When Greg Walker won a Simpson Medal for his performance in the 1990 grand final, emulating his father Bill, who won the award twenty three years before, the pair became the first father and son to achieve the feat. “I was lucky, there were about eight others who could have got it,” the modest Walker told us. “The effort of Andrew Krakouer, who completed another father-son Simpson Medal win, was outstanding.”The son of one of the best footballers this State has produced, a chat with Greg Walker is an enjoyable experience. A man who loves his football, he would much prefer to talk about the achievements of team mates than himself. “I loved my time in the game,” he said. “I had a lot of fun, met some great people, team mates and opposition alike, and it’s great to get together, not only with them, but those of Dad’s era.”It never bothered Greg that he was under any pressure because of his father’s success.“There were a few things running around in the media at the time, and the Cable boys got it too, but I never worried about it,” he said. “I just loved playing the game, enjoyed the company of those I played with, and did my best to be myself.” It wouldn’t have mattered that he was the son of a champion rover, at five foot seven there was never any thought of playing anywhere else.  A product of Midland Junior Football Club, where Sid Kenworthy provided expert tuition, Walker later went to Guildford Grammar School, where his team mates included Karl Langdon, Tom Moody, and Merv Dellar.  Greg was part of the 1984 Teal Cup team, where he was co rover with Darren Bewick, among others in the side being Chris Lewis, Allan Cransberg, Craig Starcevich, Danny Penny, and Brad McDougall. It was a natural progression to Bassendean Oval, and Walker played the 1985 season with the colts, before graduating to reserves in 1986, and debuting in the league side in the third last game of the season, against East Fremantle.  In one of the quirks of the game of football, he lined up in a forward pocket, kicking three goals on Stephen Green, who had played on father Bill in his final game of football  a decade earlier.Greg joined Andy Holmes as Swan Districts rovers in 1987, becoming a regular in the side, but an extended battle with glandular fever was to destabilise a promising career. An initial bout at the end of the 1987 season was followed by two more in 1989.Back to full fitness in 1990 and enjoying his first real pre season, Walker produced some sparkling displays, and was a big contributor to the black and whites flag that year, with the Simpson Medal the icing on the cake. A transfer to Adelaide in his employment with Penfolds Wines saw Greg spend two seasons with Woodville-West Torrens, where he played in a losing grand final.  Returning to Swans under Graeme Melrose in 1996, Walker took up where he had left off, finishing fifth in Sandover Medal voting behind Jeremy Wasley. Going into the hospitality business, Walker found football taking a backseat, so he retired in mid 1998 after a hundred and thirty nine games with Swan Districts which produced a hundred and thirty six goals, returning later to help Todd Menegola with the reserves, and in 2000 was involved with training and selection at Bassendean.Brother Brett was a promising player at the black and whites before a snapped Achilles put a premature end to his football aspirations.Greg found South Fremantle defenders Cliff Collard and Tommy Bottrell, East Fremantle’s Clayton Anderson, and George Giannakis from East Perth hardest to beat, while players he rated as best he played with were Mike Richardson, Phil Narkle, Mick Grasso, Geoff Passeri, and  Brendan Retzlaff. “A lot of the blokes I played against are good mates now,” Greg commented. These days Greg Walker lives near the beach, and spends most of his spare time on the water, in his boat, fishing, or scuba diving.  Greg Walker recovered from illness to figure in a premiership and become a Simpson Medalist. It’s a safe bet that the great Billy Walker would be even prouder of that one than the four Sandovers that he won.