Adelaide Crows are confident injured captain Taylor Walker does not have chronic foot problems

ADELAIDE is confident captain Taylor Walker does not have chronic foot problems despite being struck down by a lower leg injury for the third time in two years.

Inspirational captain Taylor Walker is in doubt for the start of Adelaide’s premiership campaign with a foot injury. Picture: Michael Dodge/AFL Media/Getty Images

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ADELAIDE is confident captain Taylor Walker does not have chronic foot problems despite being struck down by a lower leg injury for the third time in two years.

The Crows have revealed Walker’s latest injury, which has him facing a race against time to be fit for round one, is to his left foot and not related to the right foot/toe/ankle soreness that saw him miss round 23 last season and play through the finals in discomfort.

Nor, they say, is it a recurrence of the foot injury that had him placed in a moon boot early in the 2016 season after he pulled up sore from the hard Etihad Stadium surface following the round one loss to North Melbourne.

Star key forward Walker, 27, will be in a protective moon boot for two weeks after reporting soreness at training last week and being diagnosed with plantar fascia.

The Crows say he will not require surgery but has been ruled out of all pre-season games, including next week’s inaugural AFLX tournament and the JLT Community Series where Adelaide will play Fremantle at Strathalbyn and Port Adelaide at Alberton.

Walker is expected to make a full recovery within five-to-six weeks.

“Taylor had some soreness in his foot during training last week and after further assessment the strain was revealed,” Crows high performance manager Matt Hass said.

“Fortunately, the injury doesn’t require surgery and he will make a full recovery after a period of rest.’’

Captain Taylor Walker at Crows training at Thebarton Oval in December. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Taylor Walker flies for a grab during last year’s grand final loss to Richmond. Picture: Mark Stewart

Adelaide’s opening 2018 premiership season match is in six weeks against Essendon at Etihad Stadium on Friday, March 23.

Even if he proves his fitness for the Bombers, Walker will not be match hardened.

He has been on a slow burn over summer, having undergone ankle and finger surgery at the end of last season.

He had recently upped the ante with his pre-season training before straining his plantar fascia — the ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes and supports the arch of the foot.

Walker underwent a right knee reconstruction in 2013.

Leading sports medico Dr Peter Larkins said the Crows were right to take a conservative approach with Walker or they would risk having him play the season under duress.

“Having an interrupted pre-season and missing training at this time of the year is clearly not ideal, especially with an injury like plantar fascia which means you can’t do any running or significant training drills,’’ Larkins told The Advertiser.

“Plantar fascia is notorious for being slow to recover from because there is such a poor blood supply to that area of the foot.

“But the best way to recover is to have time off. That will have an impact on Tex’s preparation but it’s best to back off with his training and knock the injury on the head now or it will likely get worse and he could end up carrying the injury through the whole season.

“If you are trying to play with an injury like that if really does affect your running and mobility, particularly in the second half of games.’’

While Walker’s latest injury is untimely, the Crows will start their pre-season matches with a relatively healthy list.

All-Australian half-back Brodie Smith (knee) will miss most of the season but there are few other injury concerns.

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