2009 season:
Walker made his AFL debut in round one against Collingwood and became one of the few AFL footballers to kick a goal with his first kick. He played the first 13 games of the season and kicked 23 goals. In round 10 he earned a NAB Rising Star nomination for his five first half goals against Hawthorn that set up Adelaide’s 27 point win. Dropped after round 12, Walker performed strongly in the SANFL and gained another opportunity in round 19 but was unable to hold his spot for the finals. He finished the year with 88 kicks and 57 marks from 14 games. Walker will be looking to cement his spot in Adelaide’s forward line and he believes the options Adelaide now has in attack make it an exciting prospect. “I’m still trying to find myself, as is Patrick Dangerfield. With Kurt Tippett and Jason Porplyzia down there we’ve got a few guys we can go to,” Walker said. “With the youth coming through it is going to be very exciting for the Adelaide Football Club over the next couple of years.”

David Noble’s 2009 review:
“Halfway through the year Taylor was sitting in the top group in the league for marks and goals inside 50, a phenomenal effort for a 19-year-old in his first year. He’s a really important cog in our forward line. He puts pressure on the likes of Hentschel, Burton and McKernan. Taylor needs to get himself super fit over pre-season, so he’s able to play for a longer period of time. If he gets the ball in his hands four or five times he’s going to convert at 80 per cent or better, so he’s a dangerous forward.”

Career:
Walker played in North Broken Hill’s senior premiership side in 2007, where he kicked seven goals in the Grand Final. He represented NSW/ACT at under 18 level in 2007 and was chosen in the All Australian under 18 side. Walker signed with the Adelaide Football Club via the NSW Scholarship Program in 2006, realising his childhood dream of playing for the club he grew up supporting. Walker showed a lot of promise in the SANFL for Norwood in 2008, kicking 46 goals in his first year of league football. He starred in the SANFL finals series kicking seven goals in the elimination final against Port Adelaide.