Dylan Walker

[Brisbane Tragic]

It doesn’t matter how talented you are if you are spending extended periods of time off the field as a result of antisocial behaviour you are a liability.

I am gathering he wont spend any time off the field because of this incident. But yes silly man - just a very very good player

 

[AlxFromNthNarra]

Seems such a shame, but booze is the common factor - the guy is just a liability on the piss. Hard to defend the repeat offences though with a simple 'can't hold his drink' defence.

I met the guy a few times at Dee Why when I was camped down there for a couple of years, he seemed polite and friendly to randoms when walking on the beach or out in the surf, with no turps in the equation.

The devil inside though.

Any accusation of violence towards women is especially hard to overlook for some (like me), and he should have been hyper-sensitive to that after his previous court case. The NRL struggles with their image in female circles so if Dylan wasn't advised to pull his head in, then he should have been by both club and administration.

A better man would have gone sober for at least a while to show a commitment to change/be better and try to win back some community respect/trust.

We all make mistakes, but repeated mistakes show a pattern. As nice as Dylan seems at face-value in daylight to a non-threatening stranger simply wishing him well, and as good he plays when at his best, he can't rest on that without a track-record to back it up.

He either hasn't accepted or realised that an NRL player is a target of sensationalist media, and of strangers that might NOT be 'wishing them well' for their own ill-gotten second of fame. It is part of the combined privilege and peril of their position, pay and treatment by fans and foe alike.

More players deal with it successfully than falter, as Dylan has. Repeatedly. I honestly don't know if I want him to stay or go at this point.

 

[The Who]

...yes silly man - just a very very good player

I'll agree with your first point but I don't rate him highly as a player. I can think of 10 Manly centres over the years that are far, far better than Walker.
Off the top of my head: Lyon, Matai, O'Connor, Fulton, Branagan, Stanton, Tennant, Shearer, Hill, Bell, Gartner, Moore...
Wow, that's 12.
For me Walker is very, very overrated, so it's unusual that our opinions about the merits of a player are so different. Shows what a polarising figure he is.

 

[The Who]

Oh. I just thought of another former great Manly Centre, Craig Innes. The Postman; he always delivered.
That's 13.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Oh. I just thought of another former great Manly Centre, Craig Innes. The Postman; he always delivered.
That's 13.

the postie. How good was he.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

I'll agree with your first point but I don't rate him highly as a player. I can think of 10 Manly centres over the years that are far, far better than Walker.
Off the top of my head: Lyon, Matai, O'Connor, Fulton, Branagan, Stanton, Tennant, Shearer, Hill, Bell, Gartner, Moore...
Wow, that's 12.
For me Walker is very, very overrated, so it's unusual that our opinions about the merits of a player are so different. Shows what a polarising figure he is.

Not comparing him to our other centres of the past because.... sorry but they wont be playing with us in 2021. In the current crop of Centres across the comp when injury free he is in the top 6 I would think.

 

[ManlyTragic]

I swear if you blew in walker’s ear a draught would come out the other ear!

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Not comparing him to our other centres of the past because.... sorry but they wont be playing with us in 2021. In the current crop of Centres across the comp when injury free he is in the top 6 I would think.

he certainly is polaraising

 

[Bearfax]

I'll agree with your first point but I don't rate him highly as a player. I can think of 10 Manly centres over the years that are far, far better than Walker.
Off the top of my head: Lyon, Matai, O'Connor, Fulton, Branagan, Stanton, Tennant, Shearer, Hill, Bell, Gartner, Moore...
Wow, that's 12.
For me Walker is very, very overrated, so it's unusual that our opinions about the merits of a player are so different. Shows what a polarising figure he is.

The real question isn't about previous Manly centres because they aren't playing for us now, its about centres we have now. How many have we that are as good as Walker. Potentially a couple maybe. At present, none. We go into next year with what we have without Walker, and we are a far less potent side This year proved that

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

The real question isn't about previous Manly centres because they aren't playing for us now, its about centres we have now. How many have we that are as good as Walker. Potentially a couple maybe. At present, none. We go into next year with what we have without Walker, and we are a far less potent side This year proved that

Exactly - he might not be a superstar but he is a very good centre - very simple and I don't think we have a better centre at the moment. Just reality.

 

[The better Robbo]

Exactly - he might not be a superstar but he is a very good centre - very simple and I don't think we have a better centre at the moment. Just reality.

Agree mate. He is the best centre on our books and a real competitor. I think that competitiveness is something we have lacked big time. We just need to adjust our defensive structure this year and if he stays injury free will have a stand out season, I have no doubt!

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Agree mate. He is the best centre on our books and a real competitor. I think that competitiveness is something we have lacked big time. We just need to adjust our defensive structure this year and if he stays injury free will have a stand out season, I have no doubt!

agreed totally - an air head off the field but bloody good player when fit on it. And yes he is a competitor - we need more of that not less

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

So does he get stood down?

 

[Mataiforever]

So does he get stood down?

If we can sign Brent Naden or someone alike then yes
If not, no.
The answer will be no.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

If we can sign Brent Naden or someone alike then yes
If not, no.
The answer will be no.

No will the nrl stand him down? Like last time until court? Its a bs charge common assault is the lowest charge

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Exactly - he might not be a superstar but he is a very good centre - very simple and I don't think we have a better centre at the moment. Just reality.

The guy can be one of the best centers. Watch the combo he sparks with Foran.. oooo i cant wait

 

[Midnight Rambler]

He’s strong & fast...which is exactly what we need. A Suli/Walker combination could be potentially deadly.

 

[court83]

Unpopular opinion, but I thought we shoulda sacked fainu the minute he was charged..
Hes been in first grade what, 1 and a quarter years??
In that minuscule time he has been charged over leaking sex tapes (dead set dog act) and charged with allegedly stabbing a bloke..
Even if he somehow gets off, how long til the next incident? Bet my left one that its within the year..
Shoulda cut our losses and either kept api in the first place or find a quality hooker instead of sitting here for a season hoping the kid doesn't end up in gaol

 

[Bearfax]

No will the nrl stand him down? Like last time until court? Its a bs charge common assault is the lowest charge

It is discretionary regarding whether the NRL stand him down, because as they said his if convicted, offences have a maximum gaol sentence (2 years) which is far less than the max sentence requiring mandatory suspension as per their no fault policy. De Bellin's max sentence makes it mandatory for his type of charges. Same with Fainu

 

[Bearfax]

Manly have a couple of young centres who are 'could be' top performers. Suli, Harper, Funa and I suspect Burbo could make the grade of top centre. But not yet. Suli may start to reach the heights next year. The other three I think are another year off. If they reach that level for the beginning of 2022, then the question of Walker becomes an easy decision. But that's based on talent, not behaviour away from the game.