‘Doesn’t want to play for them’: Manager denies racism incident ‘playing role’ in gun’s trade call

Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker’s racism incident several years ago is playing a role in star trade target Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera refusing to consider joining the Crows, according to veteran journalist Caroline Wilson.

However the Saints gun’s manager has firmly denied he has ruled out joining the club.

In 2021, Walker was handed a six-week suspension and $20,000 fine for racially abusing an Indigenous SANFL player while addressing the Crows reserves players in a non-playing capacity.

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The incident rocked both Walker, who was “an emotional wreck” in the aftermath, and the team with coach Matthew Nicks emotionally calling it “completely unacceptable and something that we won’t stand for as a football club”.

Wanganeen-Milera was drafted by St Kilda later that year and the South Australian, who has emerged as a young superstar halfback, is now weighing up whether to return to his home state or remain at the Saints with lucrative offers looming either way.

Foxfooty.com.au’s Will Faulkner has reported Port Adelaide feels well-placed in the race for Wanganeen-Milera due to his close ties with Power players Jason Horne-Francis and Jase Burgoyne, while he also has family links to the club due to his uncle Gavin Wanganeen.

Wilson reported on Monday night the 22-year-old will not consider the Crows partially due to the Walker incident, and particularly the way it was discussed on Channel Nine earlier this year.

“I’m making no comment about the club’s handling of that incident, because my memory is that Matthew Nicks, the coach, was shattered by that incident, and the club did everything they could to get around Robbie Young (the player abused),” she said on Seven.

Tex Walker and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. Source: FOX SPORTS

“But Wanganeen-Milera has clarified that Matthew Nicks was the coach at the time and has indicated that he doesn’t want to go to the Adelaide Football Club.

“One thing that happened over Gather Round, and I’m not talking so much about Wanganeen-Milera here, but a lot of his friends and the South Australian Indigenous community, was the Gather Round special that was aired on the Nine Network, hosted by Eddie McGuire.”

A clip from the TV show was then aired in which McGuire described the incident as “tough times” for Walker and framed him as dealing with adversity.

Walker hit back at that framing somewhat, saying he “made a mistake, one that I’ve got to live with for the rest of my life. But I suppose when you make mistakes, you get a choice, whether you can dwell on it, or you can learn about it.”

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While Wilson did not want to minimise any work Walker has done to make amends for the incident, and did not blame him for the framing of the interview, she explained there was “a view from Indigenous leaders across footy that it portrayed Taylor Walker as more of a victim than Robbie Young.

“And it’s just a small thing, but it wasn’t a small thing to others who were still badly injured by what happened back in 2021.

“And so for a variety of reasons, but specifically Wanganeen-Milera’s issues with Taylor Walker and what happened back then, the view from Port Adelaide and others in the footy community is if he does leave, he’ll be going to Port Adelaide.”

Wanganeen-Milera’s manager Ben Williams denied a decision had been reached.

In a statement to Nine Adelaide, he said: “Reports made in the media suggesting that Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has ruled out joining the Adelaide Crows due to comments made by Taylor Walker in 2021 are false.

“Nasiah is currently considering his future and at this stage, no decisions have been made, and any speculation suggesting otherwise is inaccurate.”

Wanganeen-Milera is expected to receive long-term offers nearing $10 million but must be traded if he wants to leave, as he is several years away from reaching free agency.

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