It was his heavily pregnant partner, Marnie Tyers, with news that her mother was rushing her to hospital.
The newest member of the family wasn’t due to arrive until 24 March – which was perfect timing given Freo did not play in the second week of round 1.
But Walters was suddenly faced with a big decision, just hours before he was set to run out with the team.
“I was excited, but a bit nervous as well, I wasn’t sure whether to fly back or not,” he said.
Freo’s coaches pulled him aside and offered some advice.
“They said ‘if you want to fly back, then fly back, it’s a big decision you have to make whether you play or go back to Perth and see the birth’,” Walters said.
Another phone conversation with Marnie helped ‘Son Son’ make up his mind.
“She said just stay and play because we’re going to be here waiting for you,” Walters said.
After he had kicked two goals and played his part in a stirring 70-point Freo win, Walters went back to the team hotel, where he received another call from his partner.
He could hear a child crying in the background.
“I thought it was my first girl, Layla, screaming and crying,” Walters said.
It was not Layla.
“I heard her cry for the first time on the phone,” he said.
Addison Ella Walters was born shortly after the final siren at Etihad Stadium, weighing in at 6 pounds 2 ounces.
Walters flew back to Perth earlier than the team, arriving just after 9.00am on Saturday.
He went straight to the hospital, where, as promised, mother and baby were waiting for him.
“She’s a little different to my first girl,” he said.
“I’m just hoping she’s got the blue eyes like Layla does.”
