
would have been a different a different consideration. But because
he was off at the end, of this year. You know,
it really didn't matter to us because we couldn't have
done any trade at this time of year. I wouldn't
have thought.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
This is all about family. We get that he's going.
It's a great thing to release the guy who's been
a wonderful addition to the Warriors since he's been around.
Great cater and utility player that can play everywhere. But
it's an account this has been not complained about, but
raised quite a lot. Do you think it's time the
NRL looked like having a trade window, so in a
(04:18):
lot of circumstance we don't have players coming and going.
Although this is a different case.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, it's hard to put them all on you know,
the same level when you consider different circumstances. Darcy. It's
a fair point you make, and I think it's closer
than than not those sort of thoughts at the NRL. However,
you know, it's it's so difficult because you know, they're
(04:46):
all humans first and foremost different things happen at different
times that are out of your control. You know, I
had someone and say to me today you know what
you just say no? And you know that was your son.
I bet you you wouldn't appreciate their employer not taking
that into account. And we've had just as many players
(05:06):
come back to New Zealand on compassionate grounds, so it's
hard to, you know, to group them all into one.
I think if a player was just wanting to leave
for the sake of leaving, you know, and you probably
see that a lot in Australia more so than here
because they can leave one club and go to another
club without moving moving homes, just travel a different direction.
(05:30):
So you know, I think in those circumstances, yeah, there
should be a trade window, But I don't know how
you control the compassionate ones, and that's something we never
want to put a roadblock in front of. At the
end of the day, they are humans, and you know,
we understand the stress and the and the problems they
can go through by living in another country. So we've
(05:52):
got to work individually with those.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
So is it being actively discussed around the NRLs idea
of opening a trade window you touched on it before.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
No, I don't think it's been actively discussed, but I
know there's been different forms of trey windows to draft
systems that all sorts of things been discussed, and I
know the NRL, you know there's one thing about and
they always look to evolve and you know it might
be something that down the track they look at.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
And finally, Camon George, always good for you to come
on the program. I'm glad that you do. Is great
for us. Roger two of Vasas ship Now that's a
punch and the kidneys for the club, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah, But again you know we've got rock A Berry
coming in. This is what it's all about. You know,
you want to stay as fit as long as you can,
but you build up the depth so you can, you
know you can combat these challenges such as this. Roger's
a huge loss, don't get me wrong, but equally as
excited for Rocker to get his opportunity to come back,
and he's been killing it in the last few weeks
(06:57):
in New South Wales Cup. Roger will go away, he'll
repair well, he'll know, he'll certainly rehab well and quickly,
and he'll be putting pressure on the team as well.
And Dallon's not far away. So it's sad. It's hard
to take, but it is footy. You know they do
play this contact sport and you know you've got to
(07:17):
wear the injuries as they come, but that's why we
build up the depth and we're very happy with what
we've got underpinning our NROL squad for these reasons.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news Talks
they'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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