‘Knew something wasn’t right’: Tex says he did everything he could after controversial campAdelaide veteran Taylor Walker says it’s “upsetting” to hear the distress past players feel towards the infamous 2018 pre-season camp, but insists he did everything he could as captain at the time to address “fractures” within the group.
Reflecting on the fallout at West Lakes in 2018, Walker acknowledged it was a turbulent period at the club despite his best efforts.
“I can put my head on the pillow at night, and put my hand on my heart and say that I did everything I could,” he told Triple M.
“I knew something was not right post the camp, I knew blokes weren’t feeling that great about it, there were fractures within the group like some of the boys have said … and I was having one-on-one meetings, I was having some confidential meetings at my house to try and work out exactly the path to take, and I can honestly say that I did everything I could to try and fix it.”
Walker maintains that he still took a “positive experience” away from it, but admitted it was tough hearing his ex-teammate’s disturbing accounts.
“Yeah I sit here as captain at the time of the footy club, and those boys being past players … not great to be honest. It’s quite upsetting to hear that those guys are still feeling the effects of the camp,” Walker said.
“What I will say is that, the camp, a lot of people took different things out of it and I personally, I’ve said it, I took a positive experience out of it… but that does not take away from the feelings of hurt that those boys are going through at the moment.”
And Walker suggested the scrutiny hadn’t affected the vibe at the Crows, estimating “10-2o per cent” of people who attended the camp remained at the club.
“Our mantra is prioritising others and we’re certainly doing that to the best of our ability,” he said.
“As a footy club we still have to work through this, because sitting here you don’t like hearing that past players are feeling that way,” he said.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/adelaide-crows/afl-news-2022-taylor-walker-speaks-on-adelaide-crows-preseason-camp-former-captain-fractures-in-playing-group-eddie-betts-josh-jenkins-bryce-gibbs/news-story/5f3ec2403db128d183947724c87bc096