Veteran Adelaide Forward Taylor Walker has revealed a key part to his set shot routine that has helped convert high pressure goals throughout the back end of the season. 

Prior to his critical major late in the final term against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, Walker was seen talking to himself as he prepared for the long range shot at goal. 

When asked about it on Triple M Adelaide Breakfast on Tuesday morning, Walker said he was repeating the word “process” to himself, a tactic he recently adopted after some self-proclaimed kicking struggles earlier in the season. 

“Going back probably two months ago, I was finding it difficult to nail my set shots, so to get myself out of that little rut, I started saying to myself process, process, process,” Walker said. 

“Just so I’d go through my routine and not think about the outcome, before when I was having set shots all I would think about is don’t miss.

“We all know how powerful the mind is, and we do a lot of work on it, so I thought that tactic was how I would get myself out of my own head and not think about the outcome because I know it works.” 

Walker’s goal helped lift the Crows to a memorable Elimination Final win, as they withstood all the Bulldogs had to offer and delivered with five unanswered goals late in the final term. 

The 36-year-old said the group showcased its maturity under pressure in what was a sign of how far they had come in the past 12 months. 

“It was very pleasing, I did say last week we felt we were in a better position for this finals series (than last), we felt really confident going into the game on Saturday night,” Walker said. 

“We were challenged there in the last quarter, the Bulldogs obviously have some great players in Bontempelli and Richards and they certainly put us under the pump. 

“But I thought the maturity of our group really stood up, and we were able to put our noses back in front and then nail our goals in the key moments - kicking straight is the best pressure in footy, and we were able to do that which was pleasing.

“The result gives us a ton of belief, especially because the game wasn’t on our terms for the whole time, that’s what finals are like, so to be able to sit in that moment and embrace the challenge, it gives us great confidence for the next three weeks.”

A critical part to Adelaide’s victory was the efforts of defender Josh Worrell, who recorded an AFL finals record 19 intercept possessions in a best on ground performance.

“He was walking around yesterday calling himself ‘Gary’, because he’s sitting on top of the Gary Ayres Medal,” Walker said. 

“He was unbelievable, Woz, and we’re grateful to have him playing like that, he certainly makes us better and he’s a ripping fella.

“The backs were under the pump a fair bit throughout the night, so for not only Woz but the whole backline to stand tall under that pressure, it really set the game up for us on Saturday night.” 

The Crows will now prepare themselves for a do-or-die Semi-Final against reigning premier Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night. 

Adelaide will be hoping to flip the script on its Round Seven performance against the Lions in Brisbane, where they fell by 52 points. 

“There’s lots of experience we will have in our team this time around compared to last, so that fills us with enormous belief that we can go up there and get the job done,” Walker said. 

“There will be some unlucky boys that miss out, but what I will say is Nicksy, Muz (Murray Davis) and the coaches along with Mackers (Ian McKeown) and the High Performance staff have done a great job to get us to this point. 

“We’ve got a squad that is ready to go, last year we were probably the opposite in the sense we were pretty cooked, we’re in a great position to have a crack at the Brisbane Lions on Saturday.”

Adelaide takes on Brisbane in a Semi-Final at the Gabba this Saturday night, with the match to start at 7.05pm (ACST). 

For fans who can’t make it up to Brisbane, you can show your support for the Club by supporting our AFLW team in a blockbuster clash against the Cats at Unley Oval on Saturday afternoon, with the match to begin at 2.35pm. 

Get your tickets here.