The family of disgraced former Queensland State of Origin star Chris Walker have broken their silence after he was charged with domestic violence offences.
The ex-Broncos and Roosters winger was charged with three counts of common assault, as well as unlawful stalking, using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, and wilful damage after being arrested on Saturday night after police attended a property in Currumbin Waters on the Gold Coast.
Walker’s older brother Ben said the family were supporting the 46-year-old along with his estranged wife Courtney and the couple’s three kids.
Ben, who coaches with his brother Shane in the Queensland Cup competition, said Chris would enter rehabilitation for the second time after a stint in 2007 which occurred after he had more than 100 drinks during a two-day bender while playing for the Titans.
‘I acknowledge the seriousness of the charges laid against Chris and the gravity of the situation,’ Ben told the Courier Mail.
‘He’s been facing significant personal challenges for some time. I hope he recognises the importance of seeking professional help.
Chris Walker is pictured leaving the watchhouse at Southport Magistrates Court on Monday after being granted conditional bail
A court heard that Walker’s behaviour towards estranged wife Courtney (pictured together) was ‘deeply concerning’ in the days leading up to his arrest
‘Right now we’re focused on giving as much support as we can to Courtney and the kids.’
Police prosecutor Jamie Dow opposed bail in Southport Magistrates Court on Monday and said the primary complainant is Walker’s estranged wife.
Dow said in court that Walker’s behaviour towards Courtney was ‘deeply concerning’ in the days leading up to his arrest.
Dow told the court that Walker – who still lives in the same house as his wife – allegedly let himself into her bedroom on March 12 and attempted to take her mobile phone.
The court heard he is also accused of going to her workplace on March 13 and yelling at staff before leaving.
Walker also allegedly went to his in-laws’ house on two occasions as he tried to find Courtney, with one of the visits coming at 2am.
‘She’s not safe in her bedroom, not safe in her workplace, not safe at her parents,’ Dow told the court.
Dow said police would also allege that when officers arrived at Walker’s residence to investigate him, he floored his vehicle to the end of the street and fled.
Ben Walker (centre) with brothers Chris (left) and Shane after winning the State Championship grand final with the Ipswich Jets in 2015
Walker featured in six State of Origin games for Queensland between 2001 and 2002
A Currumbin Waters resident claimed Walker forced his way into their home and was found lying on their kitchen floor, then an hour later he was found ‘clinging to a pontoon on someone else’s property attempting to hide’, according to Dow.
Dow said Walker told officers he was ‘just going for a swim’.
Walker’s lawyer Tom Polley told the court his client was ‘horrified’ by his conduct.
Walker separated from his wife of 20 years about six to eight weeks prior to his alleged offending.
‘He’s very cognisant of the fact he needs rehabilitation,’ Polley said of Walker.
In 2024, Walker revealed he used performance-enhancing drugs following a work accident in which a metal container crushed his leg.
He was prescribed TB-500, a peptide hormone, and primoteston, which is listed as an anabolic agent by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
‘It makes you feel superhuman,’ Walker said at the time.
Walker is the ambassador and salesman for Sunny Days’ range of vodkas, including Ariane Premium (pictured)
Walker (pictured with Bulldogs great Willie Mason) has tried to give up alcohol in the past
‘If I took this stuff when I was playing for the Broncos, I would have scored 100 tries a season.’
Walker is currently the chief commercial officer for the Sunny Days Distillery business, which sells vodka.
It’s a surprising field of work given Walker’s string of alcohol-fuelled lowlights.
Walker once joked that he ‘played at more clubs than Slim Dusty’ after being sacked by the Roosters and Melbourne Storm due to his drinking.
In 2023 Walker told Daily Mail he had given up alcohol and was on the straight and narrow.
‘I’ve been nearly 14 months sober. At some point I came to a realisation and my conscious and subconscious aligned and I gave it away,’ he said at the time.
‘To have that realisation, to start a vodka company and not drink, is one of those things on my journey in life and I’m very comfortable with where I’m sitting.’
Walker played 163 first-grade matches and scored 87 tries.
The winger also represented Queensland in State of Origin, scoring four tries in six appearances between 2001 and 2002.
Magistrate Nicholas Brown granted Walker bail on the condition that he live at a nominated rural address, have no contact with his estranged wife, participate in a residential rehabilitation facility, obtain a mental health care plan, and not enter the greater Gold Coast region unless he is attending court.
