The Adelaide Crows won't force the hand of club legend Taylor Walker as he weighs up the future of his playing career, but have reportedly made it known to him that senior opportunities may be hard to come by in 2026.
According to 9 News' Tom Morris, stints in the SANFL are a real possibility for Walker next season as the club looks to rework their three-pronged key forward line strategy, which fell short of making a strong impact in their straight sets exit.
Adelaide has told Walker of this plan via "open and respectful chats this week" as the club looks to give the 300-gamer full clarity on his role to help him make a call on retirement.
Walker featured in 23 of a possible 25 games for the Crows this season, kicking 39 goals, which ranks third for Adelaide.
He was the main force inside 50 in Adelaide's qualifying final loss, taking nine marks, but only managed an inaccurate 2.3 in front of goal. He was well held by Hawthorn's stingy defence in the semi-final last weekend, kicking 0.2 in the 34-point loss.
It is entirely up to Tex Walker if he wishes to play on in 2026 or retire. The club won’t make the decision for him, but has armed him with all the relevant information to make a call.
Walker’s aware that SANFL footy is a possibility next year, should he choose to go again. That…
— Tom Morris (@tommorris32) September 19, 2025
Taylor Walker will turn 36 in April next year, making him the third key forward to be in the AFL at that age since 2012, should he choose to play on. The other two were Tom Hawkins (2024) and Lance Franklin (2023). Franklin kicked 19 goals in 13 matches that year, while Hawkins kicked 15 from 12 games.
