King Carey anoints Taylor Walker

LEGENDARY Wayne Carey says the Crows can cause a huge upset by defeating Hawthorn tomorrow on the back of a standout performance from Taylor Walker.

Wayne Carey and Taylor Walker

LEGENDARY Wayne Carey says the Crows can cause a huge upset by defeating Hawthorn tomorrow on the back of a standout performance from Taylor Walker.

Carey - a premiership player with North Melbourne in 1996 and 1999 - said he had been impressed by Walker's breakout season and believed the Broken Hill product could be the key to one of the greatest preliminary final boilovers in AFL history.

"I love his attack on the footy  and I loved his game last week (against Fremantle)," Carey said.

Carey caught up with Walker yesterday at Carey's former teammate Mark Ricciuto's pub - the Alma Tavern - for a Triple M broadcast of The Rush Hour.

"Obviously the start will be so important, but if they put the pressure on them (Hawthorn) early I think they can be right in it," Carey said.

But as much as Carey talked up Walker, it would be just as much about fellow key forward Kurt Tippett against Hawthorn.

"As bad as this sounds, if Walker gets (Josh) Gibson, you've almost got to start going through Tippett," Carey said earlier this week.

Carey predicted the potential match-up of Ryan Schoenmakers and Tippett would be a game-breaker.

"He's been good, Schoenmakers, but when he's on someone a lot bigger than him and stronger than him, he does struggle," Carey said.

"It's a huge game for Tippett. He has to play well for Adelaide to win.

"It's as simple as that.

"If he competes and works hard, he'll be OK - and I don't think he's working hard enough."