Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker becomes emotional when he thinks of the special moments he has shared with his three children - Hugo, Louis and Harriet.

Walker, who is about to enter his 18th season, has had the trio by his side during his past five AFL campaigns and, together with his wife Ellie, have become part of the fabric of the Crows family.

The 34-year-old says his three kids are one of the main reasons he continues to play at the highest level.

“It gives me tingles when I talk about the footy moments I get to share with my kids now,” Walker said.

“I love it because they probably don’t fully understand how lucky they are to be around an AFL team.

“The other day Hattie said something about me playing footy, so we started watching some highlights and Ellie walked in and Hattie was like ‘footy, daddy’.

“I just love it because I can share the experience and journey with them.”

The Crows’ all-time leading goal kicker and 278-gamer’s family is regularly seen supporting Walker at the Crows’ West Lakes’ headquarters during training sessions, as well as on game day.

Walker said the family-first culture at the Club, together with his teammates’ love for Hugo, Louis and Harriet, made the trio feel right at home.

“Hattie is probably a little bit too young, but she might have a bit more of an understanding by the end of the year,” Walker said.

“They love being around the boys and I love seeing them so happy, so that's what keeps me going, they’re what drives me to play at the highest level. 

“Now the boys have an understanding, they want to come to training every day and I’m like ‘you can’t, it’s my job’.

“But when I do bring them to the Club, the boys are fantastic with them and make them feel so welcome.”

Walker was drafted to the Crows as an 18-year-old in 2007 and made his AFL debut in Round One, 2009.

He admits footy was all consuming in the early stages of his career and although still meticulous with his preparation, he credited fatherhood for helping him gain a new perspective on life.

“Fatherhood has levelled me out a little bit,” Walker said.

“You can get obsessed with your profession, it’s a professional environment and you can become obsessive with it.

“If you’ve got an injury, or you’re out of form, or if things aren’t going your way, you almost don’t have anything to fall back on.

“I am still quite stringent with my process and the way I plan and prepare, but if something goes wrong in that, it’s not the be all and end all. It makes you prioritize what's important in life.”

Having three young children and juggling the demands of footy can be challenging at times, but Walker says the secret to keeping afloat is organisation.

“We’ve got a very busy schedule, Ellie and I. Hugo started school this year and both the other two are at ELC, so Ellie and I need to communicate very well,” Walker said.

“You’ve just got to be very organised, which Ellie and I both pride ourselves on and also being able to have a balanced life.

“I think it’s important that when I walk out of the Club, I’m a Dad, not so much a sportsman.

“You end up finding a happy medium of what you need to do at home, vs at the Club. The kids are great, they test you, they’re funny, and you love them.”

Adelaide opens its 2025 campaign with a match against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval on March 16 and Walker said he was looking forward to kicking off a new season.

“I am pumped, I feel like every year I am enjoying it more, probably because I don’t know how much longer I’ve got to play,” Walker said.

“I am super excited.

"The boys are doing a great job on the track, we are getting better everyday, so hopefully we can just stay together and start getting a few wins on the board.”