‘Tex-fest’: Walker kicks 10 goals as Adelaide demolish West Coast
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Adelaide’s Taylor Walker has kicked a career-high 10 goals in his 250th AFL match in a record-breaking 122-point demolition of West Coast.
Walker became just the fourth Crow to boot 10 goals in a game in Adelaide’s 27.12 (174) to 8.4 (52) romp at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Adelaide kicked the highest score of any club this season, and their ninth-highest total ever, in dishing out the heaviest defeat in West Coast coach Adam Simpson’s decade-long tenure.
Taylor Walker celebrates one of his 10 goals. Credit: Getty Images
The win was the Crows’ biggest-ever over the Eagles and also under fourth-year coach Matthew Nicks.
Walker had seven goals to half-time, equalling his previous best against Brisbane in 2015.
The 33-year-old joins Tony Modra (four times), Scott Hodges and Tom Lynch as Crows to boot 10 goals in a match.
Walker’s feats helped Adelaide (seven wins, six losses) climb into the top eight and boost their percentage by 11.3.
Adelaide’s triple club champion Rory Laird (34 disposals), captain Jordan Dawson (32 touches) and Ben Keays (29) dominated the midfield.
Izak Rankine kicked three goals and five Crows – Darcy Fogarty, Riley Thilthorpe, Rory Sloane, Lachlan Murphy and Lachlan Sholl – scored two.
West Coast’s Tim Kelly (27 disposals), Elliott Yeo (30) and Bailey WIliams (20, one goal) fought gamely and mid-season draftee Ryan Maric booted two goals, including one with his first kick in his AFL debut.
Most of the 39,450-strong crowd came to cheer Walker – and it took just 16 seconds for their first of many opportunities.
The Crows won the initial clearance of the game, attacked, and Walker outmarked Rhett Bazzo and converted.
By the end of the first term, Walker had scored two more majors as Adelaide blitzed the Eagles, booting 7.5 to 2.1.
The Tex-fest continued in the second stanza with Walker slotting three more goals in the first eight minutes.
Walker was actually jeered by his adoring fans midway through term when, lining up some 55m out, he passed to his great mate Sloane.
But just before half-time, in a near-identical scenario, Walker took the shot and kicked his seventh to help the Crows to a 66-point lead at the long break.
Walker dribbled through his record eighth major late in the third term and Adelaide continued to pile on the misery for the Eagles and Simpson.
West Coast head into their bye with one win and 11 losses – 10 of them by 40 points or more, and three by more than 100.
AAP
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