Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's AFL decision down to two as Adelaide ruled out
South Australian-born St Kilda superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will not play for the Adelaide Crows if he is to request a trade home at the end of the 2025 AFL season.
That's according to The Agenda Setters' Caroline Wilson, who revealed on Monday night that the in-demand Indigenous defender would be uncomfortable at the Crows after a racism incident that dates back to 2021.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: St Kilda star rules out one Adelaide-based club ahead of contract decision.
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Former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker was slapped with a six-game ban and fined $20,000 in 2021 for a racist slur he made towards then-North Adelaide SANFL player Robbie Young.
Wilson says that still burns in the mind of Wanganeen-Milera, who is yet to commit to the Saints beyond this year and has strong interest from both Adelaide-based clubs.
'My understanding is that if Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera does leave St Kilda — and that's not certain, and Stephen Silvagni (Saints list manager) and Ben Williams (Wanganeen-Milera's manager) are speaking on almost a weekly basis — he won't be going to the Adelaide Football Club,' she said on The Agenda Setters.
'And 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, an infamous incident that happened involving Taylor Walker and Robbie Young.
'Now, I'm making no comment about the club's handling of that incident, because my memory is that Matthew Nicks, the coach, was shattered by that incident, and the club did everything they could to get around Robbie Young.
'But Wanganeen-Milera has asked, clarified, that Matthew Nicks was the coach at the time, and has indicated that he doesn't want to go to the Adelaide Football Club.'
Walker has since completed training and education programs to help better himself in the wake of the incident, which threatened to derail his career at the time.
As it turned out, Walker bounced back from his disgrace to re-establish himself as a leader within the Adelaide and AFL communities, and has played some of the best footy of his career in recent years.
He was asked about the incident in a TV interview on Nine during Gather Round earlier this year, after which he was applauded for 'walking through hell', as host Eddie McGuire described it.
'I made a mistake, and one that I've got to live with for the rest of my life,' Walker said in April.
'But I suppose, when you make mistakes, you get a choice whether you look at it as: you can dwell on it, or you can learn about it.
'I'm very grateful for the support I had around me and I feel like I've learnt a lot, and I'm enjoying my football.'
Wilson said 'a lot of Wanganeen-Milera's friends' and members of 'the South Australian Indigenous community' remain irked that Walker, in that interview — though by no means through any fault of his own necessarily — was painted somewhat as a victim.
'I can't speak to the work that Taylor has done behind the scenes with Robbie Young and the South Australian and footy's Indigenous community, and he didn't set up those questions and that interview — but there was a view from Indigenous leaders across footy that it portrayed Taylor Walker as more of a victim than Robbie Young,' Wilson said.
'And it's just a small thing, but it wasn't a small thing to others who were still badly (hurt) by what happened back in 2021.
'So, for a variety of reasons, but specifically Wanganeen-Milera's issues with Taylor Walker and what happened back then, the view from Port Adelaide and from others in the footy community is that if he does leave, he will be going to Port Adelaide.'
Asked where she thinks Wanganeen-Milera will be playing next year, Wilson said she remains unsure.
'I'm really struggling to call it, I really am,' she said.
'I do know, that although St Kilda say they're confident, that he has some real issues with life in Melbourne and is very keen to return to home to Port.'
