Frank “Dickie” Walker’s introduction to the WANFL was anything but smooth.A star junior at South Perth, under the East Perth great Mick Cronin, he continued to impress at Aquinas, where the legendary Jerry Dolin took him under his wing. When Cronin attempted to secure the young rover’s services for the Royals, a behind the scenes tug of war was set in motion. Walker trained at East Perth in 1951 as a seventeen year old and accompanied the Royals on a trip to Collie before impressing in a scratch match against South Fremantle.  A Perth supporter, Walker was living in South Perth, in Perth Football Club’s allotted zone, with his grandparents while his father was in Cannington. As Cannington was in unallotted territory, it was East Perth’s intention to sign Frank up as living with his Dad, which they duly did, and send it to the league among other paperwork in the hope the address anomaly would go unnoticed. Mistakenly forwarded early, it was jumped on by Perth officials. “Go back to juniors for a year,” was Cronin’s advice. It was Perth stalwart Jack O’Dea who eventually ended the stalemate by signing Walker on the eve of the 1952 season.After two appearances with the seconds, Walker debuted in the league side against a strong West Perth combination. At Leederville, the Demons lost by a goal, with Frank roving against State players Trevor Schofield and Doug Lind, as well as Les Hoft, who would become a team mate at Perth in later years.  Nicknamed Dickie because his father and grandfather were also named Frank, Walker was an outstanding performer from almost his first game. A courageous player at five foot six and a half, he was a clever rover, renowned for his elusiveness, a good reader of the play, and reliable around the goals. His tally of 410 goals is high on Perth’s all time list of goalkickers. Topping the club goalkicking in 1953, Walker won the Butcher Medal as his club’s best and fairest in 1955 and 56, and was runner up in 1963, his final full season, which illustrates his consistency over a long period. He was one of Perth’s best in a thrilling 1955 grand final win. He was also a consistent performer for Western Australia. Debuting against Victoria at the MCG on June 18, 1955, he kicked two of Western Australia’s three goals in a 4.7 to 6.18 loss, and was among his side’s best, kicking two more in a twenty two point loss to South Australia in Adelaide a week later. Back in Perth six weeks later, Walker teamed with Jack Sheedy, Barry White, and John Todd roving to “Polly” Farmer and Merv McIntosh, forming an impressive following brigade, to help enact revenge over the Croweaters by two goals. He went on to represent his State ten times.Assistant coach to Bob Miller in 1961, Frank was elevated to the coaching position after the early season sacking of Miller. On the club’s insistence that he become a non playing coach, Walker didn’t play again until 1962, when he was appointed assistant coach and captain under the returning Ern Henfry. The thirty year old decided midway through 1964 that he’d had enough and announced his retirement, after two hundred and twenty six league games. Walker quit his Government job and went into the hospitality business after his football career was over, and it was to lead to another season at the age of thirty three. “I had just taken over the Esperance Hotel, and one of the Newtown Football Club blokes asked if I’d like to join them on a training run on a Thursday night,” Frank told us. “Afterwards over a cold beer I was told I was in the team for Saturday’s match. I just laughed at that, but after a few more ambers I was informed that the clearance had already been organized with Jack O’Dea, and a verifying telegram would arrive on Saturday.”“It was a long year.”Walker had enjoyed his coaching stint at Perth and took the reins of the Esperance Combined side.A handy batsman and good fielder in his youth, he played in South Perth’s second grade eleven before moving to the Perth Cricket Club and representing them in first grade cricket. Frank’s sporting talent showed out on the golf course in later years, where he played off a six handicap. Bowls is his latest challenge, and he is often to be found at the picturesque Port Bouvard club.Frank Walker played against many fine rovers, but couldn’t go past Steve Marsh, Jack Sheedy, and Jimmy Conway as hardest to beat, while the Big Mac (Merv McIntosh) stands out among many fine team mates.  The man who was popular mine host at the Civic, Royal, Derby, and Morris Hotels, the Traveller’s Inn at Esperance and the Boathouse Tavern is now on the other side of the bar, and enjoys a few cold ones on a hot day. Perth Football Club has been blessed with quality rovers such as Barry Cable and Rob Wiley in more recent times, but the efforts of Frank “Dickie” Walker shouldn’t be forgotten. Not only was he a great player, but also a loyal clubman, whose name is a well respected one at Lathlain.