Taylor Walker has become the first player in Adelaide Crows history to cross the 500-goal mark, playing a pivotal role in his side’s upset win over the Western Bulldogs.
Walker finished with three goals for the match, with the final one coming with just minutes left as Adelaide ran out 8. 15. (63) to 9. 8. (62) winners at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.
The former captain showed nerves of steel to drill his set shot after young forwards Joshua Rachele and Ned McHenry had both missed easy set shots just minutes earlier.
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“I knew the wind was coming across so I just had to kick it hard at the left goal post and it just came back,” Walker told Fox Footy after the win.
“We’ll have to work on a little bit of goal kicking, we kicked a fair few points.
“The most pleasing thing for us is we haven’t had two wins in a row for a good couple of years now.
“So to get on the road and come down here, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for us coming over here, so it’s another character-building (win) and gives our young boys a lot of belief.
“Results certainly help, when you get the four points it gives you that extra bit of belief. We know the way we want to play and it’s starting to come to fruition now so it’s great for our young boys.”
It was a tense arm-wrestle for the entirety of the match, but the Crows once again showed their ability to run out games well, and Walker said the arrival of highly-touted fitness boss Darren Burgess had made a tangible difference.
“Burgo’s done an amazing job over the break,” he said.
“I’ve said it a few times, the COVID has allowed our boys to learn how to train in the off-season and it sets them up for a healthy pre-season and now we reap the rewards.”
The win currently has the 3-3 Crows in ninth position on the AFL ladder, while the Bulldogs, who were one of the pre-season premiership fancies, languish in 11th.