THE CARLTON Football Club is excited to confirm that Cody Walker has formally agreed to join the Blues as a father-son selection in next year’s 2026 Telstra AFL Draft.
Continuing the Navy Blue legacy forged by his father Andrew, the talented midfielder has made the commitment to his boyhood club.
Walker was eligible to nominate Richmond as part of their Next Generation Academy, but has chosen Carlton, where his dad played 202 games across 13 seasons from 2004-2016.
IKON Park is already a second home for the 17-year-old, with the teenager spending the last few years as part of the Blues’ revamped Carlton Academy, which is dedicated to growing and fostering the next generation of Carlton talent through the NGA, father-son and father-daughter pathways.
The Academy program has allowed Walker to form a connection with Carlton captain Patrick Cripps and co-vice captain Sam Walsh, with the trio in regular contact to assist in Walker’s ongoing development.
Ben and Lucas Camporeale, as well as Sophie McKay and Meg Robertson, are the most recent graduates of the Academy to progress to the Blues’ AFL and AFLW senior lists, with this year’s draft crop spending the year gaining invaluable insight into the AFL and AFLW system through the Carlton Academy.
A smooth-moving, highly skilled midfielder, Walker was eye-catching as an underage player at this year’s National Championships, with his most recent outing for Vic Country earlier this month seeing him amass 24 disposals in a 12-point win, playing a mixture of midfield and half-forward.
In the 2024 Under-16 National Championships he was captain of Vic Country and named MVP for his side, proving his class by starring with an average of 28 disposals during the carnival to be named in the All-Australian team.
He has played his football this year for the Bendigo Pioneers in the Coates Talent League, including a blistering performance in May that saw him accumulate 31 disposals, 10 marks, eight tackles and three goals.
Walker has also played senior football since he was 16 for his local side the Echuca Bombers, kicking two goals and collecting 23 disposals on debut last year playing off a wing.
Dad Andrew arrived at the Blues as the No.2 pick in the 2003 AFL Draft, making one of the great AFL debuts in history, collecting 26 disposals and nine marks against West Coast to ignite the Carlton faithful on a memorable afternoon at IKON Park in Round 5, 2004.
Affectionately dubbed ‘Sky Walker’ for his incredible aerial feats, most notably on the shoulders of Jake Carlisle in Round 18, 2011, Andrew was made a Life Member of the Club in 2011 – with son Cody proud to be able to follow in the footsteps of his father.
“This has honestly already been dream come true. Being involved with the Club over the last few years, today is another step closer to pulling on that Carlton jumper – I just can’t wait," Walker said.
“I have been involved in the Carlton Academy for three years now and have been so appreciative of everything the Club has done for me and the people who have helped me to this point in my career, both at Carlton and at every level of football I’ve been fortunate enough to play at so far.
“To have already been able to work hard alongside the likes of Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh and that entire midfield group, while getting to know everyone at the Club already, I just want to keep soaking up as much as I can and learn off them.
“Seeing Ben and Lucas do it this year, Harry Dean closing in on his dream and me next year, it is really exciting and such an honour for me to be able to continue the family name at the Blues.”
Carlton National Recruiting Manager Mick Agresta said the Club was really pleased Walker was keen to commit to coming to IKON Park this far out from his draft year.
“It is great Cody has agreed to join the Blues as a father-son selection. His talent is well-known but his professionalism, work ethic and hunger to get the absolute most out of himself is what is so impressive for someone so young,” Agresta said.
“The extended time Cody has spent and will continue to spend as part of the Carlton Academy will give him a great foundation to launch his career, he has already been able to form relationships with his future teammates, so that continued exposure to an AFL lifestyle is only going to continue to benefit him as he enters his draft year next season.
“Cody is continuing to develop strongly and will be given all the time he needs to continue to do that over the next 18 months: we have no doubt our members and supporters will enjoy watching not only Cody, but this next generation of talent at the Club that is now starting to emerge.”
