A broken hand in the opening over of Round 1 last summer perhaps crystallised a Marshall star batter’s thoughts of a return home.
Walter, a three-time Ray Menzies Medal winner in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association, had been grappling with thoughts of coming back to his junior club Collendina for a few seasons.
And with a busy working life and his father the president at the Cobras, Walter could no longer repeal the strong pull of home for another season.
In fact, Walter had only intended to play on turf for a few seasons with the Bears, but ended up staying for five as Marshall became something of a “second home”.
“It was a bit of a surprise to me in the end,” he said of his seamless transition from hard wickets to turf and a new bunch of teammates.
Corey Walter hits out against Geelong City. Picture Mark Wilson.
“I had a ball. I loved every minute at Marshall … it was a disappointing way to finish there (with a broken hand), but I thought the time was right to go back.
“(The Bears) have been unreal the whole way through, I think they knew it was coming.
“It’s like a second home now.
“I’ve probably been tossing it up (to leave) the last couple of years.”
Walter, who is looking to base himself in Mount Dundeed, was in a philosophical mood when he spoke to this publication, looking back on his five seasons with Marshall with nothing but pride.
And it had been a memorable five years, bookended by a 2018/19 premiership in his first year and then a broken hand in the opening round of last summer against Leopold in the Geelong Cricket Association.
A delivery reared off a length and shattered his hand, requiring a few rounds of surgery.
Collendina beat Barwon Heads to claim the 2016/17 Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association grand final. Picture: Cormac Hanrahan
“It didn’t work out the way I wanted with a broken hand in Round 1,” he said.
“I missed probably 80 per cent of games and played the last couple.
“I probably shouldn’t have played but I was sick of watching.”
However, the Bellaraine Team of the Decade member will treasure a flag in his debut season with the Bears, joined by the likes of other new faces in Josh Janssen and Nathan Frye in the squad.
Walter and Frye will coach the Cobras this coming season.
He will also miss the “pretty true” tracks at Marshall, too, where he felt “a bit spoiled” with blade in hand.
“I thought it might take a while to adjust,” he said.
“On turf … you can play a bit more 360 than a hard wicket.
“You’re a bit more restricted (on hard wickets).
“I was a bit spoiled playing at Marshall every second game.”