Taylor Walker’s seemingly scripted apology video ‘is not going to cut’

Taylor Walker has broken his silence on the racial slur, but a former premiership player was unimpressed with the Crows forward’s response.

Taylor Walker Adelaide Crows player has released a video apologising for his racist slur to Robbie Young North Adelaide player. Picture: AFC

Former Port Adelaide player Kane Cornes believes Taylor Walker’s seemingly scripted video apology following a racial slur directed towards SANFL player Robbie Young “is not going to cut it”.

Walker was suspended for six matches and fined $20,000 for a racist comment directed at the North Adelaide player on July 17.

In a video posted to the Adelaide Football Club’s website, the Crows veteran appeared alongside Young and apologised to his family and the wider Indigenous community.

“Robbie expressed his feelings to me to sit next to me today,” Walker said in the video.

“I’m so thankful that you’re here mate, sitting next to me. Thank you for accepting my apology. You’ve shown huge courage and support to me.”

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But Cornes was unimpressed with Walker’s response, criticising the Adelaide forward for not fronting the media and answering questions.

“I’m not sure who is advising Taylor Walker. His management group, this is why you pay them three per cent of your wage,” Cornes told Footy Classified on Monday evening.

“He needs to front the wider media and answer questions.

“I’m not sure we’ve learnt anything from that video that we didn’t already read in the statement that he apologised (in) on Friday.

“He had to be courageous and front up like his coach did, like his CEO did at the difficult times and speak and answer those questions so we can learn more about this situation and what the next steps are.

“A staged and scripted video that was released by the club at 6.20pm on a Monday night before news deadlines is not going to cut it.”

Taylor Walker has represented Adelaide in 215 games since making his AFL debut in 2008.

However, Cornes believes the former Crows captain will represent Adelaide again next year despite the controversy.

“He’s business partners with Mark Ricciuto, they’re close colleagues, they work together and he’s the most influential figure at the Adelaide Football Club,” he said.

Footy Classified host Craig Hutchison echoed Cornes’ remarks, suggesting Walker’s scripted response achieved very little.

“I don‘t think that solved things for him at all. It didn’t look in any way like it achieved anything to me. It looked too little, too late,” Hutchinson said.

“As uncomfortable as it was, he had to face the music on day one and throw himself into the lap of the football community.

“He doesn’t get any empathy nor discount for doing that, but he shouldn’t have done it for those reasons either, it was just the right thing to do.

“It’s going to be very hard for him to play at that footy club again … the trust is broken there. Whatever currency he had outside Adelaide I think is gone.”

"It's going to be very hard for him for him to play at that footy club again."@craighutchy on Taylor Walker's future.#9FootyClassified | Watch @channel9pic.twitter.com/moL8Kc0KJ4

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) August 9, 2021

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Speaking to The Advertiser, Australia’s first Indigenous Olympic gold medallist Nova Peris questioned whether Walker should be allowed to play in the AFL ever again.

“It is clearly deep-seeded racist views here for Taylor Walker,” Peris said.

“This incident was in a public area, people saw him, everyone knows who he is. He is six foot four, a former captain of the Crows and a currently listed AFL player.

“All that and he still had no care factor towards his actions. He was not drunk, because he played for the Crows the very next day.

“He was not in a pub brawl or the heat of a moment battle in an AFL game. This was in broad daylight and he was in control of his actions and thoughts.

“He was representing the Adelaide Crows, representing the AFL, already placed on a public pedestal as a legend and a hero to the Crows.

“It is just plain racist, inexcusable and unforgivable especially from his teammates.”

Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said Walker will be feeling the consequences of his actions for a long time to come.

“(The video) was heartfelt, he said what he needed to stay,” Dunstall said on Monday evening.

“It’s one of those things where you’d give anything to have your time again.

“He’s done it, he has to live with it and he has to cop what comes his way.

“He’s got a lot of work to do to win back the trust and respect of people.”

Originally published as Taylor Walker’s seemingly scripted apology video ‘is not going to cut’