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Crows captain Taylor Walker says Adelaide is up for the fight in final month of the season

UNDER-SIEGE Adelaide captain Taylor Walker says his side is up for the fight in the final month of the season and while there is light there is hope at West Lakes.

AFL greats slam niggle

ADELAIDE captain Taylor Walker says his side is up for the fight in the final month of the season and while there is light there is hope at West Lakes.

Walker told Triple M on Tuesday morning that he absolutely believed the Crows are good enough to beat Port Adelaide, GWS, North Melbourne and Carlton on the run home to make a late charge at the finals.

“We aim to win every single game this year, we’ve got four games left and if or when we win every single game it gives us a chance to play finals,” he said.

“It can be done … bloody oath I do (believe it), I’m not going to play Saturday if I didn’t believe it.”

Richard Douglas, Brodie Smith, Tom Doedee and David Mackay are all in the mix to return for this weekend’s Showdown but Paul Seedsman (hamstring) and Kyle Cheney (suspension) are set to miss.

Walker said he thought Adelaide was very good for a half against Melbourne on Saturday night but “fell asleep” in the third term and the Demons made them pay.

“We felt like we could have won, credit to Melbourne for their third quarter, they kicked seven goals to our one and there’s pretty much the ball game when you let the opposition get a run on that much,” Walker said.

“I thought our first half was outstanding, contest work, pressure was good, then we fell asleep in the third and it was too hard to come back.

“Disappointing, frustrating, but they’re a good side Melbourne.”

The damage was done in the middle where Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn gave his midfielders Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca perfect service.

“It definitely makes it hard when you lose clearances, you lose field position and have to transition the ball a bit further down the field,” Walker said.

“It’s something we look at and we’re trying to change a little bit. It starts with big Saucy and if he gives us a good look we can get it in our forward line and put some real heat on the opposition.”

Walker came under criticism on Fox Footy’s On the Couch on Monday night when retired great Garry Lyon took issue with his aggressive behaviour towards Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn early in the game.

“I don’t mind you going after anyone and shooting your mouth off and acting like the tough guy, but you’ve got to back it up,” Lyon said.

“This is when they’d kicked the first three goals of the game and there was Tex, he was huffing and puffing and going after (Gawn).

“Pick your target, that’s the other thing I’d say. I don’t think this is going to affect Maxy.

“In the end, Max is best player on the ground, if not close to it. And Tex doesn’t have much impact at all.”

It comes after Kane Cornes on Monday reiterated his call for the Crows to handover the Crows captaincy to re-signed star Rory Sloane at season’s end after Walker’s injury-interrupted year.

“I’ve said that Rory Sloane just looks the captain to be at Adelaide, he certainly ticks every box for me the way that he plays, the way he leads and how popular he is with the fans over here,” Cornes told SEN.

“If it was me, I would be making a change in captaincy there.

“Taylor’s done all the pushing and shoving behind the ball for a while, it’s OK, unless you put your head over the footy.”

reece.homfray@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/crows-captain-taylor-walker-says-adelaide-is-up-for-the-fight-in-final-month-of-the-season/news-story/fefa7a84eb91f5a21b1846146dadf8ea