Sam Walker’s father Ben happy to travel 40,000km to follow son’s dream

If Sam Walker is the most exciting young star in the NRL, the code’s most dedicated fan is his father Ben who is prepared to travel nearly 40,000 kilometres this season to be at every Sydney Roosters game.

Ben Walker will fly from the Gold Coast to Sydney on Saturday morning before heading to McDonald Jones Stadium, where Sam will play his fifth NRL game for the Roosters against the Knights.

The past month alone, Ben has hopped on a plane from one of his Gold Coast real estate offices to Sydney to watch Sam’s debut at the SCG against the New Zealand Warriors, followed by matches against Cronulla and St George Illawarra at the same venue.

He also made the trek to Melbourne for the Storm clash, and has promised himself to be at the ground every time Sam runs out in the blue, red and white in his first season.

Should Sam play every game for the rest of this season, something unlikely given his age, Ben will have amassed a staggering 38,198km in round-trips. That also includes a Sydney trip he made to watch a North Sydney game, as well as the trial in Queanbeyan against Canberra in February.

Ben has made a point of staying out of the limelight since his son, the eldest of four children, first made a big impression in the Roosters’ No.7 jersey. Ben’s wife Kylie has also been to games but is also required at home most weekends to ferry their other children to their sports.

Sam Walker celebrates a try on Anzac Day.Credit:Getty Images

Ben’s parents, Gary and Trish, often said they regretted not getting to more live games when their son and his brothers Chris and Shane played first grade. He knows he is fortunate to have the flexibility to make the weekly flights because of his business.

“The only reason I’m working is to fund my weekend trips to watch Sam,” was all Ben would say when contacted by the Herald about his schedule.