Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has delivered a powerful message following Crows veteran Taylor Walker's six-game AFL ban for using a racial slur, saying the club stands by the Indigenous community.
Walker, a former Crows captain, will not be eligible to play until round four next season after admitting to making a racist remark about North Adelaide player Robbie Young while attending a SANFL game in July.
An emotional Nicks fronted a press conference on Friday, condemning Walker's actions and the impact they would be having on sections of society.
During his 175-game playing career, Nicks was part of a Sydney team containing Indigenous legends Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin.
The Crows have four Indigenous players on their list this year - Ben Davis, Tariek Newchurch, Wayne Milera and Shane McAdam.
"It's time like this you make phone calls to people you played alongside and you apologise to them," Nicks said.
"You just want to look them in the eye and say 'we've got your back', and that's hard to do at the moment.
"We're sticking strong and we'll stand side-by-side our Indigenous brothers and we'll get through and educate ourselves.
"Let's make sure we learn from this. There's an education piece around the history in this country and the people who were first here.
"When you do understand that, it's incredible how much respect you have for the people who were on this land first."
Nicks said he and the Crows would also support Walker, who has taken leave from the club and has been struggling in the wake of the saga.
"That's not my priority at this point, my priority is working with every person who has been affected by this," he said.
