Fremantle’s backline is bracing itself to battle an Adelaide forward line buoyed by the return of Taylor Walker.

Walker sat out an entire year after suffering a knee injury in 2013, but produced a match-winning five-goal haul against the Gold Coast Suns last week.

Docker defender Zac Dawson said Walker was a crucial addition to a Crows team that already possessed a plethora of goalkicking talent.

“I think he straightens them up a lot,” Dawson said.

“Walker’s presence helps make it more of a one-on-one in their forward line instead of defenders rolling off.

“Instead of having that one key target, where most teams can roll off to that single target, they’ve got two targets now with Walker and Josh Jenkins, and James Podsiadly even is playing as a high half forward.

“It’ll take all three talls in our defence to be on those guys.”

Dawson said he had played on both Walker and Jenkins in recent clashes between the two Clubs.

He said the key to minimising Walker’s influence was not allowing him to get off to a strong start.

“He’s a very formidable opponent when he’s up and going,” Dawson said.

“I think once he got that first goal against the Suns last weekend, his confidence was up.

“That’s one thing you have to focus on – stamping out his confidence early and making sure he doesn’t get that bounce in his step.”