In a moment that stunned the home crowd, the son of Adelaide Crows veteran Taylor Walker proudly ran out in Collingwood colours on his father’s home turf at Gather Round.
Five-year-old Louis Walker, already a well-known Collingwood superfan, had the experience of a lifetime when he ran out onto Adelaide Oval alongside his hero Nick Daicos ahead of the Magpies’ clash with Fremantle.
Dressed head-to-toe in black and white, Louis proudly wore a No. 35 guernsey with ‘Walker’ printed across the back, a special gift from Daicos himself.
As the pair jogged onto the ground, they were seen chatting and smiling, with Daicos giving the youngster a reassuring pat on the back. Louis also shared a high five with Collingwood defender Isaac Quaynor as he soaked in the moment.
The heartwarming interaction drew loud cheers from Magpies supporters, many of whom have followed Louis’ story since his unlikely allegiance first came to light.
Despite being the son of a Crows great, Louis’ love for Collingwood, and Daicos in particular, has become a running storyline within AFL circles.
Tex Walker’s young son stunned fans by running out in Collingwood colours on Adelaide’s home turf at Gather Round
Five-year-old Louis Walker proudly joined Collingwood star Nick Daicos before the Magpies’ clash, creating a heartwarming pre-game moment
That bond dates back to a chance meeting in Fiji in 2024, where the Walker family crossed paths with Daicos while on holiday.
What began as a casual interaction quickly turned into a genuine friendship, with the AFL star taking time to stay connected with his young fan.
Since then, Daicos has gone out of his way to make Louis feel part of the Magpies family, from gifting him a signed guernsey to jumping on a surprise Facetime call for his fifth birthday.
‘It just goes to show footy is a game, there are personalities within the game and it’s about the respect that people have for each other,’ a close observer said.
‘Everyone had a bit of a laugh … it was all smiles in the room, with Louis wearing his Collingwood gear.’
Louis’ passion has only grown, with the youngster previously celebrating his birthday with a full Collingwood-themed party, complete with black-and-white balloons and his favourite player’s number painted across his face.
Back at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, that devotion was on full display as he lived out a dream few kids ever get to experience.
Unfortunately for Collingwood fans, that was as wholesome as the night got, with Fremantle prevailing in a 7.3 (45) to 5.9 (39) low-scoring thriller.
Their friendship began during a chance family meeting in Fiji and has continued to grow ever since
The Walker household shows split loyalties, with Louis backing Collingwood while his father remains a proud Adelaide Crows leader
‘I don’t think Fremantle, 12 or 24 months ago, would’ve won that game,’ former Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said on Fox Footy.
The Magpies led by four points at three-quarter time before Fremantle’s Jye Amiss and Matthew Johnson kicked two clutch unanswered goals to snatch victory.
Justin Longmuir’s Dockers move to 4-1 and second on the ladder, while Craig McRae’s Collingwood (2-3) were left to rue chances to put the match away early in the final quarter.
‘We did enough to win this game,’ McRae told reporters after the match.
‘We defended the ground really well.
‘We didn’t last week (against the Lions) … we’re improving parts of our game.’
