The manager of St Kilda defender Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has quickly dismissed claims suggesting that the young player is unwilling to move to Adelaide due to concerns surrounding Taylor Walker’s past racist incident. In 2021, Walker was suspended for six matches after racially abusing Indigenous SANFL player Robbie Young during a game, a comment overheard by an official and later reported to the AFL. Walker also faced a significant fine and was mandated to undertake an educational program.
Currently, Wanganeen-Milera is at the centre of interest from both the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide. Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson made assertions on Seven’s program The Agenda Setters, claiming that Wanganeen-Milera is hesitant to join the Crows, specifically citing Walker’s actions from two years prior. Wilson stated, “One of the reasons he won’t be going to the Adelaide Football Club is that he has concerns about an incident that happened back in 2021,” referring to the incident involving Walker and Young.
Wanganeen-Milera’s manager, Ben Williams, promptly rebutted this narrative, sending a statement to media outlets stressing that no decisions regarding the player’s future have been made. He clarified that the reports suggesting Wanganeen-Milera has rejected a move to the Crows due to Walker’s comments are inaccurate. Williams stated, “[Wanganeen-Milera] is currently considering his future, and at this stage, no decisions have been made, and any speculation suggesting otherwise is inaccurate.”
In response to these reports, Walker addressed the situation on Triple M, expressing that he had contacted Williams for clarification. He underscored that Williams reiterated the statement publicly shared, yet Walker opted to refrain from further comment.
Overall, while speculation abounds regarding Wanganeen-Milera’s potential trade and his thoughts on Walker’s past actions, his manager has asserted that the player remains open to all options and has not made any definitive choices regarding his future.