Taylor 'Tex' Walker's home town celebrates favourite son's 300th game

If Taylor "Tex" Walker can help deliver a premiership for the Adelaide Football Club in 2025, it would not be the first time he has stood up when it is needed most.

Walker plays his 300th AFL game on Thursday night in a qualifying final blockbuster against Collingwood at the Adelaide Oval.

But in 2007, Walker lit up a grand final, on a slightly more humble stage, in his home town of Broken Hill.

Taylor Walker (left) was best on ground in the 2007 Broken Hill grand final as a 17-year-old. (Supplied: North Broken Hill Football Club)

Sporting a proto-version of the mullet he would make famous in the AFL, the then 17-year-old Walker kicked seven goals to take North Broken Hill to the AFL Broken Hill premiership.

His long-time friend Jayden Kelly said that despite his impressive junior career, it was still a surprise to see a "skinny boy from Broken Hill" make it in the big time.

"I thought he'd go quite well and play a lot of SANFL games, but didn't think he'd do what he's done now and play 300 games in the AFL," he said.

Jayden Kelly (right) has been a star player for North Broken Hill. (Supplied: Helen Grossi)

That same year, he was drafted to Adelaide as pick 75 after signing a New South Wales scholarship contract at age 16, linking him to the Crows.

When his mate headed to Adelaide to start his professional career, Mr Kelly travelled with him.

"He's still the same larrikin he was, a smart-arse kid back from when he was little going to school in Broken Hill," he said.

Taylor Walker stayed in Broken Hill until he was drafted. (Supplied: Gavin Schmidt)

"That's probably one of the best things about him, he's one of the most loyal and honest blokes you'll ever meet.

"He's never forgotten where he's come from, and he's always been that jovial, happy kid."

A giant impression

Walker made his debut in round one of 2009, when he kicked a goal against Thursday night's opponents, Collingwood.

When he made his debut, fellow Broken Hill product and now teammate Isaac Cumming was just 11 years old and also playing for North Broken Hill.

Taylor Walker with future SANFL player Kobe Mutch and future Adelaide player Isaac Cumming. (Supplied: Gavin Schmidt)

He said every young footballer in town looked up to Walker.

"I reckon I was about 14 or 15 when Tex came back in his off-season … and from there our relationship really started in those sessions," he said.

"If you look at my decision to come to the Crows from the Giants, I'd probably say he was 70 to 80 per cent responsible for it.

"The thought of playing with someone I looked up to as a kid and am mates with now from the same local football team in Broken Hill is something that I couldn't really ignore."

Taylor Walker and Isaac Cumming both grew up playing for the North Broken Hill Bulldogs. (Supplied: AFC Media)

Another North Broken Hill product, AFL 200-gamer, premiership player and assistant coach Dean Solomon, said Walker had been able to blend his "larrikin" personality with the commitment required to reach 300 AFL games.

"What the AFL environment does do to you, it's so intense and if you are seen to be a bit of a larrikin, it can be frowned upon to a certain point that you're not taking your career seriously," he said.

"Everyone I've spoken to and heard from says he works incredibly hard on his craft and his game, but he's still had the perfect balance of being himself.

"Still being the country Broken Hill boy, he's proud of that, and having real balance in his day-to-day and knowing when it's time to work hard and when it's time to be yourself."

Taylor Walker's career has spanned several iterations of Adelaide teams, outlasting legends like Rory Sloane. (Getty Images: Sarah Reed)

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