ADELAIDE skipper Taylor Walker was handed the Crows' captaincy because he placed the club before his own personal interests, coach Phil Walsh says.



The power forward, who recommitted to the club for a further three seasons late last year, became Adelaide's seventh captain in January after being given the nod ahead of teammate Rory Sloane.

Sloane placed an impassioned phonecall to his coach the night before Walker was announced as captain to plead his case for the role, Walsh revealed on Sunday.



However, Walsh said Walker had captivated him since their first meeting where he was motivated solely by the desire to have team success.



"I interviewed all the players as soon as I got to the club and all the staff, and there was probably only two people who the first thing they said to me was, 'You've got to make this club better, this could be a really good club'," Walsh told Fox Footy on Monday night.



"Most of the other people – and it's human nature – they wanted to know what was in it for them or maybe what I thought of them as a player, but 'Tex' actually had some care for the club.



"Ever since that point, he's been the most influential person at the club wanting to get the place better, so it was an easy decision for me."



Walsh refused to be drawn into the growing speculation surrounding star midfielder Patrick Dangerfield's contract situation.



The 25-year-old will qualify as a restricted free agent when his contract expires at season's end.



"I've got a pretty simple line with the Patrick Dangerfield stuff, I'm basically not going to answer it," Walsh said.



Walsh said defender Brodie Smith's collision in the final quarter of his side's 27-point victory over Collingwood last Saturday brought back harrowing memories of Brent Reilly's freak training accident



Smith was concussed and taken off the ground on a stretcher after colliding with Travis Varcoe's knee, while Reilly fractured his skull when he was kneed in the side of the head in February.



"We ask these guys to do incredible things and be brave and courageous," Walsh said.



"At the end of it, there can be serious injuries so that (Reilly's injury) did flash through my mind."