Ashamed ex-Adelaide captain Taylor Walker hopes he’s not remembered as a racist while conceding his AFL future is undecided.
Walker says whether he plays on next season is secondary to trying to repair the pain he’s caused to Australia’s Indigenous community.
“To me at the moment, playing is not my priority – it’s repairing relationships with the people that I have hurt is my main priority,” Walker told reporters on Thursday.
“I’m not here to talk about myself and my future. It’s about what I do from here.
“I have got some work to do. I put my hand up and I own this and I’m going to go to work and do the best I can.”
Walker has served three games of a six-match AFL ban for making a racist comment.
The 31-year-old, at a media conference at Adelaide’s West Lakes headquarters, pledged to spend time in Indigenous communities while apologising.
“I hope that I am not remembered for one remark,” Walker said.
The 31-year-old father-of-two held back tears when asked about his family’s reaction.
“That has been the hardest thing, how I have let my family down … I have got some work to do with my family as well,” he said.
Walker’s offence came while spectating an Adelaide reserves game – he made the remark to Adelaide’s Matt Crouch at quarter-time.
His comment wasn’t heard by its target – North Adelaide’s Robbie Young – but an Adelaide trainer reported it to officials.
“I am just ashamed at what I said has just caused so much pain,” Walker said.
“And it’s a courageous thing to do from the Adelaide official. I knew at the time I had made the wrong choice of words.”
Walker confirmed he initially denied making the comment when investigated.
“When I first was pushed on this, I was in denial, I panicked and I was scared,” he said.
“And I thought about myself and I let time go and I said to myself ‘this is not about me, it’s about Robbie and the Adelaide official and the pain that I have caused to them’.
“And that is when I said I’m coming forward to own this.”
Walker’s four Indigenous teammates at Adelaide have accepted personal apologies.
“They were really open and honest with me,” Walker said.
“And I’m thankful for that because that is going to help me going forward and understand the pain and hurt I have caused them and their communities.
“It’s now up to me to repair that relationship and reconcile and get some more education for myself because clearly I am not at the level.”
Walker had also apologised to former teammate and Carlton retiree Eddie Betts.
“I have caused so much hurt towards people like that and I can’t say how sorry I am,” Walker said.
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