AFL: Out-of-contract Adelaide Crows forward Taylor Walker wants to play for at least one more season

Adelaide forward Taylor Walker is still playing well and wants to continue in 2023 but do the Crows share those sentiments?

Taylor Walker remains the Crows’ most prolific forward. Picture: Getty Images

Former Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker wants to extend his Crows career into a 16th season next year but is yet to receive a contract offer.

The 32-year-old has picked up where he left off last year, kicking 18 goals in seven games to be Adelaide’s leading goalkicker in 2022, ahead of first-year player Josh Rachele.

That formline would suggest Walker has more football left in him but his age and the Crows’ rebuild potentially complicates matters after he signed a one-year deal last July.

“I’m out of contract and I want to play on next year, so that’s something ‘Dogga’ (his agent, Michael Doughty) can sort out,” Walker told Triple M Adelaide.

“I’m just worried about trying to get a kick at the moment.

Taylor Walker is the Crows’ leading goalkicker with 18 this season. Picture: Getty Images

“No.1 is, ‘Do I want to stay in Adelaide?’. Yes, I do. Is there a contract on the table at the moment? No, there’s not.

“That’s something that Dogga’s going to have to negotiate for me and I’m sure we’ll get to an outcome sooner rather than later.”

The Crows have several young key forwards, including first-round draft picks Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty, as well as Elliot Himmelberg and Lachie Gollant, so that must be figured into Walker’s situation.

The 227-gamer missed the last three matches of last year and first three this season serving a suspension – with a $20,000 fine on top – for making a racist comment aimed at North Adelaide’s Robbie Young.

Taylor Walker and coach Matthew Nicks have a decision to make about his future at the Crows. Picture: Getty Images

But Walker’s been welcomed back into the club after apologising and working to “educate himself” during his suspension, coach Matthews Nicks said ahead of his return game in April.

“There’s been a lot of work done both in footy and away from footy,” Nicks said.

“‘Tex’ is a player loved by our members and supporters. He’s cheered every second week like no other when we play home games.

“He can still play at the top level. He’s as good as any when he’s on.”

Walker said there was no timeline on when he wanted a deal to be negotiated by but that he would “love to get it done sooner rather than later”.

Originally published as AFL: Out-of-contract Adelaide Crows forward Taylor Walker wants to play for at least one more season