CROWS FLY AS WALKER KICKS ON
Hosts delighted with win over Tigers but knee injury to Sloane a serious concern
TAYLOR Walker stepped up with five goals in his first home match of the season to propel Adelaide to a pulsating 19-point win against Richmond on Saturday evening.
Walker slotted three goals in a scintillating first quarter, then booted majors in the second and third terms to help his side to a hard-fought 15.11 (101) to 12.10 (82) win at Adelaide Oval.
The victory was soured late in the engrossing contest when Rory Sloane hobbled from the field in the hands of trainers.
The captain’s right knee appeared to buckle as he fought for a ground ball in the final term, with medical substitute James Rowe brought on after Sloane had a brief examination before heading to the rooms.
Adelaide high-performance manager Darren Burgess said the captain would have scans and conceded it “could be serious”.
“Rory came from the ground in the final quarter after suffering a right knee injury,” Burgess said.
“While we hold fears it could be serious, he will have scans and further assessment in coming days, at which point the club will provide another update.”
Crows coach Matthew Nicks said it was a concern.
“Our fingers are crossed,” Nicks said.
The entertaining contest was in the balance late in the final term when the Tigers booted two goals in a minute, but a pair of majors to young star Josh Rachele was enough to seal the Crows’ second win of the season.
Elliott Himmelberg finished with four goals and Ben Keays was the leading possession-winner on the ground with 31.
Trent Cotchin was in vintage form for the Tigers with 24 disposals and nine clearances with Shai Bolton, Shane Edwards and Toby Nankervis all prominent in the never-say-die display.
Tall forwards Tom Lynch and Noah Balta started in ominous form, the Tigers leaping out of the blocks to lead by 13 points before Walker almost single-handedly changed the momentum.
The star forward was roundly booed by Essendon fans at Marvel Stadium in his first game back from a six-match racism ban, but found a more forgiving audience in his first home appearance.
Walker booted his first goal after a pinpoint pass from Rachele and followed that up with another two inside the final minute of the first quarter to put his side up by six points.
The former skipper added a fourth soon after the restart, with Himmelberg driving home a monster goal from 55m out as Adelaide surged to a 24-point lead.
Walker blotted his copybook late in the first half when Nankervis coaxed a 50m penalty that led to a Cotchin goal.
The margin was 25 points early in the second half when Himmelberg superbly trapped a loose ball and snapped a spectacular goal, but Bolton and Edwards helped spark a ferocious fight back.
Bolton’s move into the centre and Edwards’ work across half-forward spurred the Tigers who rattled through four unanswered goals.
But where Nicks’ charges might have succumbed in the face of such an onslaught previously, this time they dug deep.