Kane Cornes says Matthew Nicks ‘not strong enough’ to make tough Taylor Walker decision
Kane Cornes says Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks is “not strong enough” to make the correct call on ageing key forward Taylor Walker.
The former captain is in a handful of the Crows’ greatest ever AFL forwards, is the club’s all-time leading goalkicker, and had a good year in 2025 with 39 majors.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Taylor Walker extends Adelaide career for 19th season.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.But Cornes has long held the strong view that he cannot co-exist with fellow big men Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty in that forward line.
The Channel 7 AFL expert was crowing — pardon the pun — when Adelaide’s so-called three-headed monster failed to fire a shot in the club’s two losing finals this September.
At age 35, Walker’s future beyond this year has been a major talking point this year, but it now appears certain he will sign on for another year at West Lakes after the Crows left it up to the veteran to make his own call.
The likely addition of two-time Brisbane premiership forward Callum Ah Chee will only make it more crowded in the Crows’ forward line.
Cornes says Walker “performed fine” in 2025, but shouldn’t be offered a spot on the list next year.
“He probably overachieved from his on-field performance this year,” Cornes told The Agenda Setters’ trade edition on Tuesday night.
“But the problem is you’ve got Fogarty and you’ve got Thilthorpe; the three of them cannot exist in the same forward line.
“So if I’m Darcy Fogarty, I’m going, ‘At what point is this going to be my forward line? Because I didn’t touch it in the final series because the ball is channelled through Tex, because he’s so influential’.
“And part of it is that Matthew Nicks is not strong enough to say to Tex, ‘Your form isn’t good enough, you’re going to go back and play SANFL’.”
It’s understood the Crows have had mature conversations with Walker around the realistic prospect of playing in the reserves at times next year, should he chose to go on.
But Cornes doesn’t buy it.
“No, they won’t. He (Nicks) won’t. Matthew Nicks is not strong enough to do that,” he said.
“He’s too influenced by Tex and the character that he is and the great player that he’s been for that footy club.
“This is a mistake. Because at what point are you going to hand the keys to Fogarty and Thilthorpe and say, this is your forward line?
“Because the three of them are so immobile. They don’t work — it certainly doesn’t work in finals — and this is an error.”
AFL player manager Liam Pickering reminded Cornes that their three talls had led Adelaide to the minor premiership and was a success for most of the season.
“You’re talking finals. Yeah, yeah, they had a couple of poor finals, no doubt about that,” Pickering said.
“But they were pretty good all year; they finished on top of the ladder and we thought it was working perfectly.
“So I think you’re basing that a little bit on a couple of bad performances in the finals.”
Cornes wasn’t budged: “Across the whole final series, which tall forwards dominated? None of them. (Hawthorn’s Jack) Gunston, I’ll give you Gunston, but he’s more of a medium.
“Who else of the key forwards in finals dominated? It wasn’t any of them. It was the smalls.
“Adelaide need to prioritise some more dangerous small forwards in their forward line. (Christian) Petracca’s a great option.
“The talls aren’t going to get it done for them, particularly a 35, 36-year-old who’s played season number 19.”
Originally published on 7NEWS Sport
