ADELAIDE spearhead Taylor Walker credited his four-goal effort against Fremantle to a high-intensity training load he performed while serving a two-match suspension.

The high-leaping forward kicked two goals in the last 10 minutes of the match at Patersons Stadium to snuff out Fremantle's challenge after it had looked as though Adelaide was about to relinquish the four points it had almost secured during a dominant first half.

But Walker stood tall and, in doing so, put himself back into third place on the AFL's goalkicking list.

He said he was disappointed at having to miss two weeks of football for a dangerous sling tackle on Geelong's Harry Taylor in round seven, but had worked exceptionally hard to ensure he could perform upon his return.

"It was very disappointing to hear the news, but at the end of the day you have to lick your wounds and serve the suspension," he said.

"So I did that and just tried to work as hard as I possibly could off-field and keep my fitness levels up because it was really important for me to come back and play at the level where I had left off."

Walker said his job had been made easier by Adelaide's much-improved midfield, which was providing him with extra marking opportunities each week.

He said Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield had taken their football to another level and the Adelaide midfield was no longer reliant on Scott Thompson.

"They have all been unbelievable for us this year," he said. "And the difference is that we really are sharing the load.

"We always set ourselves in the midfield to win the inside ball now and then try and spread on them and get the outside ball.

"I think they (Fremantle) had us at half-time on the outside ball today. But, to the boys' credit, we turned the game around in the last quarter and that was something special that we will cherish together."

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs