Former Rhino Walker relishing return to Headingley
Former Leeds Rhinos centre Chev Walker preparing to return with new club Hull KR
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Wednesday, 30, Jan 2008 01:04
Chev Walker has admitted it will be "strange" to return to his former stomping ground at Headingley Carnegie with his new club Hull KR this weekend.
Rovers kick off their 2008 Super League campaign with a daunting trip to the defending champions on Saturday, hoping to spring a surprise.
Former Leeds Rhinos centre Walker played for the Yorkshire outfit for seven years before switching codes to join Bath rugby union side in 2006.
But after his girlfriend failed to settle in the south-west, the Great Britain international chose to return to his original code at the KC Stadium and is now desperate to prove his worth to his new team when they come up against some of his former colleagues.
"It will be a bit strange but it should be good," Walker said.
"I've stayed in touch with my mates at Leeds. I love the place. I'd been at Leeds since I was a kid and used to climb over the wall to watch them.
"I was a ball boy and then played for them so obviously I have strong roots but I'm at Hull KR now and I'll be working as hard as I can to beat Leeds."
On his return to rugby league, Walker admitted he was close to agreeing a deal to go to another of his former club's Super League rivals - Wigan Warriors.
However, he admitted the timing was slightly wrong and instead he chose to join an emerging force in the sport rather than the JJB Stadium outfit who are one of the established names.
"Wigan were dead keen and I get on well with Nobby [head coach Brian Noble] but it just didn't happen," he said.
"It was just timing.
"I met [Rovers coach] Justin Morgan and had a good chat with him. I saw where he was trying to take the club and I saw the players that he was bringing in and I felt it was right for me.
"I suppose, if I hadn't spoken to Justin and saw where the club was going, I probably would have been at Wigan now."
Saturday's fixture between Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos is the official curtain-raiser for the 2008 Super League season.
The rest of the first round fixtures begin the following weekend.