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Daily Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
‘Doesn't want to play for them': Bombshell racism report rocks AFL club
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker's racism incident several years ago is playing a role in star trade target Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera refusing to consider joining the Crows, according to veteran journalist Caroline Wilson. However the Saints gun's manager has firmly denied he has ruled out joining the club. In 2021, Walker was handed a six-week suspension and $20,000 fine for racially abusing an Indigenous SANFL player while addressing the Crows reserves players in a non-playing capacity. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The incident rocked both Walker, who was 'an emotional wreck' in the aftermath, and the team with coach Matthew Nicks emotionally calling it 'completely unacceptable and something that we won't stand for as a football club'. Wanganeen-Milera was drafted by St Kilda later that year and the South Australian, who has emerged as a young superstar halfback, is now weighing up whether to return to his home state or remain at the Saints with lucrative offers looming either way. Will Faulkner has reported Port Adelaide feels well-placed in the race for Wanganeen-Milera due to his close ties with Power players Jason Horne-Francis and Jase Burgoyne, while he also has family links to the club due to his uncle Gavin Wanganeen. Wilson reported on Monday night the 22-year-old will not consider the Crows partially due to the Walker incident, and particularly the way it was discussed on Channel Nine earlier this year. 'I'm making no comment about the club's handling of that incident, because my memory is that Matthew Nicks, the coach, was shattered by that incident, and the club did everything they could to get around Robbie Young (the player abused),' she said on Seven. Tex Walker and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. 'But Wanganeen-Milera has clarified that Matthew Nicks was the coach at the time and has indicated that he doesn't want to go to the Adelaide Football Club. 'One thing that happened over Gather Round, and I'm not talking so much about Wanganeen-Milera here, but a lot of his friends and the South Australian Indigenous community, was the Gather Round special that was aired on the Nine Network, hosted by Eddie McGuire.' A clip from the TV show was then aired in which McGuire described the incident as 'tough times' for Walker and framed him as dealing with adversity. Walker hit back at that framing somewhat, saying he 'made a mistake, one that I've got to live with for the rest of my life. But I suppose when you make mistakes, you get a choice, whether you can dwell on it, or you can learn about it.' While Wilson did not want to minimise any work Walker has done to make amends for the incident, and did not blame him for the framing of the interview, she explained there was 'a view from Indigenous leaders across footy that it portrayed Taylor Walker as more of a victim than Robbie Young. 'And it's just a small thing, but it wasn't a small thing to others who were still badly injured by what happened back in 2021. 'And so for a variety of reasons, but specifically Wanganeen-Milera's issues with Taylor Walker and what happened back then, the view from Port Adelaide and others in the footy community is if he does leave, he'll be going to Port Adelaide.' Wanganeen-Milera's manager Ben Williams denied a decision had been reached. In a statement to Nine Adelaide, he said: 'Reports made in the media suggesting that Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has ruled out joining the Adelaide Crows due to comments made by Taylor Walker in 2021 are false. 'Nasiah is currently considering his future and at this stage, no decisions have been made, and any speculation suggesting otherwise is inaccurate.' Wanganeen-Milera is expected to receive long-term offers nearing $10 million but must be traded if he wants to leave, as he is several years away from reaching free agency. Originally published as 'Doesn't want to play for them': Bombshell racism report rocks AFL club
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Doesn't want to play for them': Bombshell racism report rocks AFL club
Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker's racism incident several years ago is playing a role in star trade target Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera refusing to consider joining the Crows, according to veteran journalist Caroline Wilson. However the Saints gun's manager has firmly denied he has ruled out joining the club. In 2021, Walker was handed a six-week suspension and $20,000 fine for racially abusing an Indigenous SANFL player while addressing the Crows reserves players in a non-playing capacity. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The incident rocked both Walker, who was 'an emotional wreck' in the aftermath, and the team with coach Matthew Nicks emotionally calling it 'completely unacceptable and something that we won't stand for as a football club'. Wanganeen-Milera was drafted by St Kilda later that year and the South Australian, who has emerged as a young superstar halfback, is now weighing up whether to return to his home state or remain at the Saints with lucrative offers looming either way. Will Faulkner has reported Port Adelaide feels well-placed in the race for Wanganeen-Milera due to his close ties with Power players Jason Horne-Francis and Jase Burgoyne, while he also has family links to the club due to his uncle Gavin Wanganeen. Wilson reported on Monday night the 22-year-old will not consider the Crows partially due to the Walker incident, and particularly the way it was discussed on Channel Nine earlier this year. 'I'm making no comment about the club's handling of that incident, because my memory is that Matthew Nicks, the coach, was shattered by that incident, and the club did everything they could to get around Robbie Young (the player abused),' she said on Seven. 'But Wanganeen-Milera has clarified that Matthew Nicks was the coach at the time and has indicated that he doesn't want to go to the Adelaide Football Club. 'One thing that happened over Gather Round, and I'm not talking so much about Wanganeen-Milera here, but a lot of his friends and the South Australian Indigenous community, was the Gather Round special that was aired on the Nine Network, hosted by Eddie McGuire.' A clip from the TV show was then aired in which McGuire described the incident as 'tough times' for Walker and framed him as dealing with adversity. Walker hit back at that framing somewhat, saying he 'made a mistake, one that I've got to live with for the rest of my life. But I suppose when you make mistakes, you get a choice, whether you can dwell on it, or you can learn about it.' While Wilson did not want to minimise any work Walker has done to make amends for the incident, and did not blame him for the framing of the interview, she explained there was 'a view from Indigenous leaders across footy that it portrayed Taylor Walker as more of a victim than Robbie Young. 'And it's just a small thing, but it wasn't a small thing to others who were still badly injured by what happened back in 2021. 'And so for a variety of reasons, but specifically Wanganeen-Milera's issues with Taylor Walker and what happened back then, the view from Port Adelaide and others in the footy community is if he does leave, he'll be going to Port Adelaide.' Wanganeen-Milera's manager Ben Williams denied a decision had been reached. In a statement to Nine Adelaide, he said: 'Reports made in the media suggesting that Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has ruled out joining the Adelaide Crows due to comments made by Taylor Walker in 2021 are false. 'Nasiah is currently considering his future and at this stage, no decisions have been made, and any speculation suggesting otherwise is inaccurate.' Wanganeen-Milera is expected to receive long-term offers nearing $10 million but must be traded if he wants to leave, as he is several years away from reaching free agency.
