Isaac Cumming on Broken Hill, Taylor Walker and debuting as a Crow

Isaac Cumming and Taylor Walker first crossed paths in Broken Hill. Now, 17 years later, they’re set to be crucial to Adelaide’s push for a return to finals. SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON speaks to the star Crows recruit.

Isaac Cumming will debut for Adelaide on Sunday.

There’s a photo taken in Broken Hill in 2008 of a teenager and three kids.

Seventeen-years later two of those pictured will run out together as Adelaide teammates for the first time.

On Sunday Isaac Cumming will run out on Adelaide Oval for the first time in Crows colours after his off-season move from GWS.

Running out with him will be fellow Broken Hill product and footy idol Taylor Walker.

There might be an eight year age gap between Cumming and Walker.
But the two former North Broken Hill Bulldogs have a friendship that has transcended the age gap, living in different states and before Sunday playing for rival teams.
Now, Cumming’s idol is his teammate.

“Oh it will be super special,” he told this masthead.

“I sort of think back to the days before I was drafted and I trained with him in the off-season (in Broken Hill) when he was just a young player and I would get a couple of wise words from him every now and then.

“And once I got picked up on a list having him there to sort of learn on whenever I needed especially early days (at the Giants).

“I think it is going to be special for us but I also can’t wait to hear the Broken Hill boys in the crowd.”

Crows recruit Isaac Cumming and his dog Nelson at Seacliff Beach. Picture: Dean Martin

Before he became the Crows talisman he is, Walker led the Bulldogs to the 2007 Broken Hill Football League premiership with a seven-goal best on ground performance.

Cumming himself has played in a premiership for the Bulldogs, in 2016.

He has a tattoo on his leg to commemorate it and says it is one of the best days of his life.

You can’t underestimate just how important Broken Hill and Walker have been for Cumming.

“I’ve got two older brothers around his age so I think I have known of him forever for as long as I can remember,” he said.

“So in terms of meeting him, there is a photo of us when I was 10 I reckon and that is probably my earliest memory of meeting him.

“Honestly it is crazy, I can’t think you can really underestimate just how good of a player he has been.

Cumming will play his first match as a Crow on Sunday. Picture: Adelaide Football Club

Cumming tries to get a handball away during pre-season. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Obviously we know him as the boy from Broken Hill but he is also the Crows all time leading goalkicker, was the best key forward in the league for a couple of years there, has won best captain at the AFL awards.

“All those things you sit back and think holy shit this guy is a superstar, he is also from the same home town as me and I get to call him a mate.

“Things like that make it really special.”

Even Cumming’s nickname of “cheese” has a tie to Walker.

“It was originally cheeseball and it came from years and years ago,” he said.

“I was nine or 10 years old and I was tiny the runt of the litter and one of Tex’s good mates actually and one of my good mates now at the cricket said I was like a little cheeseball and it has stuck.”

Even though he was at a rival club, before Cumming made his debut for the Giants against West Coast in Round 8, 2018, Walker rang him to congratulate him on the milestone.

“I remember doing something similar to this I had an interview before my AFL debut and he actually called me on the way to that interview,” he said.

“A lot of exciting stuff happens around the debut but that phone call was very nice.”

Taylor Walker with Isaac Cumming, Lachie Tiziani and Kobe Mutch in 2008.

Cumming at Crows training. Picture: Kelly Barnes

HOW DID I NOT DO THIS FOR EIGHT YEARS?

Cumming was drafted by the Giants with the 20th pick of the 2016 Draft.

He never felt homesick in Sydney, but now in Adelaide with one of his brothers and his sister both living in South Australia, he is amazed just how much he is enjoying being around family.

“I said this to someone the other day. I never ever felt homesick living away from home and I never really missed my family that much where it was taking its toll,” he said.

“But now I have moved to Adelaide and I am seeing my sister and brother three times a week it is like “how did I not do this for eight years?” so it is little things like that are super special.

“Spending time with my brother and his son, my nephew, on the weekend are just moments that I am super grateful for.”

His parents and his oldest brother are still in Broken Hill, although Cumming reckons the folks might move to Adelaide after his mum retires.

They are coming down for his debut against St Kilda on Sunday, while partner Mia’s family will also be there as well as some “rowdy Broken Hill boys in GA”.

New recruit Isaac Cumming is on the board for the Crows 🤝#AFLLionsCrowspic.twitter.com/3EuH5RZ6Mz

— AFL (@AFL) February 27, 2025

But this didn’t mean that a move to South Australia at the end of 2024 when his contract at the Giants ran out.

“Honestly it was the hardest thing I ever had to do,” he said.

“And if I am being honest I didn’t think I was going to, the plan at the start of the year was to stay and it was throughout the whole year.

“But as time goes on things change and so do intentions and those last couple of months were so hard, it is a great footy club with the best people and some of my best mates.

“So that was super tough.”

Now in Adelaide, enjoying the time with Mia and new puppy Nelson, Cumming is also hoping a change of scenery can result in the injury issues that plagued him in 2024 can be a thing of the past.

A calf issue in pre-season was followed by a hamstring injury that kept him out until Round 16.

Then he suffered another hamstring strain that kept him out of the Giants final five games of the home and away season before returning for finals.

There was a hamstring injury in pre-season for the Crows, but with Adelaide high performance manager Darren Burgess in contact with the highly respected high performance team at the Giants there is hope that he can get a good run at it in 2025.

Cumming as a Giant.

“Last year it was just re-injury after re-injury and you start to think what is going on here is it me?” he said,

“I knew that Burgo was at the Crows and as I looked into it knowing I would be in good hands here helped.

“I think it comes with the role as well (playing on the wing), I feel like on the wing if I am not sprinting then I am no chance of getting the pig at all.

“It comes down to management which I have never been good at, because if I am out on the track and I am training I want to be training as intense as I can and given my injury history that might not be the wisest call.”

When Cumming decided he wanted to make the move to SA to play his footy, it pitted the Crows and Port Adelaide against each other once again.

Ultimately for him it was knowing people at West Lakes, on top of Walker he was coached by Matthew Nicks when he was an assistant at the Giants, that led him to choosing the Crows.

“When he was at the Giants we all loved him and I got along with him really well and there would be a random message every now and then from him along the years and then honestly I think that was the biggest factor coming to a footy club where I knew people and had some strong relationships,” he said.

“I suppose he has a bit more authority now he is the head coach but he is still the bubbly, positive and chirpy coach I remember him as. I’m keen to see what he will be like when the pressure is on on Sunday though.”

Originally published as Isaac Cumming on Broken Hill, Taylor Walker and debuting as a Crow