Suli being circled?

[Fonzarelli]

Fair enough. I know I stick up for him a lot. Guess we'll have to respectfully disagree. I take yours (and others @The Who ) point(s) by the way. I just think, give him some "conSISTENT time" at centre to build chemistry both in attack and more so like you say "defense", I really think he'd shock people.

His form literally dropped when he started getting shifted around from position to position. Yes, he's very occasionally thrown back in at centre for a few games, but again, he needs time to build back into the position, before he's moved again.

Look at Croker. Everyone literally wanted him out at one point, blaming all the losses on him. We all glad we stuck with him there? Consistency, chemistry, combination...that's the key imo for the stats to turn around.

Feels like I'm alone in that way of thinking though haha. Same as I was with Froggy.

Walker with a few games under his belt would be good at center. Everyone so harsh judging him playing out pf position like fullback and then playing center for 20. The team changed and was completely out of wack but apparently walker is to blame. I remember in the game day thread people calling for parker to be taken off after his 2 crucial errors. Then they scored a try down walkers edge and it was "walkers **** get him off"
The mob is fickle brother!

 

[ManlyTragic]

Walker with a few games under his belt would be good at center. Everyone so harsh judging him playing out pf position like fullback and then playing center for 20. The team changed and was completely out of wack but apparently walker is to blame. I remember in the game day thread people calling for parker to be taken off after his 2 crucial errors. Then they scored a try down walkers edge and it was "walkers **** get him off"
The mob is fickle brother!

Walker lost his position because of his time out for dumb things he did on and off the field! Others grabbed his position, played consistently, and never given Walker the opportunity to get his spot back.
Dylan now finds himself fighting for a spot on the bench.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

We all have our benchmarks and high standards feathered friend and you are entitled to your view on our forum

My view is from watching the Manly Grand final standard centres in our legendary clubs proud history our current slow left centre is far from gold plated quality in both attack and defence

.

every choice made has a flipside.

Parker does his job, gets paid for that job and we keep players like Guac, Sabb, Paseka and Harper.

Parker is replaced by a Jamie Lyon class centre as per the gold standard you mention. they take 750k and we lose players from other positions.

Sure I would love a Joey Manu or Katoni Staggs but if that happens we lose others.

Dont forget when we had Killer in his prime you had solid 'parker' type players in that side to accommodate his pay packet. Michael Robinson, Wolfman etc.

 

[Fonzarelli]

Walker lost his position because of his time out for dumb things he did on and off the field! Others grabbed his position, played consistently, and never given Walker the opportunity to get his spot back.
Dylan now finds himself fighting for a spot on the bench.

Thats not really true, he was moved to 6 because we had no one else that was good ie croker or cust. Then he trained all off season outside of Foran. Turbo was injured and poor walker had to play in the fb position not centre. Then i think he was injured again right? Now he is playing lock the poor guy and he's trying hard you can see he actually has a good impact off the bench but needs more game time there. Yes his stupidity has cost him loads of game time but he's back now and I think we would be so stupid letting him go. Let Suli go sign walks another 2 years on i dunno 300k or 350k and go from there. Des knows walker has x factor thats why he's still in the side playing lock of all things. He is an asset and owes the club for showing him loyalty. Des likes this im sure thats why he builds these relationships like how he went and visited fainu in jail and fainu spoke of how much he appreciated that. Walker will be the same and those players play for the coach and that is what we need! Can't wait for tomorrow... wish i could hibernate until 7 then wake up for a triple S

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Fair enough. I know I stick up for him a lot. Guess we'll have to respectfully disagree. I take yours (and others @The Who ) point(s) by the way. I just think, give him some "conSISTENT time" at centre to build chemistry both in attack and more so like you say "defense", I really think he'd shock people.

His form literally dropped when he started getting shifted around from position to position. Yes, he's very occasionally thrown back in at centre for a few games, but again, he needs time to build back into the position, before he's moved again.

Look at Croker. Everyone literally wanted him out at one point, blaming all the losses on him. We all glad we stuck with him there? Consistency, chemistry, combination...that's the key imo for the stats to turn around.

Feels like I'm alone in that way of thinking though haha. Same as I was with Froggy.

Quality player on his day Ryan and he has been pretty good since he came back in his role off the bench. Defence isn't his big thing but he adds something in attack that most others can't.

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

Quality player on his day Ryan and he has been pretty good since he came back in his role off the bench. Defence isn't his big thing but he adds something in attack that most others can't.

The problem with a walker is he's a runner. very good when on but does that suit our game plan now? our plays are stripping most sides now with Tommy finding the wingers more often than not. my concern for walker is he holds onto the ball too much and the play dies.
Perhaps a full off season at 3/4 then a run of games and he can find the form of a few years back.

 

[Fonzarelli]

The problem with a walker is he's a runner. very good when on but does that suit our game plan now? our plays are stripping most sides now with Tommy finding the wingers more often than not. my concern for walker is he holds onto the ball too much and the play dies.
Perhaps a full off season at 3/4 then a run of games and he can find the form of a few years back.

Shame tommy did his hammies as walks was training outside of Foz. Perhaps next season

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

The problem with a walker is he's a runner. very good when on but does that suit our game plan now? our plays are stripping most sides now with Tommy finding the wingers more often than not. my concern for walker is he holds onto the ball too much and the play dies.
Perhaps a full off season at 3/4 then a run of games and he can find the form of a few years back.

no dont agree at all - yes he is a runner but he is also very good when his game head is on - doing a bit of what Jake does and playing first off the ruck and pushing Foran generally a pass wider. Yes he can hang on at times but again he can do things not a lot can do. He is rocks or diamonds I agree but he has a bit of that x factor and we need that to beat Melbourne - we need a bit of unpredictability

 

[Jerry1]

no dont agree at all - yes he is a runner but he is also very good when his game head is on - doing a bit of what Jake does and playing first off the ruck and pushing Foran generally a pass wider. Yes he can hang on at times but again he can do things not a lot can do. He is rocks or diamonds I agree but he has a bit of that x factor and we need that to beat Melbourne - we need a bit of unpredictability

Nah - walker dies with the ball no matter what tackle.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Nah - walker dies with the ball no matter what tackle.

I must be watching another game then or a different player who looks like Walker and wears his jersey

 

[Bearfax]

Nah - walker dies with the ball no matter what tackle.

I must be watching another Walker, because the Walker I'm seeing is constantly trying to set up the player next to him. He's playing a ball player role every time he comes onto the field. Maybe not as good as Foran and Schuster, but he almost always passes the ball, unless he's taking the ball up to make yardage. Has only made 12 appearances this year and mainly off the bench for short periods yet look at his two try assists and tackle breaks. Compare that with Parker one try assist in 19 games and Harper two in 15 games both for full matches. Hardly suggesting Walker dies with the ball often.

Dylan Walker

The NRL profile of Dylan Walker including career statistics, season stats, games, tries, goals, tackles and fantasy scores.

www.seaeagles.com.au

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

I must be watching another game then or a different player who looks like Walker and wears his jersey

Have you watched home over the last 4 years? 70% of the time it was a 'what do I do now moment. OK let's just run.

Sure he has some moments but those moments are far too far apart.

Off the bench will be just fine for the Melbourne game. I could only imagine the rheeming we would get if DW was in the 3/⁴ line up against Olam this weekend.

Parker will go ok.

 

[Jerry1]

I must be watching another Walker, because the Walker I'm seeing is constantly trying to set up the player next to him. He's playing a ball player role every time he comes onto the field. Maybe not as good as Foran and Schuster, but he almost always passes the ball, unless he's taking the ball up to make yardage. Has only made 12 appearances this year and mainly off the bench for short periods yet look at his two try assists and tackle breaks. Compare that with Parker one try assist in 19 games and Harper two in 15 games both for full matches. Hardly suggesting Walker dies with the ball often.

Dylan Walker

The NRL profile of Dylan Walker including career statistics, season stats, games, tries, goals, tackles and fantasy scores.

www.seaeagles.com.au

Meh - des played him at half a few weeks ago when DCE was off. Big bird & Lionel didn't see the ball all night.

 

[Bearfax]

Meh - des played him at half a few weeks ago when DCE was off. Big bird & Lionel didn't see the ball all night.

Jerry I suspect you're looking for reasons to knock the player. Statistically he does his job and obviously Des thinks so to. What I've seen of Walker is he does well most of the time he comes on the field. He may have an off game on occasions but so does every player. I don't see you knocking Parker for last week. Sometimes they aren't on song. If he wasn't good enough they wouldn't be considering offering another contract.

 

[Jerry1]

Absolutely not I reckon Walker would be a good running center. He’s just not a fullback or half. I’d piss Parker off and put walker in there. He has to realize that the blokes on his outside are the people who are going to add to the scoreboard.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Have you watched home over the last 4 years? 70% of the time it was a 'what do I do now moment. OK let's just run.

Sure he has some moments but those moments are far too far apart.

Off the bench will be just fine for the Melbourne game. I could only imagine the rheeming we would get if DW was in the 3/⁴ line up against Olam this weekend.

Parker will go ok.

oh agreed at this stage no way would I play him in the Centres. He needs to come on and be another Jake be first receiver for Foran and take the line on at times and try and create that bit of brilliance

 

[EOL now nesting on the GC]

oh agreed at this stage no way would I play him in the Centres. He needs to come on and be another Jake be first receiver for Foran and take the line on at times and try and create that bit of brilliance

I agree with that.

 

[Bearfax]

Absolutely not I reckon Walker would be a good running center. He’s just not a fullback or half. I’d piss Parker off and put walker in there. He has to realize that the blokes on his outside are the people who are going to add to the scoreboard.

