Few players have left a bigger footprint on the Adelaide Football Club than Taylor Walker.
A former captain, All-Australian and the Club's all-time leading goalkicker, Walker's career has delivered memorable victories, personal milestones and some of the most iconic performances in Crows history.
As the curtain begins to fall on an extraordinary AFL journey, revisit the key moments that defined the career of Tex.
Taylor Walker's Crows football timeline
May 24, 2006: Adelaide signed its first AFL NSW Scholarship player, 16-year-old Taylor Walker from North Broken Hill Football Club.
September 2007: The 17-year-old kicked seven goals and was best-on-ground for his home club in its A-grade premiership win.
November 24, 2007: Walker was officially secured by the Crows in the AFL National Draft.
April 23, 2008: Made his SANFL league debut with Norwood and kicked 56 goals during the season, including seven in the Elimination Final, to win the Club’s leading goalkicker award.
March 28, 2009: Walker made his AFL debut in the opening round against Collingwood at the MCG. He booted a goal with his first kick and the Crows won by four points.
31 May, 2009: Kicked five goals against Hawthorn – all in the first half – to earn an AFL Rising Star nomination. But he was out of the side a few weeks later and was not selected for the finals.
2010: Walker had to win his spot back in the AFL side and eventually played 18 games, for 35 goals.
2011: Kicking 32 goals from 13 games was enough to earn Walker his first Crows Leading Goalkicker award.
March 17, 2012: Walker kicked three goals (including a ‘super goal’) in Adelaide’s pre-season premiership win against West Coast at AAMI Stadium.
2012: Enjoyed a breakout season, kicking 63 goals in 19 matches to top Adelaide's goalkicking and be named in the All-Australian squad, for the first time. He was influential in his first finals series, kicking five goals against Fremantle and then four in the preliminary final against Hawthorn.
April 27, 2013: Walker ruptured the ACL in his right knee against Carlton at the MCG.
April 25, 2014: On his 24th birthday, Walker returned to the field with Adelaide’s SANFL side and kicked three goals against Glenelg.
May 15, 2014: Back in the AFL side for a win over Collingwood on a Thursday night at Adelaide Oval.
2014: Won Adelaide’s Best Team Man Award.
January 13, 2015: First-year Crows coach Phil Walsh announced Walker was Adelaide’s new captain.
April 5, 2015: In his first game as Crows captain, Walker kicked 6.5 in a big win against the Kangaroos at Adelaide Oval.
August 1, 2015: Played his 100th AFL game against Sydney at the SCG.
September 12, 2015: In his first finals campaign as captain, Walker helped Adelaide win a memorable Elimination Final against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG, starring with three goals and then passing to Charlie Cameron for the decisive late goal.
2016: Walker kicked 47 goals in 23 games and was voted the AFL Players’ Association Best Captain, an honour he would win again in 2017.
September 30, 2017: Walker captained Adelaide in the AFL Grand Final against Richmond at the MCG. Finished the season with 54 goals and received Life Membership of the Crows.
2018: A foot injury restricted Walker to 14 games and 26 goals.
2019: Walker was named co-captain with Rory Sloane and again topped Adelaide’s goalkicking with 43 goals, passing the 400-goal milestone in round 11.
February 28, 2020: Represented the All Stars team against Victoria in a game to raise funds for bushfire relief.
September 19, 2020: Walker, who stepped down as a co-captain before the season, battled an annoying knee issue and kicked only 15 goals from 14 games in a challenging season impacted by COVID. He played his 200th game against Geelong and later became Adelaide’s all-time leading goalkicker when he kicked his 441st goal to overtake Tony Modra.
May 22, 2021: Adelaide upset previously unbeaten Melbourne after Walker kicked the winning goal from a set shot with 45 seconds left on the clock.
2021: Walker won Adelaide’s leading goalkicker award for the fifth time after kicking 48 goals for the season.
2022: Walker claimed his sixth Leading Goalkicker award with 47 goals, finished fourth in the Club Champion votes and was named in the All-Australian squad.
June 10, 2023: Walker kicked a career-high 10 goals in his 250th AFL match.
2023: Walker produced a career-best season with 76 goals, won his seventh Adelaide Leading Goalkicker award, secured All-Australian selection for the first time and polled a career-high 16 Brownlow Medal votes. He also won his first Showdown Medal after a seven-goal performance against Port Adelaide in Round 20.
2024: A sore back threatened Walker’s career but he signed another one-year contract at the end of the season, after kicking 29 goals in 18 games.
September 4, 2025: Walker played his 300th AFL game in the Qualifying Final against Collingwood, becoming the fifth Crow to reach the milestone.
July 23, 2026: His first goal against Collingwood was his 700th in the AFL and he was the 28th player to reach the milestone in VFL/AFL history.
August 10, 2026: The key forward announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season.
