Dual Adelaide Crows premiership captain Mark Bickley thinks Taylor Walker's laconic playing style opens him up to criticism about his attack on the contest.
Walker was below his best against Collingwood with his leadership and overall effort coming under heavy scrutiny in the aftermarth of the defeat.
The Crows great says the 27-year-old's breezy style works against him at times, and believes being a two-time winner of the AFL's best captain shouldn't be brushed aside.
"I think he has the tools to deal with it (criticism)," Bickley told SEN Afternoons.
"He is a bloke who has been on the Adelaide list for nine to ten years so this isn’t new for him – he hasn’t always been too far away from criticism. I think a little bit of it comes about because of the style of player that he is.
"He is one of these guys that at times makes it look effortless. Sometimes when he is able to pick the ball up and wheel around - whether it is with his left or right foot - he makes the difficult seem easy.
"When it doesn’t go your way, that laconic nature makes people look at you and say ‘are you really giving your heart and soul to this team as the leader.’
"The other thing to remember is that Taylor has been voted by his peers as the best captain in the AFL for 2016 and 2017. For people to start questioning his captaincy seems a bit convenient.
"I don’t think he is doing a whole lot differently than what he has done in past years."
Adelaide take on Sydney at the SCG this weekend, and SEN's Spud Frawley suggested that Walker started closer to goal, a notion that Bickley agrees with.
"I don’t mind the idea," he said.
"I think one of the dangers on the SCG is that you can spend the day getting the ball kicked over your head, so Taylor spending some time close to goal makes a little bit of sense.
"It’s been Josh Jenkins and Eddie Betts who have played in that deeper role, so they’ve got Mitch McGovern, Jenkins and Walker so they can all mix it up and I’m almost certain Walker will spend some time pretty close to goal this weekend."
Listen to Mark Bickley's chat with Brett Phillips in the player below*