You can sit and sulk and look at the negatives or get on with life and do something about it," Walker said."You go through challenges in your career that make you want to get better."Walker's optimism and determination saw him return early in the 2014 season and inspired his teammates to appoint him captain the following year.His first season at the helm was one of the most difficult any leader could have faced, with the tragic death of senior coach Phil Walsh.But Walker was able to unite a shattered playing group and guide them into three consecutive finals series that culminated in the club's first grand final in 20 years and back-to-back AFLPA best captain awards.Jameson recalls Walker's maturity and guidance in the club's darkest period being an inspiration to a devastated community."At heart he's a larrikin … [but] he says and does things that the group is able to follow, and it's a special trait," he said."The passing of Walshy and the grand final hardship … it wasn't easy but that's how you learn."He's just a ripping bloke He was prepared to stand up when things were going well and, importantly, he stood tall when they weren't."A clash with the ladder-leading Fremantle Dockers awaits Friday night as the Crows fight for a top-four finish, but when it's all said and done Walker will finish thankful for the opportunity to represent his childhood club."I've had three loves in my life — my family, my friends and footy," he said."I want to go back [to Broken Hill] and win a premiership there