A bittersweet crowd of fans and family gathered to watch as Taylor “Tex” Walker completed one of his final training sessions last night.
Walker’s children and wife Ellie, 34, were pride of place at the Adelaide Oval open training session ahead of the Crows’s clash with the GWS Giants on Saturday night.
His boys Hugo, 6 and Louis, 5, and three-year-old daughter Harriet were clad in navy, yellow and red as they held their own training drills at the boundary line while Mrs Walker watched.
Even devoted Collingwood supporter Louis turned out in his dad’s team colours.
Signs depicting Walker’s face littered the stands, as hundreds of devoted fans came to catch a glimpse of the veteran, 36, at his home ground before he concludes his illustrious 18 years with the Crows.
The key forward himself, wearing a Crows visor, maintained his dominant presence during training, despite the obvious emotion underpinning the session.
Each of the Walker kids were seen playing with a yellow Sherrin in a heartwarming impression of their father.
And they weren’t the only young fans who braved the chilly August evening to see the team practice on the stage set before facing number 12 on the ladder, the Giants.
A sea of young faces beamed down at the players from the stands, as some leaned over the oval fence to get as close to the action as possible.