Walker will miss three matches, starting with Balfours Showdown 33 on Saturday night, after accepting a three-game ban for rough conduct on Richmond defender Steven Morris.
Bickley, who oversees the team’s attack, said several players were in contention to replace the in-form Walker, including forward Tom Lynch and utilities Shaun McKernan and Josh Jenkins.
Lynch has played four games in his first season at West Lakes, but none since round eight. The former Saint collected 18 possessions five marks for Glenelg last weekend and has been in good form for “six or eight weeks”, according to Bickley.
After a six-week absence, McKernan returned to the Crows line-up in round 13 but was omitted the following week after a “down” game against North Melbourne. The athletic big man responded by kicking 5.2 from 19 disposals four South Adelaide on Sunday. He also had 27 hit-outs and three tackles.
Jenkins has showed promise in five games this season. Bickley conceded the former Essendon rookie, who picked up 14 touches, 19 hit-outs and a goal for Sturt last weekend, had been “unlucky” to lose his spot.
One of the major issues confronting the Crows match committee is whether to recall a taller player in Jenkins or McKernan, which would allow Kurt Tippett to spend more time in the forward line, or a smaller-sized player, like Lynch.
“You could argue that Lynch is, size and stature wise, similar to Taylor … but they play a totally different game,” Bickley said.
“I don’t think that you have the ability just to be able to drop someone in and say ‘you play Taylor’s role.’ There will have to be some subtle changes, but at the same time our structure won’t change hugely.”
Bickley played in 13 Showdowns during his decorated 272-game career. The hard-nosed skipper was also involved in one of the most brutal incidents in Showdown history, suspended for five games for striking Power defender Darryl Wakelin in a heated clash in 2002.
“It was just a really poor decision from me at the time,” Bickley said of the incident.
“You don’t like it when someone gets injured on a footy field and I was responsible for that, and that’s terrible. Looking back … I don’t like that.
“All those experiences you go through help to shape you as a person. It was a deep regret of mine at the time, but it was a learning experience for me. If you could take it back, you would.”
Although incidents such as the one involving Bickley and Wakelin have become almost extinct in the modern game, a fierce rivalry between the Crows and Power still exists.
This week’s clash is a Port Adelaide ‘home’ game, but Bickley encouraged Crows fans to get to AAMI Stadium to create a better atmosphere for the ‘visiting’ Adelaide team.
“This week, there’ll be a fair bit of crowd noise for Port Adelaide and we’re looking to get a lot of Crows supporters along to try to even up that ledger,” Bickley said.
“Whether it’s our home game or a Port home game, we want to get as many Adelaide supporters there as we can. I can’t wait to feel that atmosphere and hear the banter that goes on. When it’s done in the right spirit, it makes for an enjoyable game."
The on-field rivalry spilled off the field on one infamous night at the Ramsgate Hotel in 2002.
Bickley, who wasn’t present at the time of the scrap between Crows and Power players, didn’t condone the actions of those involved but said the events of the evening had become “footy folklore”.
“Like most of those tall stories, it grows bigger as the years go by,” he said.
“Afterwards, everyone probably realised that it wasn’t ideal and that it was going to create a fair bit of discussion. I’m not sure what the actual story is. It depends on who you speak to. There are about 15 different versions.
“Enough time has gone by now that we can look back at it and have a bit of a chuckle. It’s probably never going to happen again.
“I wasn’t there so I can’t say who won on the day. I think ‘Roo’ (Mark Ricciuto) and Josh Carr have crossed paths a few times since and are able to have a laugh about it.”
