Cody Walker says Indigenous Round holds special significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, with the Rabbitohs five-eighth embracing the opportunity to represent his culture while treating every remaining game as a finals fixture.
Finals Mentality Sets In
With the Rabbitohs preparing to face Parramatta this weekend, Walker confirmed the team has adopted a finals approach for the remainder of the season. The five-eighth echoed comments from teammate Jack Wighton about the high-stakes nature of every remaining fixture. "That's the mentality we have to take into every single week leading into the back end of the year," Walker said. "We understand that each and every game's really important in where we sit, so I think for us it's not getting too caught up in what's to come in a few weeks' time or next week's time. It's pouring everything into this weekend and we're looking forward to getting out there and putting on a good performance against the Eels and taking some of the lessons that we learnt last weekend into this week and hopefully get the two points." Walker emphasised the importance of staying present rather than looking ahead, with South Sydney focused on building momentum as the competition reaches its crucial stages.
The Significance of Indigenous Round
Walker reflected on what Indigenous Round means to him and his fellow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players at South Sydney. He acknowledged the game's pioneers while explaining how the round provides an opportunity to celebrate culture on rugby league's biggest stage.
"Indigenous round as a whole gives a great opportunity for the rest of the game to really highlight some of the great contributions our people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, have done in the game in the past," he said. "As you rattle off those names, they're the pioneers of our sport and our game. Being Aboriginal quite makes you feel good about yourself and makes you feel proud of who you are." The five-eighth noted that Indigenous Round is one Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players circle on the calendar each year. He praised the Rabbitohs for how they celebrate the occasion, with this year's jersey designed by Uncle Joe Walker featuring five panels representing 50 years of NAIDOC celebrations, along with the totems of every Indigenous player in the squad. Walker also spoke about his connection to culture beyond the football field.
Walker acknowledged that Latrell Mitchell is devastated to miss Indigenous Round, describing it as particularly difficult for an Aboriginal player at a club that celebrates the round so well. The fullback's involvement with Winmarra, which features on the back of this year's jersey, highlights his commitment to providing pathways for young Indigenous kids. Despite Mitchell's absence being week-to-week according to Walker, the five-eighth expressed confidence in the squad's ability to compete at the highest level without their star centre. "Latrell's a huge part of our team and he's a superstar of the game, right, so I do believe that we have the players in place to be able to still compete at a high level and win games," Walker said. "I've got full confidence in the players that are playing this weekend that we can go out there and get the two points."
