RICHMOND is one of three clubs facing a "big call" over the future of a key player at the end of this season, according to Kane Cornes.

Cornes believes there are question marks over Tigers forward Tom Lynch, Kuwarna veteran Taylor Walker and Walyalup ruck Sean Darcy.

On First Up with Kane Cornes, the Yartapuulti great urged Richmond to make a big decision regarding Lynch's position in the team, before he plays beyond his career expiry.

"Can he go on again for another year?" Cornes questioned. 

"He looks frustrated to me, like he's getting involved in the off the ball stuff … free kicks against, and I feel like his set-shot goalkicking has deserted him a little bit.

"It's going to be a big call for [Richmond] at the end of the year."

Lynch is nearing the end of the seven-year deal he signed after his 2018 trade from Gold Coast, but the 32-year-old has played just 17 games since the start of 2023.

Cornes says that if he can get through 2025, Richmond should advise the forward to consider retirement at the conclusion of the season.

"He looks sore to me, and he doesn't look like he can cover the ground," Cornes said. 

"I think if he gets through this year, you just don't like players going on for one season too long as we've seen with Nat Fyfe and Travis Boak … it's always good to bow out with a little bit of petrol in the tank and that's what you'd probably be encouraging Tom to do at the end of this year."

Cornes has also flagged Crows veteran Taylor Walker as one to weigh up retiring at the end of 2025, as the 35-year-old edges towards the conclusion of his career.  

With the Kuwarna forward line now bolstered by Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty, it's not the first time Cornes has alluded to Walker's career end.

"I think his last three weeks, Taylor Walker, has been tracking the wrong way," Cornes said.

In the wake of Kuwarna's 10-point loss to Collingwood on Saturday, Cornes criticised coach Matthew Nicks for selecting Walker, and persevering with a tall forward line. 

The 2023 All-Australian was subbed out in the third quarter, replaced by midfielder Sam Berry, as the Crows battled through the wet weather conditions. 

"There's nothing pretty about this," Cornes said. 

"Because Taylor Walker can't chase, Fogarty isn't a player who's got a big engine and can chase, Thilthorpe's the same, and then Collingwood got their game going from that.

"In the end it did force Matthew Nicks to make the sub with Taylor Walker, I just think it's a major elephant in the room when you've got a champion of the footy club, how you handle that if he's not going to be in your best side."

Saturday was a revealing day for selection squeezes, with Cornes naming Sean Darcy as at risk for his Dockers future, following Luke Jackson's strong performance in their 34-point win over Greater Western Sydney.

Darcy is contracted at the Dockers until 2030, but Cornes believes Walyalup should consider trading the 26-year-old ruck.  

"[Darcy is] the highest paid back-up ruckman we have ever seen in the history of the game," Cornes said. 

"I'm not sure how Sean's feeling sitting at home with ice on that knee again going, 'Well, I can't play forward either. I can't play as a midfielder. What am I going to do?'"  

"[Fremantle is] going to have to go to the trade table at the end of the year. And I know he's got a contract … but try and convince him Brodie Grundy style that the future isn't for you at Fremantle and ship him off to Geelong, which they probably should have done a couple of years ago."