Adelaide star forward Taylor Walker has been urged not to let an AFL suspension dull his aggression.
Crows games record-holder Andrew McLeod said he liked the aggressive streak the powerful 22-year-old had developed this season and it would be a shame if that changed.
Walker will miss clashes with Carlton and Collingwood after accepting a ban on Tuesday for a sling tackle on Geelong’s Harry Taylor.
“I have really enjoyed Taylor’s aggression, what he’s been able to bring,” McLeod told reporters in Melbourne.
“It’s something I guess that has been questioned in his game in the last 12 to 18 months.
“He’s been really able to add that to his game under Brenton (Sanderson).
“I hope he doesn’t change his ways.”
Geelong’s Joel Corey, the only other player charged from the just-completed round, agreed to pay a $900 fine for giving an umpire the finger.
The Crows strongly considered taking Walker’s case to the tribunal to argue for a downgrade, but decided against risking a longer ban.
“We certainly didn’t think the impact was medium – we thought it was low,” football operations manager Phil Harper said.
“But it wasn’t worth the possibility of a three-game ban, which would have effectively seen Taylor miss four weeks of football because of our bye in round 11.”
Walker has kicked 23 goals this season, including 14 in the past three rounds as the Crows have climbed to third with wins over Port Adelaide, Sydney and Geelong.
The Crows, who have a 6-1 record, are seeking to rise from the lowest ladder position in one season to a premiership in the next in VFL/AFL history, having come 14th last year.
The club already holds the record, climbing from 12th in 1996 to win the 1997 flag.
McLeod, who won the Norm Smith Medal both that year and in 1998, said while it was hard to compare different eras, there was a similar feel now with a batch of impressive youngsters emerging.
“It’s early days yet, but as far as the amount of games played and that real enthusiasm, you can certainly draw similarities to that,” he said.
“It is an exciting time. If they can continue that form they’ve been in, they could be pretty scary.”
