By Peter Argent
Two of North Broken Hill Football Club’s finest modern football exports, Taylor Walker and Isaac Cumming have officially started their 2025 pre-season at the Adelaide Crows this week.
Evergreen veteran Walker and now entering the peak of his career, Cumming will be teammates for the first time, following his trade to the West Lakes-based Adelaide Club, the Crows during the 2024 trade period.
Walker, now in his 30s, is amazingly entering his 18th pre-season with the Adelaide Crows, with Cumming’s first season in the clubs tri-colours being his ninth on a AFL list, after originally being drafted to the Giants with pick 20 overall back in 2016.
“I have a brother and sister, Harry and Eliza living in Adelaide,” Cumming explained to the Broken Hill Times.
“My older brother Jacob is still back in Broken Hill, along with Mum and Dad, Brett and Melissa.
“They (my parents) may have seen 10 to a dozen games so far over my career.
“I am hoping they would get to most of the 13 Crows home games next year.”
Cumming has had discussions with the Crows coaching staff about his roles for the 2025 campaign, suggesting he will play a mixture of wing and half back.
“I arrived at the start of the Crows pre-season in pretty good shape,” Cumming continued.
“I didn’t travel overseas during the off season, so I’ve spent plenty of time in the gym.
“I’m looking to have a strong preparation and being ready to play a full year with the Adelaide Football Club.
“Having overcome some injury history, I’m looking forward to a big year.”
Taylor Walker still has his brother Ayton and sister Aisha in the Silver City.
His philosophy and goals about the ’25 campaign are clear and succinct.
“I want to play as much footy as I can,” Walker confirmed. “It is just about me performing.
“I’m not putting in cap on how many games I can play or when I may be rested.
“You don’t know how long you have in the game, so it is about maximizing opportunities.”
Walker, now 34, has played 278 AFL games since making his debut back in round 1, 2009 against Collingwood, and with a full season could join Ben Hart, Andrew McLeod, Tyson Edwards and Mark Ricciuto in the Crows 300-club.
He secured All-Australian honours in 2023, is a former club skipper for five years from 2015, winning the AFL Players’ Association “best captain” accolade in 2016 and 2017.
He has been the Crows leading goal kicker a record seven times.
Taylor also spoke highly of Dale Tonkin from his time back in Broken Hill, working with him during his junior days at AFL/NSW Academy.
After playing just nine games in his first four years on the GWS Giants list, Cumming, now 26, has played 81 AFL games.
“Jayden White (and Nash Mitchell) and I would train with the big fella (Taylor) when we were younger,” Cumming recalled.
“We certainly looked up to him when we were young.
“To get the opportunity to play alongside him is exciting.”
The Adelaide Crows’ 2025 campaign starts on Sunday, March 16, hosting St Kilda at Adelaide Oval.
With Crows No.13 (Walker) and 44 (Cumming) running out alongside each other it will be a “red letter” day for Broken Hill Football and the North Bulldogs.
