Kane Cornes says Taylor Walker and Adelaide Crows must part company

As speculation grows over Taylor Walker’s playing future, a former Port Adelaide star has no doubt what must happen.

Outspoken media identity Kane Cornes has implored the struggling Crows to be “ruthless” and sever ties with one of the AFL club’s favourite sons.

Taylor “Tex” Walker is in his 16th season in Adelaide and is off contract at the end of 2024.

Coming off a 76-goal campaign in 2023 and his first All Australian blazer, Walker’s output is well down this season.

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The 34-year-old has only managed 17 goals through 11 games and his five-year streak as Adelaide’s leading goalkicker is under threat from the likes of young guns Darcy Fogarty (23 goals), Izak Rankine (22) and Josh Rachele (17).

Now, in a column in The Age titled, “It’s not personal, but the Crows must make tough call on Walker’s future”, Cornes says it’s time for both parties to go their separate ways.

Kane Cornes and Taylor Walker. Photos: News Corp/Getty Images

“(Adelaide coach Matthew) Nicks needs to make a tough call. So does Walker,” Cornes writes.

“This is not the first time Walker has been tested on his childhood dream to be a Crow and only a Crow.

“Last year we were told Walker was willing to finish his career at another AFL club if Adelaide chose not to re-sign him.

“Once again, there is this image of the Walker camp loading the agenda to pressure Adelaide into talks on a new deal.

“The Crows should stare down Walker’s threats and inform him that this season will be his last at their club.

“But Adelaide has not had a ruthless image since Malcolm Blight arrived at the end of 1996 and culled the club of its senior players.

“Nicks is not Blight. He is a lovely person, a genuine nice guy, but he needs a hard edge.”

Walker’s production is well down in 2024. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Drafted way back in 2007, Walker has played 271 games and kicked a club-record 629 goals, way ahead of the next best and fellow club greats Tony Modra (440) and Eddie Betts (310).

Walker also captained the Crows for five seasons before stepping down after the 2019 campaign.

With a fresh contract offer yet to materialise from the South Australian club, which has fallen short of expectations so far this season with just four wins and a draw from its 14 games, Walker could well be on the lookout for a new team.

“He does want to play in 2025, that is a given,” journalist Damien Barrett said recently on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“He is yet to learn from his own club, that he’s been at since 2007, if (a contract) is going to be with the club he wants, that being the Adelaide Crows.

“That’s a conversation to be had in the next six-to-eight weeks.

“But if it doesn’t go down the path he wants, I’ve got no doubt that he’s open to offers from other clubs.”

Darcy Fogarty (right) and Izak Rankine are among the new Crows forwards making their mark. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Cornes is of the belief that sticking with Walker would be to the detriment of the rebuilding club’s young forwards.

“Adelaide must also consider the stagnation of the team’s younger key forwards when playing alongside Walker," he wrote.

“Walker has been one of the most dominant personalities to have ever played for the club.

“He deserves a big send-off and he should leave the club, and perhaps the game, with a little bit of petrol still in the tank.

“His personal interest, public pressure and desire to keep playing should not come at the detriment of the team.

“Adelaide needs to learn from its mistakes by being ruthless and prioritising the development of its young forwards rather than fall for the sentimentality of appeasing a club great.”

Cornes feels Matthew Nicks (centre) needs to make the tough call. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Port Adelaide premiership winner Cornes also mentioned he expected his comments to be perceived as bias or an agenda against the star Crow.

Cornes and Walker have history, but the 300-game Power player insists that didn’t come into his thinking on Tex’s playing future.

“This is not a callous call based on any bad blood with Walker,” he wrote.

“We’ve had our share of public feuds. I have received prank calls and abusive texts from his phone and he has stated on radio how much he despises me.

“I have been a strong critic, calling out his attack on the ball on the field and, off the field, his racist remark in 2021 and the handling of that incident.

“This is not about any personal agenda.”

The 15th-placed Crows are on a three-game losing run and face another tough test this weekend, hosting the Giants at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.