A Tigers junior, Walker has progressed his way through the different age groups at Robertson Oval and makes the step into the top grade after playing 37 under 17.5 games over the past two-and-a-half seasons.

It's a big occasion to make your senior debut in and Walker said he was eager to run out for the first time in the top grade.

"Yeah definitely," Walker said.

"It's probably the best game of the year for anyone to play in, under lights and I think there will be a fair crowd being a public holiday so I'm pretty keen.

"I've been at Tigers all my life, it's been a pretty good pre-season this year and I've been trying to get to every one.

"It's been pretty good with Muz (Murray Stephenson) training us, it's been good fun."

The Tigers took on both Wodonga Bulldogs and The Rock-Yerong Creek during their pre-season in trial games and Walker was relatively happy with how he went.

"I went alright," he said.

"The first one we versed Wodonga and they were definitely a couple of levels up from the Riverina League, but I thought it was a very good experience.

"The Rock were a good team as well, I thought I went alright maybe I could've gone better but it's all just experience really."

Walker is set to start on the half forward flank for the Tigers on Friday night and he admitted it's a position he hasn't played a whole lot recently.

"Not really to be honest," he said.

"I'm more of a wing-midfielder, so half forward should a good challenge for me and I'm looking forward to it.

"Hopefully I can kick a goal or two."

Walker has bided his team in the under 17.5's for the last couple of seasons and believes that experience will be of huge benefit as he makes the step up into first grade.

"Yeah definitely," he said.

"When we were playing in 17's we were training with seniors some weeks and last year we had a good team and probably should've gone a bit better than we did.

"It's definitely prepared me for this year for first grade."

There is a fair few younger players in the Tigers' senior squad this season and Walker believed playing alongside a lot of teammates who were a similar age to him would ease his transition into the top side.

"Yeah it's good," he said.

"I've got two or three good mates that are in there as well, they've had a few more games under their belt.

"Hopefully they can take me under their wing and we can go from there."

The Tigers and Goannas look to have similar sides on paper ahead of the season-opener and Walker was hopeful of a good showing to open their season.

"I think we'll do pretty well," he said.

"We've got a pretty good team, I haven't really seen a lot of what Mango has got but I think we've both got pretty young sides.

"So it should be a good challenge for both teams."

Tigers coach Murray Stephenson was excited to reward Walker with a first grade debut and believed that he's well and truly earned his spot in the side.

"Bill has been good," he said.

"It's probably been an accumulation of a couple of years really where he's worked pretty hard and played some pretty good footy in the 17's.

"Now he comes into senior footy and I think it's a spot that's been well earned over a couple of years not only a short pre-season."