Taylor Walker declares he is still the man to captain the Crows

UNDER-FIRE Taylor Walker has declared he wants to remain Adelaide captain and has no intention of handing the reins over to leadership sidekick Rory Sloane at the end of the year.

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UNDER-FIRE Taylor Walker has defiantly declared he wants to remain Adelaide captain.

Revealing just what a toll a pre-season foot injury has had on his form this season, Walker said he has no intention of handing the leadership reins over to newly-signed vice-captain Rory Sloane at the end of the year.

“I really enjoy being captain, it’s a great honour to be able to lead this great footy club,’’ “Tex’’ Walker said after calls from inaugural Crows coach Graham Cornes and Port Adelaide games record holder Kane Cornes for him to be replaced as skipper by Sloane.

“I grew up barracking for this footy club. I’m very passionate, I am going to be a Crow for life and if I can continue to be captain for as long as I can then I will keep putting my hand up.’’

Crows captain Taylor Walker and Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak hold the Variety Showdown Shield on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s clash at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Rory Sloane, Taylor Walker and Daniel Talia in discussion after Saturday’s loss to Melbourne. Picture Sarah Reed

Walker, who has been captain since 2015 when the late Phil Walsh anointed him skipper in his first year at the club, said he is not listening to outside noise about his leadership.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,’’ Walker said.

“It depends on whether I listen to it or not. I’ve got a lot of people that I trust and until they tell me (otherwise) I am pretty confident that I will continue to do the job.’’

Just days after Sydney coach John Longmire revealed that his superstar forward Lance Franklin had trained flat out for just 20 minutes this season because of a foot injury sustained in round one, Walker said his pre-season foot injury had impacted his year.

Walker suffered plantar fascia in the pre-season, missed six weeks of training and round one and has battled to stay on the park.

He hurt a hamstring against Gold Coast in round six, missed the round seven clash with Carlton and then was sidelined from rounds nine-to-11 as his body failed him and he was put through an in-season mini pre-season.

While key forward Walker did not want to make excuses for his questionable form that has netted just 24 goals in 12 games, he described his year as “very challenging’’.

“I only did about 10 or 20 per cent of pre-season,” he said as the Crows set their sights on archrival Port Adelaide in Showdown 45 on Saturday.

“Historically when you do that much it definitely hinders you to be able to perform the way you want to.

“I put my hand up to say I haven’t been able to perform the way I know I can, but I’ve still been able to play my role in a way that ‘Pykey’ (Crows coach Don Pyke) has been happy with.

“For me, knowing my body, I need to be able to train to perform each week.

“For whatever reason, I haven’t been able to do that, but I’ll just keep backing up.”

Walker said he would not call an early end to his year even if Adelaide cannot mathematically make the finals.

“I don’t need any surgery and I wouldn’t take weeks off just for the sake of it,’’ he said.

Walker, meanwhile, indicated rebounding defender Brodie Smith is likely to play his first AFL game since September 7 last year against the Power after two strong games back in the SANFL following a knee reconstruction.

Defender and Rising Star contender Tom Doedee (concussion) and veterans Richard Douglas (ankle) and David Mackay (ribs) should be ready to resume from injury against Port.

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