Bomber great Tim Watson sticks up for Adelaide Crows captain Taylor Walker

ESSENDON great Tim Watson has gone against the grain and sided with Crows captain Tex Walker over the Jake Lever affair.

Taylor Walker and departing young star Jake Lever. Picture: Simon Cross

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ADELAIDE captain Taylor Walker has found an unlikely ally in Essendon great Tim Watson, who says he understands why the Crows leader is making a strong stand on young star defender Jake Lever leaving the club.

Walker was widely whacked across the footy world for saying Lever was chasing “money over success” while addressing the issue for the first time on radio on Tuesday.

Geelong great Jimmy Bartel scoffed at the comment, saying there were no certainties in football and pointed out that Walker had not yet had any real success, while Herald Sun football writer Mark Robinson branded Walker a “buffoon” and questioned his captaincy abilities.

Devastated Crows captain Taylor Walker after the Grand Final loss. Picture: Sarah Reed

“But (the Crows) haven’t had success,” Bartel said.

“There is no guarantee either — there is no guarantee in this game. Just because you’ve played in a grand final it doesn’t mean you are going back and winning it next year.

“This year, we even had our premiers (Western Bulldogs) who couldn’t get back into the finals.”

But three-time premiership player Watson defended Walker on Wednesday for standing up in what he believes is best for the club.

In a twist, it was Watson who first reported that the Tigers were talking about the Crows’ infighting on grand final day, an observation with which Walker disagreed.

But Watson backed Walker’s stance on Lever.

“I understand it,” Watson said on Melbourne radio station SEN. “A lot of people are kicking Tex and saying he is behaving like a baby and is sooking it up.

“One of the things about being a great leader of your team is being so loyal to the group and the cause.

“That’s how I interpret it.

“He is saying this is what I represent because I represent the playing group. The last thing I want to see is one of our great young emerging talents leaving us.

“He is saying ‘I believe we should all stick together because we know historically that clubs like Geelong and clubs like Hawthorn, players have taken less so that they can have team success. “He knows that’s the blueprint for success; he has brought into that.

“What he is saying now is ‘I am really disappointed.’

“If Jake Lever, and this is nothing against Jake Lever, but if Jake has decided to go, if you want to go, you go.

“I’m not going to pretend like I’m happy that you’re going.”

Inaugural Crows coach and Advertiser columnist Graham Cornes also tweeted his support for Walker on Tuesday.

“Greatest over-reaction ever to a loyal captain’s comments to a departing player,” Cornes said.