Cody Walker has shared how he managed to elicit a reaction from Jai Arrow during the Rabbitohs forward's 99th match for the club last weekend. Arrow captained the South Sydney Rabbitohs against the Titans on Saturday after the NRL allowed a special exemption for the 31-year-old, enabling him to play and reach this significant milestone.
This weekend, Arrow will achieve his 100th appearance for South Sydney when he plays against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium. Initially, Arrow was supposed to end with 98 appearances due to his Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis earlier this year. However, the Rabbitohs arranged for him to take the field, showcasing his ongoing resilience as both the Titans and Roosters supported this decision.
Fans watching at home were emotional yet joyful when Arrow burst into laughter with his teammates and Walker. Walker later revealed the lighthearted interaction, saying, "I can't repeat exactly what I said to him, but I noticed before the game he was really, really nervous. I just sort of asked him, 'How you feeling?' and he was like, 'I am nervous, I have never been nervous before a game before in my life.'" He added, "When he gets anxious he sort of stiffens up a little bit… I was like, 'if you feel like you are going to stiffen up, just grab me, hold me.'"
Arrow asked, "I just need you to spray me. Just spray me, just say whatever you think." Walker responded by joking around with him, which made Arrow laugh. The heartfelt scene moved the NRL community, with Arrow heading to the Rabbitohs bench immediately after the whistle blew.
This weekend, Arrow will become the 67th Rabbitohs player to achieve 100 games for the club during the team's final regular-season game against the Roosters. Winger Campbell Graham also recognized the touching moment between Walker and Arrow, praising their close bond. "Cody and Jai have a very special relationship, they're very close," Graham stated. He noted Walker's emotional strength, emphasizing that their caring interaction was a remarkable display of camaraderie and leadership.