Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks is imploring his crew to do justice to Taylor Walker’s 250-game milestone and keep away from a slip-up in opposition to AFL cellar-dwellers West Coast.
Walker would be the central character in Saturday’s Adelaide Oval encounter between the ninth-placed Crows and the last-placed Eagles.
“He will leave an incredible legacy at this footy club,” Nicks advised reporters on Friday.
“We just hope we can do that justice tomorrow. We hope we can put a performance on that he can remember.”
The 33-year-old, Adelaide’s all-time main goalkicker, will mark his milestone after which begin negotiations on a recent contract for subsequent season.
That prospect appeared gloomy in Nicks’ first season in control of the Crows in 2020 when Walker struggled with 15 targets from 14 video games.
But since then the spearhead has returned season hauls of 48, 47 and 28 targets thus far this yr.
“I have been blessed and lucky enough that Tex found his form,” Nicks stated.
“There was a period there … where people thought he was slowing down – and he proved them wrong.
“So I’ve been fortunate sufficient to look at a few of his greatest footy.
“He’s really important to our group both on and off the field, he’s a leader … the guys follow him.
“Hopefully he can have a extremely robust recreation however extra so the crew, actually all he is after is a win tomorrow.”
Anything but a Crows win in the twilight fixture would be a major upset against an injury-cursed Eagles outfit with just a solitary victory this season.
But such talk makes Nicks nervous.
“Week-in, week-out, the competitors is so tight,” he stated.
“They have a midfield that’s pretty much as good as any within the competitors.
“Yeah, they’ve had their challenges with injury across the year and that’s probably where the results haven’t been where they want.
“But they will play some actually excessive stage footy and, if given the chance. then that is very harmful.
“So we know we’re going to have our work cut out.
“When you go up in opposition to the midfield like West Coast convey, for those who’re not at the least matching that then you are going to end up taking part in again half.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
