Footy Fix: Freo's skipper is BACK - and he's making the Dockers' defence great again
Alex Pearce won't get any Brownlow Medal votes for his performance on Friday night at Optus Stadium. If there was a medal to be…
A Wayne Carey-esque performance from new Adelaide captain Taylor Walker against North Melbourne at the Adelaide Oval has surely sent shockwaves through the rest of the league.
One of the game’s very few traditional full forwards was at his blistering best, with 22 disposals, 15 marks and 6.5, in a performance that put to rest any doubts about his appointment as the Crows’ captain.
As for his side, they were clinical, apart from a brief concentration lapse just after halftime. The Crows regularly hunted the ball in numbers and their pressure around the contest had finals-like intensity.
There was a look of purpose and steely intent among Phil Walsh’s men. It is clear the players have bought in to the new coach’s game plan.
But it was the new skipper that kicked off proceedings and led from the front, which was no surprise to the Crows’ faithful, football manager Phil Harper remarking in the pre-season that Walker could potentially kick 100 goals this season:
“He’s one of the power forwards of the competition and if anyone can do it, it’s him.
“He’s a machine and is certainly leading by example on the track, even more so since his appointment as captain.”
Walker’s breakout season came in 2012, when he booted 63 goals and cemented himself as one of the best forwards of the AFL. His dominance that season coincided with the Crows only missing out on the grand final by a single kick.
He has experienced a frustrating past 24 months in Adelaide, requiring a knee reconstructing after rupturing his ACL early in the 2013 season.
He showed glimpses of his ability last year, with standout games against Gold Coast and Brisbane Lions, but he was not able to consistently be a focal point.
But now he is fit and firing and his game on the weekend was enough to make even the competition’s best defenders nervous.
It is only very early in the season, but could Walker’s resurgence be enough to lead the Crows into top-four contention?
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