The brothers famously revived the Ipswich Jets from wooden spooners to 2015 Queensland Cup and NRL State Championship premiers inside four years, and the parallels are remarkable.
The Clydesdales are this year's last-placed outfit and have struggled for success.
The Walkers still aim to coach in the NRL after missing out twice on the Gold Coast job in 2017 and most recently for 2026 to replace Des Hasler. The former NRL stars were also on the cusp of being appointed Warriors coaches in 2020.
The Walkers, who have not coached on a regular basis since 2019, have been told by movers and shakers that they needed to be back in Cup footy to get an NRL gig.
Shane Walker told AAP their motivation to coach the Clydesdales came from a passion for the region and its footy team.
"We are Toowoomba boys," Walker said.
"We know how important rugby league is to Toowoomba and the surrounding region. It's a rugby league town and it deserves to have a football team for the area to be proud of.
"We'd love to coach in the NRL, but our main aim is to have success in this region with this club.
"We are probably a bit belligerent in some regards. There is a team that is running last that we would like to get to first.
"We have grown up there going to Clydesdales matches watching John Clancy, Michael Hancock and Robbie Clevin. In later years Don Saunders captained the premiership-winning Clydesdales.
"The good thing is that Toowoomba is a very affluent city and there is a lot of work opportunity up there. It is a terrific town to live in, so there is a real opportunity for guys to play at a high level and enjoy a really good life."
The Walkers turned rugby league on its head with contract football, made famous in the 1950s by the great Toowoomba coach Duncan Thompson, who won the Bulimba Cup six times."Duncan Thompson was the forefather of contract football. A lot of our attacking ethos is around contract football," Walker said.
"In essence, if a person is in a better position on the field you give them the ball. It is as simple as that. It is about promoting the football and supporting your mate.
"The Duncan stories have been passed down through our father Garry, who grew up in that region as well."
In 1987 Ben Walker was 11 and Shane was nine when the Toowoomba Clydesdales beat the great Wynnum Manly side at Athletic Park.
"That is my favourite rugby league game I ever attended," Ben Walker told AAP.
"They were still talking about contract footy in Toowoomba then. That's how ingrained it has been in us.
"Wally Lewis, Gene Miles, Colin Scott and Greg Dowling were all playing for Wynnum.
"We had John Clancy, Robbie and Tom Clevin, and on the right wing was Michael Hancock.
"Clancy threw a right-to-left Wally Lewis spiral pass to Robbie, who scored in the left corner and we won. I'll never forget it."
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