Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes has slammed a “bizarre” report suggesting there are multiple rival clubs lining up to sign Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker.
The 32-year-old has enjoyed a strong season, kicking 21 goals in eight appearances so far, but remains without a deal for 2023.
A Triple M report from Chris Dittmar last week suggested that clubs in the premiership window were keen to throw multi-year deals at Walker, and Cornes claimed it was a story planted in the media by Walker’s management.
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“I think it’s one of the most bizarre player-driven media-contract circuses I’ve seen,” Cornes told Nine’s Footy Classified.
“Nine months ago, the coach was in tears not guaranteeing whether he’d be there this year, let alone next year.
“He’s 32. I don’t see Travis Boak, who is twice as good a player as Taylor Walker, complaining about not getting a contract.
“Come on, let’s be honest, he should be signing a one-year deal as quickly as he possibly can at Adelaide. He owes that club, he’s not going anywhere.
“I find it bizarre at the midway point of the year his good mate on the radio station that he works at one week said there’s three clubs in the premiership window, the next week says it’s a two-year deal at the Gold Coast, which we know is incorrect.
“We know managers do that stuff all the time, I just think go back and watch the vision of Matthew Nicks in tears not guaranteeing whether he’d be back.
“It’s convenient timing that on his very own radio station when he’s searching for a contract at the midway point of the year, there’s two different stories in the space of a week linking him to up to seven or eight clubs.”
According to The Age’s Caroline Wilson, Walker’s excellent form will be rewarded with a one-year extension in the coming months, but she too urged him not to walk out on the Crows after his racism row last year.
“You think (leaving Adelaide) would be a decent act after the way the club stood up for him last year, the damage he wreaked upon that club?” Wilson asked.
“They fought with the AFL as recently as pre-season to try and get him to be able to train, they lost that battle.
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“They’re going to offer him a one-year deal later this month, and my understanding is that he knows that and he is pretty happy to stay.
“You don’t think it’s right to say he actually owes Adelaide in this situation? I don’t think he would even consider it, it would be a dreadful thing to do.”