South Sydney's VIP airport arrival for this weekend's NRL Magic Round in Brisbane is a world away from how Cody Walker used to travel through the city a few years back.
Walker was a young dad without a driver's licence in late 2011 when he signed with Queensland Cup team Easts Tigers.
Most days Walker would leave his home at 6am, work in a factory in Brisbane's northern suburbs and then catch a bus to training at the Tigers' Langlands Park ground before finally getting back home around 9pm.
On Friday the 29-year-old arrived in Queensland a star component of Souths' high-flying team and in the running for a NSW State of Origin debut next month.
Walker says setting an example to his baby boy had been the driving force that kept him chasing a spot at an NRL club.
"I pretty much believed if I gave up on my dreams so early then I can't teach my young kids to follow their dreams," Walker told AAP.
"That's one of the main reasons I kept going. I love playing rugby league and to do it as a job is something I enjoy doing and something I want to do for as long as I can."
Walker spent three years at Easts, reaching two grand finals, before being given an NRL lifeline by the Rabbitohs.
He finally made his first grade debut in 2016 and his career-best form in 2019 has him putting pressure on NSW incumbent halves Nathan Cleary and James Maloney for the June 5 Origin opener at Suncorp Stadium.
Rest assured there'll be plenty of his old Tigers fans cheering him on in the stands on Sunday when the Rabbitohs face North Queensland in the final match of the Magic Round fixture.
"It's funny how the world works," Walker said.
"It was always a dream wanting to play NRL and playing those big arenas.
"I suppose you never really can tell the future ... three or four years down the track I'm playing NRL and things like that.
"It's an amazing journey to be on."
