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http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=284699
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Having already had some big roles on some of the game's best players, it's young exciting playmaker Andrew Walker, who can celebrate a bit this weekend as he plays his 50th game for Carlton on Sunday.
In only his third season and at only 20 years of age, Walker has reached the first milestone in a player's career. It was an excited but grounded Walker who was happy to be achieving this honour.
"I've just reached 50 games in my third year, so I'm pretty happy with that," Walker said ahead of training on Friday.
"It's pretty exciting for myself and also for my family but it's just another game to get under the belt," he said.
When he originally came to Carlton, Walker was a self-confessed 'skinny fella' but in his time with the Blues, he has bulked up significantly and gained the necessary kilograms to be able to play football at the top level and match it with some of the AFL's best.
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"I obviously had to put on some weight and it's needed at this level of football.
"I've put on seven or eight kilos. I think I obviously needed to do that," he said.
Walker has been given significant roles of some of the AFL's top players, including Chris Judd, Andrew Mcleod, Shane Crawford and Jason Akermanis.
While he has found his time against these players a steep learning curve, he's glad to have had the opportunity to learn from them no matter how hard the opponent.
"Crawford was a hard one. He was hard to run with.
"I think Denis (Pagan) knows what's best for me. Hopefully I can learn from them and put it into my game.
"I've learnt about the 'smarts' and how they run and go across the ground. Little things like that, you pick up from the best players," he said.
Walker has moved often between midfield and defence but doesn't care where he is, so long as he's playing footy.
"I'm enjoying down the back and I'm also enjoying playing in midfield.
"I enjoy just basically being on the field.
"I've been playing some different roles throughout my 50 games and I've just got to continue playing normal football that I've been playing and whatever comes, comes I guess," he said.
Walker suffered a bout of gastro against Essendon on Saturday and played on, but offered no excuses about his form. The way he sees it, once he's picked, he's there to play.
"Last week I got a bit of gastro but the game has started, so no excuses. I was there to play.
"I was on a drip on Wednesday and the club thought this was the best way to get fluids into my body. I was struggling a little bit though," he said.
The Blues face Fremantle at Telstra Dome on Sunday and Walker believes the club is close to snaring another win.
"They are playing some pretty good footy but so are we.
"I think in the last six weeks we've been within 10 points out of eight weeks. We've got to be pretty happy with the form we're going with.
"Hopefully it will be a good battle this week," Walker said.
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