Tempers have flared at Adelaide training ahead of this weekend’s Showdown with Port after what was described as a “feisty” exchange between Taylor Walker and Josh Rachele.
The face-off between the pair took place after Rachele took issue with the former skipper missing him on a lead while preparing for a set shot.
Walker, the former Crows captain, was then seen giving Rachele a stern talking to in the aftermath of the incident.
READ MORE: ‘Only one’: Star identified to replace Eels fullback
READ MORE: Icon befriended ‘strong boys’ to survive prison
READ MORE: Fagan fumes as AFLW icon banned from rooms
“It’s believed coaches and Tex (Walker) delivered some home truths to Rachele,” said 9News Melbourne’s Braden Ingram of the confrontation.
Rachele, 19, burst onto the scene last year for Adelaide after being taken No.6 in the 2021 draft. He kicked 17 goals in his debut season and has enjoyed a strong start this year, booting five goals in the first two weeks.
Both Essendon great Matthew Lloyd and Geelong icon Jimmy Bartel agreed that Walker was right to ignore Rachele and go for the shot in that position.
“You act like you’re going to pass and then say, ‘Sorry, it’s not on’, and you slot it from 60m,” Lloyd, who booted 926 career goals, told Nine’s Footy Classified.
Added Bartel: “You take him into the video room and you show him the previous 900 you’ve kicked and say, ‘I think I’m good from here’.”
The Crows and Port will face off at 7.30 pm AEDT on Saturday night at the Adelaide Oval.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
The AFL young guns ready to explode in 2023
