Walker looks to Perth

Disgraced football star Andrew Walker - banned from rugby league for two years after taking cocaine - wants to return to rugby and is eying the new Super 14 franchise in Perth.

While league is out of the question as he sits out a ban imposed by the NRL after testing positive for cocaine while playing at Manly this year, the former Wallaby is pleading for another chance with rugby.

The 31-year-old ran into drinking problems while with rugby where he starred at the Brumbies. He switched to rugby league in 2003 hoping to save his career and got through 24 games with Manly before his wayward lifestyle caught up with him again.

He announced his retirement as his ban was confirmed. But now he wants to play rugby.

"I'd love to play rugby, even if it's just here [in Sydney] somewhere," Walker told the League Correspondent. "I've always been a sporting person and I've always had something to do on the weekend. Now I've got nothing. I've got to get the fun back into me. If I can do that [play rugby], I'll be more happy. "

Walker admitted interest in Perth after they got the nod for the extra Australian franchise in the expanded Super 14 competiion in 2006.

"It all sounds interesting ... I'm pretty sure they'll be looking for players."

But Walker may be struggling. The Australian Rugby Union has an "internal policy" not to register players under suspension in rival sports codes.