7NEWS
6 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's AFL decision down to two as Adelaide ruled out
South Australian-born St Kilda superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will not play for the Adelaide Crows if he is to request a trade home at the end of the 2025 AFL season. That's according to The Agenda Setters' Caroline Wilson, who revealed on Monday night that the in-demand Indigenous defender would be uncomfortable at the Crows after a racism incident that dates back to 2021. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: St Kilda star rules out one Adelaide-based club ahead of contract decision. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker was slapped with a six-game ban and fined $20,000 in 2021 for a racist slur he made towards then-North Adelaide SANFL player Robbie Young. Wilson says that still burns in the mind of Wanganeen-Milera, who is yet to commit to the Saints beyond this year and has strong interest from both Adelaide-based clubs. 'My understanding is that if Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera does leave St Kilda — and that's not certain, and Stephen Silvagni (Saints list manager) and Ben Williams (Wanganeen-Milera's manager) are speaking on almost a weekly basis — he won't be going to the Adelaide Football Club,' she said on The Agenda Setters. 'And 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, an infamous incident that happened involving Taylor Walker and Robbie Young. 'Now, I'm making no comment about the club's handling of that incident, because my memory is that Matthew Nicks, the coach, was shattered by that incident, and the club did everything they could to get around Robbie Young. 'But Wanganeen-Milera has asked, clarified, that Matthew Nicks was the coach at the time, and has indicated that he doesn't want to go to the Adelaide Football Club.' Walker has since completed training and education programs to help better himself in the wake of the incident, which threatened to derail his career at the time. As it turned out, Walker bounced back from his disgrace to re-establish himself as a leader within the Adelaide and AFL communities, and has played some of the best footy of his career in recent years. He was asked about the incident in a TV interview on Nine during Gather Round earlier this year, after which he was applauded for 'walking through hell', as host Eddie McGuire described it. 'I made a mistake, and one that I've got to live with for the rest of my life,' Walker said in April. 'But I suppose, when you make mistakes, you get a choice whether you look at it as: you can dwell on it, or you can learn about it. 'I'm very grateful for the support I had around me and I feel like I've learnt a lot, and I'm enjoying my football.' Wilson said 'a lot of Wanganeen-Milera's friends' and members of 'the South Australian Indigenous community' remain irked that Walker, in that interview — though by no means through any fault of his own necessarily — was painted somewhat as a victim. 'I can't speak to the work that Taylor has done behind the scenes with Robbie Young and the South Australian and footy's Indigenous community, and he didn't set up those questions and that interview — but there was a view from Indigenous leaders across footy that it portrayed Taylor Walker as more of a victim than Robbie Young,' Wilson said. 'And it's just a small thing, but it wasn't a small thing to others who were still badly (hurt) by what happened back in 2021. 'So, for a variety of reasons, but specifically Wanganeen-Milera's issues with Taylor Walker and what happened back then, the view from Port Adelaide and from others in the footy community is that if he does leave, he will be going to Port Adelaide.' Asked where she thinks Wanganeen-Milera will be playing next year, Wilson said she remains unsure. 'I'm really struggling to call it, I really am,' she said. 'I do know, that although St Kilda say they're confident, that he has some real issues with life in Melbourne and is very keen to return to home to Port.'
