ONE OF Mark Bickley's first acts as caretaker coach of Adelaide was to reinstate talked-about forward Taylor Walker.

It was a popular decision among the players and also the Crows faithful, many of who disagreed with Walker being left out of the team in the first place.

The management of Walker was a topic for debate throughout former coach Neil Craig's tenure.

Craig acknowledged Walker's undeniable talent, but demanded the 21-year-old improve his competitiveness and defensive skills to enable him to influence games even when the scoreboard wasn't working in his favour.

At times, like in round eight this season, Craig deemed it necessary to send the skilful forward back to the SANFL.

Each time this happened, Craig braced for the inevitable backlash and questions as to why the proven match-winner was being denied an opportunity to do just that.

Walker might not have always agreed with Craig's rationale, but he accepted it: "Me and 'Craigy' were pretty clear about where we needed to go to make me better as a player … I knew exactly what he wanted from me," Walker said.

Still, when Bickley, who had worked closely with Walker in his role as forward line coach, was appointed interim coach a fortnight ago the instinctive goalkicker was "stoked" to hear the premiership captain's plans for him.

"'Bicks' said he wanted me to put aside everything that had happened previously, and that he wanted to back me in and play me," Walker told afl.com.au.

"I was pretty stoked with that and I wanted to pay him back for the trust and respect he showed me in putting me back in the side."

"All that happened previously" is Walker's way of describing his nightmare season.

A week after being omitted from the Adelaide team, the former NSW Scholarship holder was captured by television cameras drinking a beer with friends at AAMI Stadium while watching his ex-Broken Hill teammates play in the curtain-raiser to the round nine AFL match between Port Adelaide and Fremantle.

The Crows didn't have a major issue with the goalkicker's innocent, but very public beer, and chose not to sanction him.

 However, he was still condemned by sections of the media.

Walker declined to talk about the incident, simply saying he'd put the ordeal "behind him" and had "learned a lot of things along the way" this season.

He was recalled to the team the next week, but made headlines again when he injured his knee early in Adelaide's loss to the Brisbane Lions.

The luckless forward spent six weeks on the sidelines recovering from a strained posterior cruciate ligament, and hit yet another roadblock in his comeback game with Norwood.

Ironically, he was cited for trying to execute what he'd been sent back to the local league to do, receiving a one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle on a North Adelaide opponent.

All of this against the backdrop of a player, who according to intense year-long speculation, had already agreed to join Greater Western Sydney next season.

This proved to be untrue last week when Walker's teammate Phil Davis announced he would be leaving the club to take up a lucrative offer with GWS.

"I've had no contact at all [with GWS]," Walker said, adding he planned to re-sign with Adelaide at the end of the season.

Since being recalled to the team in round 19, Walker has played two of his most consistent games for the club.

The 41-game player kicked four goals in the Showdown win over Port Adelaide, and was too unselfish in trying to handball off two others.

He bagged another four goals against the Brisbane Lions last weekend, including one as a result of a determined chase and tackle on James Polkinghorne.

He was also credited with seven score involvements.

"Over the first four years in my career there's been a gap between my best games and my worst games," Walker said.

"Being able to narrow the gap between those games has been an ongoing challenge for me.

"I think the performance I put up against Port [in round 19] is probably the benchmark.

"It's been good just to get back into the team, play my role, kick a few goals and have a win.

"Personally, I want to get something out of the last five weeks because it's been a tough year for me and hopefully we can have a few more wins to give us some real confidence going into next season."

Walker has relished the opportunity to play out of the goalsquare in the absence of injured teammate Kurt Tippett in the past two weeks.

More than half of Walker's 22 goals this season have come when Tippett has been out of the team, prompting speculation the gifted forward functions better without the 203cm Queenslander by his side.

Walker dismisses the suggestion, saying he enjoys playing alongside Tippett.

"I think Kurt and I can be pretty dangerous," he said.

"If you look at St Kilda's forward line with Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke and Hawthorn with Jarryd Roughead and Lance Franklin.

"They've got two, big key forwards in their teams, so I think once Kurt and I get back to playing together we'll be a good combination."

Katrina Gill covers Adelaide news for afl.com.au. Follow her on Twitter: @AFL_KatrinaGill