Adelaide Crows news: Matthew Nicks reveals Taylor Walker knew weeks ago he could play on

Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks says Taylor Walker has known for weeks the club wanted him to play on, revealing how the club has supported him through the racism saga.

Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks says Taylor Walker has “known for a number of weeks” that he is wanted at the club by him in 2022.

Nicks gave the clearest indication that Walker will be at the Crows in 2022 at Adelaide’s Club Champion award night on Saturday.

Walker’s future at the club was under a cloud, despite him being contracted for next year, after he was banned for six matches for using a racial slur about North Adelaide’s Robbie Young at a SANFL match.

At the Convention Centre Nicks paid tribute to the career best seasons by Walker, Rory Laird, Ben Keays and Paul Seedsman this year.

“And we will need all four of you next year,” he said, at which much of the crowd in the room burst into applause.

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Taylor Walker has known for several weeks the Crows want him to play on.

On Tuesday Nicks said it “was a deliberate statement”.

“Tex has known for a number of weeks, he has known he has my support right the way through,” Nicks said on Triple M.

“I think people make mistakes, he has learnt from that and he has done some amazing work over the last month in repairing relationships, working with people to make a difference.

“I’ve been there for him, it has been a really tough couple of weeks for him

“I will always be there for him and the statement made at the (best and fairest) is that he is really important to what we do at this footy club, both on and off the field.

“I really do want him and the other three boys here next year, they are really important to add that experience to our young group which is developing really well.”

As well as the six game ban, the final three games of the Crows’ 2021 season and the opening trio of their 2022 campaign, Walker was forced to donate $20,000 to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander charity and undergo education.

When he fronted the media for the first time since the ban was imposed on him, Walker said he would be going out into regional Australia as part of his education.

POINTED SPEECHES GIVE INSIGHT INTO CROWS’ FUTURE

If Crows fans wanted answers about the big issues around their club right now, then at the very least they got some big indications on Saturday night.

At arguably the most anticipated Club Champion night in Adelaide’s recent history, nearly every word would be analysed.

So the key Crows figures who took to the stage didn’t miss when they wanted to get a point across.

First in his chairman’s address, in which he revealed images of the club’s “intergenerational” new headquarters project at either Brompton or Thebarton, John Olsen made sure the room at the Convention Centre knew the reason why principal partner Optus was no longer continuing with its agreement of the club.

“Several months ago, and I stress it was several months ago, Optus decided to redirect some of their sponsorship to the national women’s soccer (team),” he said.

This was an obvious reference to Optus announcing it had decided pull its sponsorship of the Crows in the aftermath of Taylor Walker’s ban for racial vilification.

Walker’s potential attendance at the event — after being absent from the club since he was hit with the ban — was the big talking point coming in to the night.

Ultimately, after a decision by the playing group, the former captain was allowed to attend.

Those Adelaide fans and members in the room made no secret of what they thought about Walker when he collected his leading goalkicker award — producing the loudest applause of the night.

They were back at it when Nicks — dressed in all black and joking that he had already been told he looked like Darth Vader — gave the biggest indication of where Walker’s future in 2022 sat.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks has indicated where he sees Taylor Walker next season.

Talking about the big steps some of the Crows younger players — such as Jordon Butts, Harry Schoenberg, Lachlan Sholl and Riley Thilthorpe — made in 2021, Nicks also praised his more experienced players.

“And we had senior players such as Rory Laird, Taylor Walker, Ben Keays and Paul Seedsman, who continued their growth with career best seasons,” he said.

“We will need all four of you next year.”

That wasn’t the only pointed comment Nicks made in his speech.

As well as the saga around Walker, the night was held amid a backdrop of reports that the Crows had secured the highly respected Neil Balme to be their new head of football.

No agreement has been struck, and the Crows have had informal talks with the current Richmond senior figure.

But this did raise the question about what was happening with current footy boss Adam Kelly in the increasingly likely scenario that Balme is lured back to SA.

He was getting asked if he had been sacked by the club, but Nicks made sure it was known Kelly wasn’t going anywhere.

“To Adam Kelly, not many have earnt the respect of the group that you have in such a short time,” he said.

“You have been a rock for me and I look forward to working with you long into the future.”

Riley Thilthorpe arrives at the Adelaide best-and-fairest count. Picture: Matt Loxton

As in 2020, the 2021 event had a sense of optimism after some steps forward by the Crows this season.

Nicks said he “had great confidence in the growth that was yet to come and optimism for the future”.

The retiring David Mackay said the foundations the club was putting in place were strong.

“The future is bright and if you continue to invest in this club and each other I have no doubt that great things will come,” he said.

Even the comical situation where attendees could raise their glasses to the winners of the respective best-and-fairest awards — Rory Laird won his second gold jacket, Ebony Marinoff her first and Kieran Strachan won the SANFL award — but couldn’t drink while standing up, didn’t dent the optimism in the room as the Crows rebuild continues.

Revealed: Crows ramp up search for new HQ site

— Simeon Thomas-Wilson

Adelaide will formally lodge an expression of interest with Renewal SA in the coming days to establish its new headquarters on the Brompton Gasworks site.

The Gasworks site and Thebarton Oval are the two sites being considered by the Crows for a move away from its current West Lakes facility.

Thebarton Oval would result in the Crows sharing the facility with the SANFL and Amateur Football League, while they would be by themselves at Brompton.

Renewal SA have opened a tender process, asking developers to set aside close to a quarter of the land as public open space.

The Crows have been tipped to put in a bid for the 5.81ha site alongside property developer Ross Pelligra — who recently purchased the Adelaide Giants baseball franchise off them.

The former Brompton gasworks site. Picture: Renewal SA

At Adelaide’s Club Champion award night on Saturday evening, Crows chairman John Olsen said the club would lodge its bid in the coming days.

“It is clear there is a shared sense of optimism about the future, that we are building a strong foundation on which we can push forward for sustained success,” he said.

“At the centre of our planning for the future is new headquarters.

“We have a board sub committee that is meeting weekly to discuss a range of options that include Thebarton and Brompton

Heritage structures at the former Brompton gasworks site, including the Retort House, its chimney and the bluestone wall on Chief St. Picture: Renewal SA

“In the coming days we are going to lodge a formal expressions of interest with Renewal SA for the Brompton site while continuing our due diligence and discussions over Thebarton.”

Olsen said it would be transformative project by the club.

“This is an intergenerational decision that will ensure our players, coaches, staff, sponsors, members and supporters will have a world-class facility to call home,” he said.

“This is about cementing the Adelaide football club as a destination club, rebuilding towards finals with an excellent culture and a great member and player facility.”

The Crows have $15 million from the Federal Government to go towards a new headquarters.

Thebarton Oval is also under consideration. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

On Saturday night Olsen showed those in the room at the Convention Centre concept images for what the Crows had planned for Brompton and Thebarton.

The Brompton image showed the retention of the Gasworks chimney.

The option at Brompton is close to the tram line and along a train route, giving the Crows the public transport option to Adelaide Oval they seek.

The Thebarton Oval precinct is also expected to be impacted by the North-South Corridor project along South Road.

Originally published as Adelaide Crows news: Matthew Nicks reveals Taylor Walker knew weeks ago he could play on