
Walters ‘changes up' The West Australian as guest editor
Swapping Optus Stadium for the newsroom of The West Australian, Walyalup (Fremantle) legend Michael Walters has taken over the newspaper's sports section for a day.
Walters booted sports editor Jakeb Waddell out of his office and called the shots on Friday to produce a very special edition of The West on Saturday.
The Dockers great sat down with The West's editor Sarah-Jane Tasker for a news conference, decided where each story would be placed on pages and helped design the back page. Michael Walters guest edits the sport section of The West Australian for Saturday 16th May, 2025. Credit: Jackson Flindell / Jackson Flindell / The West Aust
'I'm here to take over the sports section. I've been reading the paper for a long time and I feel like it needs a change-up and I'm here to do it,' Walters joked.
Walters inspired Glen Quartermain's list of the defining moments in Indigenous football history on pages 172-173 of today's edition and worked with football reporter Aaron Kirby on his analysis breaking down how the Dockers can beat Greater Western Sydney.
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He also ran his eye over Craig O'Donoghue's interview with his own teammate Patrick Voss on 178 and a chat with fellow Swan Districts product Lawson Humphries. (L-R). Sports Editor Jakeb Waddell, Fremantle Docker Michael Walters and Editor of The West Australian Sarah-Jane Tasker during conference. Credit: Jackson Flindell / Jackson Flindell / The West Aust
'The Pat Voss story, I think that's a good story. He hasn't had it easy, to get drafted, he's been on a list but also delisted and came across to Western Australia by himself,' Walters said.
The forward's cameo in the newsroom came as a celebration of the AFL's Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

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3 hours ago
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Walker, 35, received a six-game ban and $20,000 fine from the AFL in 2021 after he was overheard making a racist comment about North Adelaide's Indigenous player Robbie Young at an Adelaide SANFL match. Wanganeen-Milera's management immediately denied the report while the St Kilda star reportedly called Walker to say the incident was not a factor in his decision regarding where he will play next year. When asked if he had gotten involved after the story emerged, Nicks said: "No, other than putting support around the people I felt needed support. "I didn't like the way it played out at all. I think it was unfair to a lot of people. "But no, I didn't get any more involved than checking in with Taylor, for example, just to make sure that he knows that I'm proud of what he's done since what was an unacceptable moment four years ago. "He's done a lot of work on educating himself and he's actually probably done more than anyone at the footy club, but our whole footy club's improved off the back of that. "Other than that, no, not involved." Nicks conceded in-season speculation around players' futures was part of the modern environment. "It's part of the deal: pressure to perform on field, but there's also pressures that come off field," he said. "As I mentioned before, some of it I'm not a fan of, the way it plays out. "There's a little bit of a lack of accountability there, but I think our players deal with it really well." Nicks refused to comment on whether he believed Adelaide were still in the mix to secure Wanganeen-Milera. "We don't talk about players from other footy clubs," he said. Nicks instead wanted to focus on a huge clash with Hawthorn, who have lost James Worpel (corked quad) and dropped Finn Maginness. 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I think it was unfair to a lot of people. "But no, I didn't get any more involved than checking in with Taylor, for example, just to make sure that he knows that I'm proud of what he's done since what was an unacceptable moment four years ago. "He's done a lot of work on educating himself and he's actually probably done more than anyone at the footy club, but our whole footy club's improved off the back of that. "Other than that, no, not involved." Nicks conceded in-season speculation around players' futures was part of the modern environment. "It's part of the deal: pressure to perform on field, but there's also pressures that come off field," he said. "As I mentioned before, some of it I'm not a fan of, the way it plays out. "There's a little bit of a lack of accountability there, but I think our players deal with it really well." Nicks refused to comment on whether he believed Adelaide were still in the mix to secure Wanganeen-Milera. 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