Kane Cornes is sick and tired of hearing about Taylor Walker’s quest for a contract extension.
It has been reported across the last fortnight that the former club captain has received offers from other clubs, namely Gold Coast.
Walker put the situation all on the table on Triple M.
“I’m out of contract and I want to play on next year, so that’s something ‘Dogga’ (his agent Michael Doughty) can sort out,” Walker said.
“I’m just worried about trying to get a kick at the moment.
“Number one is, ‘Do I want to stay in Adelaide?’. Yes, I do. Is there a contract on the table at the moment? No, there’s not.
“That’s something that Dogga’s going to have to negotiate for me and I’m sure we’ll get to an outcome sooner rather than later.”
However, Cornes feels the Crows are well within their rights to delay putting a contract in front of Walker, given his form, recent suspension and age.
“Last week we heard the story that there is a premiership contender willing to offer Taylor Walker a two-year contract,” Cornes told SEN SA Breakfast.
“I thought ‘okay, that’s pretty convenient the timing of this’. This week it’s ‘no it’s Gold Coast who has a two-year deal on the table for Taylor Walker’. And I thought once again, ‘that’s convenient’.
“Of course he’d rather get it done sooner rather than later, but I tell you what, Adelaide is playing this beautifully and I’m sick of hearing about Taylor Walker’s contract.
CORNES’ THEORY BEHIND TAYLOR WALKER CONTRACT RUMOUR
“What does he expect? Of course the club hasn’t offered him a deal. He’s 32. Nine months ago some thought he might never play again.
“He shattered teammates and had the coach breakdown in tears when he fronted the media on the back of the (racism) story.
“At that stage, (Matthew) Nicks wouldn’t even guarantee that Walker would be back for (2022).
“Credit to Tex, he did return, and he’s done everything right since then and he returned in strong fashion, he kicked 12 goals in his first three games this season.
“However, he’s not in great form anymore. His form has dropped off significantly since those first three games where he was fresh. He hasn’t kicked more than two goals since Round 7 and he’s got just six goals from his last four games.
“So why would the Adelaide Football Club have a contract on the table for Taylor Walker right now?
“Yes, he’s still their most important player, but is he going to be there for their next premiership? No. They’re a rebuilding team that has to prioritise youth.”
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Cornes compared Walker’s push for a contract to Travis Boak and Robbie Gray at Port Adelaide, who are at similar points in their careers.
“Port Adelaide hasn’t re-signed Travis Boak. They possibly don’t have a deal on the table yet for Travis Boak. I don’t hear him fronting the media in his regular appearances sooking about the fact that there is no deal for him,” he added.
“He’s arguably in the five greatest Port Adelaide players ever and he’s had one third of a better career than Walker has had.
“Robbie Gray is in the top three Port Adelaide players of all-time. He could be number one. Do you hear Robbie Gray saying there’s ‘no contract on the table for me’?
“I don’t want to hear about Taylor Walker’s contract again. Adelaide will offer him a contract when they feel like they want to offer him a contract and when they get to it.
“Of course as a player you’d want a contract right now, but at age 32 I’m not sure what he would expect Adelaide to do other than make him wait and see whether he can turn his form around and continue being an upstanding citizen for the back-half of the year.”
Walker has played 227 games for the Crows across his career and is the club’s all-time leading goal kicker.
He has kicked 18 goals in seven games so far in 2022.