Adelaide v Geelong: Crows stun Cats in famous win in season opener

Tex Walker is the Crows’ third-oldest player and this year is priding himself on educating the club’s younger players and fast-tracking their development.

Matt Turner and Warren Partland

8 min read

March 22, 2021 - 8:17AM

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James Rowe was very impressive on debut. Picture: Getty Images

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When the siren sounded on Saturday to confirm the Crows’ almighty Round-1 upset over Geelong, Taylor Walker pumped his fists then slapped the Adelaide Oval turf.

Walker had just taken his seventh mark and was sitting on the ground, stretching his legs.

Those 30-year-old legs had worked tirelessly to provide a contest all day and had kicked 5.2 – three more majors than anyone from either side.

Walker was the best player afield on Saturday, in a performance that many would consider as him turning back the clock.

While it was partly a throwback – the last time he had at least five goals, seven marks and 18 disposals was Round 4, 2017 – it was also the continuation of his impressive pre-season.

Walker shone in the Crows’ internal trial with three goals, was one of their best in the first scratch match against Port Adelaide, then was lively with three majors in the Community Series game versus the Power.

So Saturday’s performance was not exactly out of the blue.

Taylor Walker of the Crows celebrates a goal

But his five goals in the 12-point win over the Cats was a third of what he kicked in all of 2020 – a year when he led Adelaide’s goalkicking, did not look quite so spritely and coach Matthew Nicks had to defend his spot in the side at times.

Because of where they thought Walker’s career was at and what Adelaide had waiting in the wings, some footy observers believed the Crows needed to play ‘Tex’ sparingly this season.

They wanted top-15 picks Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe to be given the keys to the forward line in 2021.

On Saturday, Fogarty and Thilthorpe played for the Crows’ reserves in a trial game at Thebarton Oval, while Walker helped spearhead Adelaide to a win no one outside of West Lakes saw coming.

FORM DRIVER

So what is behind Tex’s run of form and what has changed from last year?

Nicks puts it down to the team as a whole.

He says former captain Walker’s work in prioritising others – a Crows mantra under the second-year Adelaide mentor – is making him a better footballer.

“The difference is not Tex,” Nicks said post-match. “Tex was in the same position last year, had worked super hard, had trained the house down.

“Tex has made his teammates better. Part of that is playing at a level and training at a level like he did in the off-season.

Crows celebrate a Taylor Walker of the Crows goal at the half time siren

“He’s worked with a lot of these guys and showed them the standard over the break and said ‘this is the level you train at, now you’re coming with us or you’re not coming with us’.

“Now his teammates give him better delivery, they bring the ball in more often and he’s a competitor, we know that.

“He deserves everything that he got today – that’s off the back of hard work, working with our younger guys to improve.”

WHAT’S DRIVING TEX?

Walker told The Advertiser having more predictable ball movement was helping him and his healthy pre-season had provided a good base for the year.

He was not concerned about those who had written him off.

“People get paid to have opinions, I’m just letting my footy do the talking,” Walker said.

“I’m just loving playing around the young kids.”

Walker is the Crows’ third-oldest player, behind David Mackay and Rory Sloane.

Sloane now holds the title as skipper but, to Nicks’s point, Walker – the AFL Players’ Association’s Captain of the Year in 2016 and 2017 – is showing leadership in other ways.

In January, Walker told The Advertiser this season he was priding himself on educating the club’s younger players and helping to fast-track their development.

He even called himself an extension of the coaching group.

On Saturday, Walker said he was loving his role as a sounding board to the next generation.

“I treat them like they’re my kids and I want to see them succeed,” he said.

Whenever Walker was asked about his own form, he quickly reverted to Nicks’s theme of prioritising others by mentioning his fellow forwards.

Taylor Walker of the Crows kisses his son before the 2021 AFL Round 01 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Geelong Cats

“I was super proud of the way Bill Frampton competed ahead of the ball – he was outstanding today,” he said.

“James Rowe for his first game at AFL level, you’d think he had played for a period of time because he just fit straight in.

“Ned (McHenry) was outstanding, Lynchy (Tom Lynch) played a great role.

“Shane-o (Shane McAdam) was good.”

ACCIDENTAL GOALS

Walker also wanted to put a teammate first midway through the third quarter when he marked the ball 40m out then, without hesitation, swung onto his right boot and kicked towards goal off one step.

It went through.

From the grandstand, it looked like Walker had felt the football equivalent of basketball’s hot hand.

He had kicked four goals to that point and Adelaide was up by 31 points, so why not have another crack.

The shot seemed effortless.

Fox Footy commentator and champion Hawthorn goalkicker Jason Dunstall called it the best of Walker’s five majors.

Walker told The Advertiser it was actually a mistake.

“You might laugh, but I was meant to pass that off to Shane-o McAdam because I saw him out the back,” he said with a chuckle.

“It came off the side of my boot and it went through for a goal.

“I was more gobsmacked than anyone else in the stadium.

