Adelaide Flog West Coast Eagles
Adelaide’s champion kicks his best bag in his career as the West Coast Eagles continues its season that isn’t going so well.
TAYLOR Walker scored 10 goals, a new career high in his 250th game in Adelaide’s 122-point rout of West Coast.
Walker was the only Crow to score 10 goals in one game, in Saturday’s 27.12 (174) – 8.4 (52) win at Adelaide Oval.
Adelaide scored the highest total of any club in the league this season and their ninth highest ever in the most lopsided defeat to West Coast’s Adam Simpson in his decade-long coaching career.
CROWS V EAGLES Full coverage of the match and statistics
This was also the Crows biggest win ever over the Eagles, and under Matthew Nicks.
Walker’s seven goals at halftime equaled his previous best, which he had scored against Brisbane in 2015
The 33-year old joins Tony Modra (4 times), Scott Hodges, and Tom Lynch in the Crows’ list of players to score 10 goals in one match.
Walker’s feats allowed Adelaide to climb into the eighth spot and increase their percentage by 11, thanks to seven wins and six losses.
Crows triple-club champion Rory Laird, captain Jordan Dawson and Ben Keays (both 29) dominated midfield.
Izak Ranine scored three goals and five Crows, Darcy Fogarty Riley Thilthorpe Lachlan Murphy Lachlan Sholl, each scored two.
West Coast’s Tim Kelly, Elliott Yeo, and Bailey Williams (20, one goal), fought hard, and Ryan Maric, a mid-season draftee, kicked two goals in his AFL debut, including the first one.
Walker was the first to be greeted by most of the 39.450 strong crowd. It took only 16 seconds before they had their first opportunity.
Walker, who outmarked Rhett Bazo, converted after the Crows won their first clearance.
Adelaide had blitzed Eagles 7.5 to 2.1 in the first term. Walker scored two majors.
In the second half, Walker scored three more goals within the first eight minute span.
Walker’s adoring supporters jeered him midway through the term when he lined up about 55m away and passed to his great friend Sloane.
Walker kicked the ball in the same scenario just before the half, giving the Crows a 66 point lead at the break.
Adelaide continued to heap misery on Simpson and the Eagles as Walker scored his eighth major, a record.
West Coast enters its bye week with one win, 11 losses and 10 by at least 40 points. Three of the losses were by over 100.
Taylor Walker has not always had a positive career, but the Adelaide Crows are devoted to him. So game 250 would be a big celebration for the former captain even if he only scored one goal. He scored three goals by the end the first quarter, and a career-high seven at half-time. Adam Simpson did everything he could to stop Walker, but lacked the manpower. The eighth of his career came in the third term, followed by the ninth and the tenth at the end.
Adelaide’s away record was questioned after a disappointing loss to Gold Coast in the last round. To be honest, Saturday’s 122-point victory over an undermanned West Coast team may not have changed that conversation. When the Crows play, they really do! Matthew Nicks and his team have jumped back up to the top eight after their massive win over the Eagles. They now have a nice percentage advantage on other hopeful finalist teams. A young team is not expected to perform consistently, but the other teams will be concerned if they can get even close to that level of consistency.
West Coast Eagles have not had many occasions to celebrate in recent years, so they will enjoy every moment of happiness. Enter Ryan Maric. Two weeks ago, the 18-year old was working at Woolworths as a night fill stacker. After going number one in the midseason draft, moving west, and playing one WAFL game, he was promoted to the AFL. Maric changed the narrative. It may have appeared that he was there only as the last Eagle standing. He was a member of the “first-kick-first-goal club” less than two minutes into Saturday’s match. As they always do, teammates came from all over. But the smiles that were on their faces revealed a joy reserved for the best moments.
