Adelaide Crows spearhead Taylor Walker during his five-goal game against Carlton. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: The Advertiser
ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson wants Taylor Walker to ignore the urge to test his newly bulked-up frame against opposition defenders and keep playing to his strengths.
Walker has appeared overly enamoured with the added muscle he's put on over summer during the Crows' pre-season games - often choosing to wrestle his opponent instead of leading up at the ball.
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But after a match-winning five-goal haul in Adelaide's three-point win against Carlton on Friday night - in which he was continually on the move - the penny appears to have dropped for the 22-year-old.
It's speed, not strength, that is Walker's greatest advantage.
"I think sometimes players, if they feel like they're a bit stronger, they like to get in a wrestle more," Sanderson said.
"But I think our key forwards perform a lot better when they sit off and jump."
To put Walker's haul against the Blues in perspective, he has kicked five goals just once in his 64-game AFL career.
It was a splendid response to the lesson he was given by Harry Taylor in Geelong last weekend and a performance Sanderson attributed to a heart-to-heart between Walker and forward coach Mark Bickley mid-week.
"They worked out a different strategy this week and a couple of key points to focus on and his form was much better," Sanderson said.
"He played well, his energy was up and he's invaluable to our success going forward."
Walker received his share of criticism after the 63-point defeat to the Cats and when Matt Jaensch ran close to 100m out of his way to pat him on the back after a goal on Friday night, it's clear his teammates were looking to pick him up.
Sanderson admitted he'd singled Walker out during the review of the Geelong game.
"We're pretty honest with our feedback to our players," he said.
"He knew he wasn't up to his normal high standards last week."
(Walker) played well, his energy was up and he's invaluable to our success going forward
The Walker-Josh Jenkins tandem was far more productive, as the Crows showed they were capable of returning to the ruthlessly efficient forward line of last season.
They finished with 22 shots at goal from 41 forward entries.
The duo combined for seven goals and clearly won their battle with Michael Jamison and Lachie Henderson.
It is defence that continues to cause the most headaches.
The Crows' back six did well to combat a small Carlton forward line, which at times forced Ben Rutten to pick up a small.
And Adelaide markedly reduced the number of "over the top" goals it had conceded against Fremantle and Geelong, with Ricky Henderson personally saving a couple.
But Brent Reilly is still searching for his best form and the Crows became exposed when their midfield tired.
They've conceded back-to-back scores of 100-plus points after doing it just five times in 25 games last season.
"We shuffled around OK tonight at times," said Sanderson of his team's efforts to combat Carlton's mosquito fleet.
"(Round 1 opponent) Essendon will play Ryder, Hurley and Crameri so they've got two and a half talls or three talls. So next week that won't be an issue for us. At different times during the season we'll have to adjust."
Adelaide's intensity was much better in the first three quarters and there's good reason to believe the final quarter fadeout was caused by the rotation cap.
With just three main training sessions remaining before the home date with the Bombers, Sanderson conceded there was still work to do.
"If you take out the supergoals, it's a loss," he said.
Ian Callinan, who copped a knock to his knee in the first term, is expected to be ready for Round 1.
Jared Petrenko is also in the selection frame after a strong return from a long-term shoulder injury.
"I loved his first half," Sanderson said.
"I think he only had five or six possessions but his pressure and the errors he forced the opposition to make were really critical for us.
"What he brought tonight was what we need."
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