The Adelaide Crows have locked in star forward Taylor Walker for a further three seasons, ensuring he remains at the club until the end of 2018.
The 24-year-old overcame an injury ravaged 2013 to kick 34 goals in 15 appearances last season after spending a year on the sidelines recovering from knee surgery.
Walker is the first of three key crucial building blocks, along with Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane, to re-up with the Crows before hitting free agency at the end of next season.
“I love the club and in particular this playing group, and have great confidence about the future,” Walker said Tuesday.
“My best footy is definitely ahead of me and I start this pre-season in great shape.
“This announcement has been in the pipeline for a long time, and I am pleased to have it sorted so I can concentrate on my footy.”
Both Walker and new coach Phil Walsh admitted Tuesday that they are clueless as to whether Dangerfield and Sloane will re-sign early or opt to see what they can fetch on the free market.
“I would love to have them here, they are a big part of this footy club going forward,” Walker said.
“Who knows, mate. I’m not in their heads. Hopefully they can make that decision and be a big part of this footy club.”
Walker booted bags of five and six goals after making a successful comeback in round 9, but says returning to peak condition is a lengthy process and his best is yet to come.
“I was really confident with my knee by the end of the year … I played 15 games in a row and didn’t have any soft tissue injuries,” he said. “After blowing your knee out and spending 12 months out of the game … I was really happy just to be back playing footy.”
Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images.