I think that is a valid comment, in some respects, in my opinion...but only my opinion. The Sea Eagles are at present extremely fortunate. Until this year we had one class play maker in DCE because Turbo was absent for most of the recent seasons. Easy to shut down one play maker. But this year we have two of the best in Foran and Schuster, as well as DCE and Turbo. I don't think there is another team as well stocked. The unfortunate thing is Walker has been out for long stretches over the past few years and both Barrett and Des have had to find alternative centres. Parker is a good defensive back who as long as he plays centre, not wing, positions himself well in attack despite his limitations in speed. Harper is fleet footed in the Walker style, not yet up there but quickly developing. Des always seeks to remain conservative and try to maintain stability by keeping the players he has in certain positions there as long as they do the basics well.

Now Walker is a centre as you said. That's where his skill lies because that's where he's obviously played most of his career. He's at the point in his career when players reach their peak ( he's 26), and though he may have lost a little pace he would still beat all but Saab, Garrett and perhaps Turbo (DCE over 30 metres) in this team, from what I've observed. But where do you put someone with obvious talent (hoping of course he doesn't get side-lined again). Barrett and Des have obviously tried to adapt him into a running ball player. And I agree I didn't think he was that good at 5/8 (did OK) and shouldn't be full back because he doesn't understand the positioning of that position. So Des is obviously seeing him as a shock trooper, someone to bring in to add another dimension to the ball playing range he has, as well as utilising his speed. He struggled a little with that position early on but from what I've seen he's adapting and learning well, just as Croker has adapted well to the hooking position which I initially thought didn't suit him. Walker will never be a Foran or Schuster as a ball player, but I think he's developing well as a fifth wheel ball player in the side (of course I also mustn't forget Jake). Of course by next year with the rise of player like Koula, Humphries etc he may become redundant, but that's just what happens in the game. For now he's doing well....in my opinion

 

[BOZO]

every choice made has a flipside.

Parker does his job, gets paid for that job and we keep players like Guac, Sabb, Paseka and Harper.

Parker is replaced by a Jamie Lyon class centre as per the gold standard you mention. they take 750k and we lose players from other positions.

Sure I would love a Joey Manu or Katoni Staggs but if that happens we lose others.

Dont forget when we had Killer in his prime you had solid 'parker' type players in that side to accommodate his pay packet. Michael Robinson, Wolfman etc.

Harper the bargain buy does his Job too at a dominant level in both defence and attack and gets paid for us to keep the likes of Turbo

You will find that Harper and Parker would be on the same contact money but Parker is not on the same level of player dominance and value to the team as Harper

Premiership winning teams keep evolving as striving for excellence is on going and so is the look out for better performing "value" players that can offer more to the team and make it a stronger team.

Our team needs tweaking for us to be peaking into the finals and our left centre position is one of those that needs improving

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

I think that is a valid comment, in some respects, in my opinion...but only my opinion. The Sea Eagles are at present extremely fortunate. Until this year we had one class play maker in DCE because Turbo was absent for most of the recent seasons. Easy to shut down one play maker. But this year we have two of the best in Foran and Schuster, as well as DCE and Turbo. I don't think there is another team as well stocked. The unfortunate thing is Walker has been out for long stretches over the past few years and both Barrett and Des have had to find alternative centres. Parker is a good defensive back who as long as he plays centre, not wing, positions himself well in attack despite his limitations in speed. Harper is fleet footed in the Walker style, not yet up there but quickly developing. Des always seeks to remain conservative and try to maintain stability by keeping the players he has in certain positions there as long as they do the basics well.

Now Walker is a centre as you said. That's where his skill lies because that's where he's obviously played most of his career. He's at the point in his career when players reach their peak ( he's 26), and though he may have lost a little pace he would still beat all but Saab, Garrett and perhaps Turbo (DCE over 30 metres) in this team, from what I've observed. But where do you put someone with obvious talent (hoping of course he doesn't get side-lined again). Barrett and Des have obviously tried to adapt him into a running ball player. And I agree I didn't think he was that good at 5/8 (did OK) and shouldn't be full back because he doesn't understand the positioning of that position. So Des is obviously seeing him as a shock trooper, someone to bring in to add another dimension to the ball playing range he has, as well as utilising his speed. He struggled a little with that position early on but from what I've seen he's adapting and learning well, just as Croker has adapted well to the hooking position which I initially thought didn't suit him. Walker will never be a Foran or Schuster as a ball player, but I think he's developing well as a fifth wheel ball player in the side (of course I also mustn't forget Jake). Of course by next year with the rise of player like Koula, Humphries etc he may become redundant, but that's just what happens in the game. For now he's doing well....in my opinion

Totally totally agree @Bearfax - he is the x factor. He is the guy hopefully who will come on with 15 minutes to go in a half and create havoc. Will he make some mistakes - yep - will he miss a tackle - yes but again very few have that speed and ability to just do something from nothing. He is no Turbo, he is not a 7 or a 6 with the skills to direct a team around but he can bob up anywhere and blow a defence apart. I hope we see the Diamonds tonight and not the rocks which he can be at times.