Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has addressed claims that he dismissed the prospect of joining Adelaide due to Taylor Walker’s 2021 racism suspension, revealing he phoned the Crows veteran to defuse the situation.
Reports earlier this year suggested the St Kilda star was unwilling to consider Adelaide while Walker remained at the club.
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But Wanganeen-Milera, who ultimately signed a two-year extension with the Saints worth up to $4 million, says he wanted to make sure the story did not spiral out of control.
‘I just wanted to clear the air’
“It probably wasn't what I needed at the time, but I just wanted to clear the air [with Walker] before it got bigger and turned into a distraction,” Wanganeen-Milera told Nine’s Footy Classified. “I wanted to clear it before the weekend's game.”
Rory Sloane, seated alongside him, praised the gesture: “[Walker] was blown away by a 22-year-old kid calling a 35-year-old man ... he was blown away that you took the time to ring him, and I think that shows a tremendous amount of courage.”
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Walker later confirmed there was no issue between the two, while Wanganeen-Milera’s manager Ben Williams dismissed the original claims as “false.” Caroline Wilson, who broke the story, has continued to stand by her reporting.
Despite the off-field noise, Wanganeen-Milera delivered an All-Australian season in 2025 and was buoyed by the outpouring of support from St Kilda fans following his re-signing.