“I think it was just one of those days.”

Walker kickstarted his – and Adelaide’s – day by booting the first goal of the game within four minutes.

Taylor Walker of the Crows celebrates another goal

In front of Adelaide Oval’s famous old scoreboard, he outbodied ex-teammate Josh Jenkins and took the ball out of the ruck, before snapping truly on his left foot.

Walker’s second major was a trademark long-range set-shot during the second term.

His third came from a neat Lynch pass that led him to a chance from about 30m.

The fourth was just after the half-time siren when Walker slotted one from beyond 50 again, which led the home crowd to erupt.

MORE THAN GOALS

Walker did much more than kick goals.

Sure, they were important, but he also brought the ball to ground for the smaller than usual forward line that Nicks backed to surround him and Frampton, and stop Geelong’s kick and catch game with manic defensive pressure.

Walker attacked the footy at pace, providing a target to the midfielders who streamed forward.

His ball use was exemplary and he also handed off three score assists – the equal second-most on the ground.

Nicks was asked in his press conference if the new man-on-the-mark rule could extend Walker’s career because it opened up the game, including for leading forwards.

The Crows coach thought it might.

“Tex’s weapon is his ability to challenge his opponent leading up at the footy,” he said.

Nicks then gave a more certain answer.

“What will prolong Tex’s career is a team playing around him the way they did today,” he said.

“He’s the beneficiary of some really good footy, but he’s also part of the reason why we’re playing some really good footy.”

Walker – the club’s all-time leading goalkicker after overtaking Tony Modra last year – falls out of contract at the end of the season.

His critics thought 2021 would be his swan song.

It still may be.

Although Saturday’s showing and his pre-season performances are not indicative of a player who looks ready to bow out at the end of the year.

Asked about his contract, Walker said: “I’ll just play footy and we’ll sort that out when it needs to be sorted out”.

When Walker does retire, Nicks is sure of one thing.

“His legacy at this footy club is going to be huge”.

CROWS STUN CATS IN FAMOUS WIN NO-ONE SAW COMING

Even the most faithful Adelaide fans would not have seen this coming.

Last year’s wooden spooners with just three wins for the season, the Crows stunned hot favourite Geelong with a gutsy 12-point triumph at Adelaide Oval.

Last year’s beaten grand finalist was expected to cruise to a comfortable win to open the season, only to be denied by a Crows outfit hit hard by injury and down a player for the second half in testing hot weather.

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The Crows attacked the Cats with a fierce passion for the battle, highlighted by relentless tackling pressure and a inspiring desperation.

The Cats cut a 43-point deficit in the third quarter, but the damage had been done.

WALKER FIRES

If Adelaide is to climb off the canvas this season the influence of former captain Taylor Walker is crucial.

Just like his club as a whole, there have been questions hanging over the veteran and he needed to respond. And that is just what he did, making a significant statement with his enthusiasm to be heavily involved.

Walker nailed the first goal when he outbodied former Crow Josh Jenkins in a ruck contest and snapped truly. Not long after, he did the same to Rhys Stanley with terrific bodywork.

Tom Lynch kicked an outstanding goal to give the Crows their second, and it was Walker who hit him on the chest with a pin point pass.

Taylor Walker was outstanding against the Cats. Picture: Getty Images

DANGER TACTICS

With Jeremy Cameron out of the side because of injury, the Cats used Patrick Dangerfield deep in attack early.

He did not get his first stint on the ball until 12 minutes into the second quarter despite the Cats being mauled in the midfield early.

Maybe an interrupted pre-season was the reason, but Dangerfield was back at full forward for the start of the second quarter. Dangerfield will face scrutiny after his bump on Jake Kelly left the Crow concussed in the second quarter.

Dangerfield started the third quarter in the centre and got the opening clearance which set up a goal.

Patrick Dangerfield was moved into the midfield after playing as a deep forward in the first erm. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

INJURY ISSUES

The medical substitute rule helped the Crows at the start of the second quarter when Mitch Hinge was introduced into the contest after Luke Brown left the game due to an Achilles problem.

But the home side was left a player short soon after when Kelly left the game on a stretcher following the Dangerfield bump.

Shane McAdam also limped off because of injury in the second quarter, only to return.

The injury problems were a concern for the Crows given the hot weather conditions.

To add to the Crows injury problems, they lost Hinge early in the third term after he hurt his shoulder.

Shane McAdam returned after a first half injury. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

Adelaide’s injury sub Mitchell Hinge came off with an injury of his own. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

CATS FIND MOMENTUM

The Cats were able to get back into the contest on the back of a lift in workrate in the midfield, getting on top in the centre.

Dangerfield had a huge impact along with Mark Blicavs to constantly give the forwards more opportunities.

Tom Hawkins has been well held by Jordon Butts, but became a target and kick two goals. The Cats kicked four goals from stoppages in the third quarter, evidence of their growing supremacy in the midfield.