Rarely is he spoken about in the absolute top echelon of modern-day forwards. Rarely outside South Australia, anyway. While Buddy Franklin rightly gets top billing, even guys such as Gold Coast's Tom Lynch or Jeremy Cameron from GWS have often earned more plaudits.

All three have achieved something Tex hasn't, and that's All-Australian selection. Buddy has earned those honours seven times, while the much younger Lynch and Cameron have done it once each. So why does Walker keep getting overlooked in that conversation? It's a question that's not easily answered, but one worth exploring.

On the surface, statistically, he is comfortably one of the more dominant forwards. This season he's averaging career-highs in disposals, tackles, inside 50s and goal assists. He's also No.1 in the competition for goal and score assists.

So far in 2017, he's booted 50 goals and now sits second on Adelaide's all-time goalkicking list with 353 majors, behind Tony Modra, who booted 440 in his time with the Crows.

He's got great hands, is an excellent field kick on both feet and reliable in front of goal. Add his leadership and Walker has just about the entire package.

In the past two seasons, his peers have voted him the AFL's best captain and there's no doubt Tex has a huge presence on the field. To be held in that regard by his opponents says a lot about the type of person he is on the field and just how great his influence can be. Taking all of that into account, is Walker a little underrated? The short answer is no.

This shouldn't be seen as taking a swipe at what Tex has been able to produce during his career. But still there's something holding him back from being thought of in the same regard as someone like Buddy, and that might be because he's yet to reach his full potential. Is he performing to the level his talent should enable him to? I think Walker can find another gear.

While he possesses all the attributes to really impose himself on a contest, we perhaps don't see it often enough. If I have a criticism of him it's simply about urgency and wanting to make things happen just that little bit more. It might only be a few per cent of improvement, but that potential is there should he search hard enough for it. It would be a shame if the talent he has wasn't completely fulfilled.

Walker needs to find that level in the next fortnight if Adelaide want to win the premiership. A big preliminary final against the Cats, backed up by a similar performance in the grand final could elevate his status from one of the game's best current-day centre half-forwards, to taking the mantle as the best.

As we know, premierships build reputations and while what people think of him might not bother Tex, I've got no doubt underneath the surface he'd have a certain level of pride. Of course, from afar it's always difficult to tell what is going on with a player's body and how much that might be hampering them at any given time.

It's also worth noting, without him the AFL's most prolific forward line wouldn't be anywhere near as dangerous. Walker takes the best defender every week, allowing guys such as Josh Jenkins and Tom Lynch to reap the benefits and play important roles around him. All three will need to be at their best against a Geelong outfit that kept Sydney to just five goals last week in their semi-final at the MCG.

Tom Lonergan, Harry Taylor, Lachie Henderson, Andrew Mackie and Zach Tuohy form a back line that is just about as experienced and organised as you can get. But, this is September, and if you want a ticket to the promised land you need to find something else within yourself to get the job done.

Will Walker be the one to lead his team into a grand final? We're about to find out.