The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-09-12 · by Roy Ward, Nick Wright, Russell Bennett
analysis
Taylor Walker played his last AFL game for Adelaide, receiving emotional farewells from both his current team and former teammates. Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan employed tough tactics in training after their recent loss but praised his team's response during a decisive win over Adelaide at the Gabba. The match ended with a crowd of 36,026 witnessing Walker score his final goal, reaching a total of 715 career goals.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 10, Taylor Walker played his final AFL game as an Adelaide Crow, receiving a guard of honor from both teams. The emotional farewell came after Brisbane Lions defeated Adelaide by a significant margin of 53 points, with a final score of 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91). Walker, who had been with the Crows since his debut in 2005, expressed gratitude for his career while sitting at Broken Hill Airport with his grandmother when he first received news from the club.
The Lions' victory secured their spot in the AFL finals and set up a preliminary final against Hawthorn on September 17. Brisbane's coach Chris Fagan, known for his tough approach, admitted to putting pressure on his players following last week’s loss to Sydney. Players like Cam Rayner and Zac Bailey delivered standout performances, contributing significantly to the win with high disposals and scoring involvements.
Walker's emotional exit highlighted not only his career achievements but also the mutual respect between opposing teams in professional sports.
Written for “AFL Preliminary Finals Updates” on 2026-09-12,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 8213 · logged 2026-09-12
An emotional Adelaide forward Taylor Walker has bid farewell to the AFL in the last game of his career.
asserted
forward → bid → career
He received a guard of honour from the Lions and Crows while his family greeted him before he left the ground.
asserted
he → receive → ground
“I couldn’t ask for anything more, I’m very appreciative of the career I’ve had,” Walker told Seven.
asserted
Walker → ask → Seven
“I’ve done it for 19 years.
asserted
I → do → years
I remember the time the club rang me and told me they were going to take me.
asserted
they → remember → me
“I was sitting at Broken Hill Airport with my Nan and 19 years later, it’s all over.”
asserted
it → sit → Nan
Lions coach Chris Fagan admits his side faced a “fierce week” in the lead-up to this game following the loss to Sydney last weekend.
asserted
side → admit → Sydney
Fagan was honest about his disappointment last week and he followed that up with the way to treated his side this week.
asserted
he → follow → side
“It was a pretty fierce week,” Fagan told Kayo Sports.
asserted
Fagan → tell → Sports
Lions star Cam Rayner admits he felt the pressure leading into tonight’s semi-final but both he and his teammates responded in their thumping win over the Crows.
asserted
he → admit → Crows
Rayner said coach Chris Fagan put it on his side to respond to their poor loss to Sydney in the qualifying final.
“We felt the pressure during the week and Fages put it on us to respond,” Rayner told Kayo Sports.
asserted
Rayner → say → Sports
“In the end, we can talk all we want but we wanted to come out today and make sure our actions were right.
asserted
actions → talk → end
I feel like it was a really good time to reflect and see what we really want to do in the next few weeks.
asserted
we → feel → weeks
“I don’t think I’ve been that nervous before a game for a long time and, normally, you can focus that nervous energy and turn it into aggression.”
asserted
you → think → aggression
FRIDAY
Sydney Swans vs Fremantle Dockers, SCG, Friday, 7.40pm AEST
SATURDAY
Hawthorn Hawks v Brisbane Lions, MCG, Saturday 5.15pm AEST
Both sides have shown some lovely touches post game with the Lions giving Walker plenty of respect and love.
asserted
Lions → show → respect
There was also a beautiful little moment between two-time Lions premiership player Callum Ah Chee, who now plays for the Crows, as he went over to Chris Fagan and gave him a hug.
asserted
he → be → hug
Walker appears to be shedding a few tears as his departure sinks in.
asserted
departure → appear → tears
Brisbane’s dream of a third premiership in a row is alive and well, while Adelaide’s title hopes are gone following a one-sided clash at a sold out Gabba.
asserted
hopes → go → Gabba
The Lions kicked the first goal 30 seconds in and were never headed - they were dominant and now take on Hawthorn in next Saturday’s preliminary final for another grand final place.
asserted
they → kick → place
They will take some beating too.
asserted
They → take → beating
Taylor Walker has booted a second goal in the final term to reach 715 AFL goals.
asserted
Walker → boot → goals
The Walker family were shown soon after shedding some tears, as you would expect after the career he has had.
asserted
he → show → career
The Gabba was listed as a sellout tonight and the final crowd is 36,026.
asserted
crowd → list → sellout
Levi Ashcroft has booted a goal just to add to the Lions’ margin.
Kayo Sports are predicting that the Lions will play Hawthorn at the MCG in a Twilight game, around 5.15pm or so, next Saturday.
asserted
Lions → boot → 5.15pm
That would allow the Lions to fly home to Brisbane that night, if they win.
asserted
they → allow → Brisbane
We will confirm this when the final times come out.
asserted
times → confirm → this
Lions 138, Crows 73 with five mins to play.
asserted
Crows → play → mins
Taylor Walker has only a few minutes left in his decorated career but he has kept fighting tonight and he took a mark in the right pocket and booted a goal from near 50m out.
His teammates mobbed around him, as you would expect.
asserted
you → have → him
