'Stick to the process:' Walker rapt as Suns test awaits
The veteran Adelaide forward is in no mood to revisit the Crows' last AFL finals campaign as their long-awaited return to September looms large.
Adelaide are third with a healthy percentage. They are riding a three-game winning streak and captain Jordan Dawson re-signed this week.
So life is good at West Lakes ahead of Sunday's massive home game against Gold Coast, who are sixth and also have won their last three games.
Suns coach Damien Hardwick once called July "Big Boy Month" in the grind of an AFL season and Sunday is a another big test for the combatants.
Walker has no time for history, with the Crows writing some special new chapters with coach Matthew Nicks.
"It's unfair to compare. We're building something really special at this footy club and it's been going for a long time under Nicksy," he told AAP.
In a three-minute interview, Walker repeatedly uses the word "process". It is put to him that just as any interview with a Collingwood player will feature "The System", Adelaide have "The Process".
"There you go," the Adelaide big man smiles.
"For us, we've just got to continue to stick to what we know, and that's our process.
"That's what keeps getting it done. It will all take care of itself - in life, if you stick to the process, results take care of themselves.
"We just have to keep batting up and backing up in the big month ahead, against some really, really good sides."
Walker also notes that below top sides Collingwood and Brisbane, there is a log jam. And while Adelaide's last five games are not the worst draw, it's not an easy run either.
After the Suns they have the Showdown - and Port Adelaide would love nothing more than send off coach Ken Hinkley with one last win over their fiercest rivals. Then comes West Coast, another blockbuster against Collingwood and North Melbourne.
Apart from Walker, Matt Crouch, Rory Laird, Wayne Milera, Reilly O'Brien and Brodie Smith were also at the Crows when the club was derailed by the disastrous 2017 grand-final loss to Richmond.
Now the man known as "Tex" is the old man of the powerful Crows attack, with Riley Thilthorpe kicking a career-best six goals in last week's statement win over the Western Bulldogs.
A feature of Sunday will be Thilthorpe v Suns defender Mac Andrew, who got in the face of the Crows star immediately after Gold Coast had a controversial one-point win at home in round four.
What Walker loves about the Adelaide attack is everyone is playing their part.
"They're going really well - not just the key forwards, but across the board in our forward line," Walker said.
"If someone's having a quiet day someone else pops up and we're able to share the load.
"We just keep emphasising our ability to bring each other into the game - it's just so infectious."
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