The Walker Gamble ..

[BOZO]

The game on the weekend proved beyond doubt that we need to cut out mistakes to beat Melbourne.

Walks allows two line breaks for every one he makes
He has had 8 trys scored against him and only scored three and set up two.

Perspective time

If Walker settled in his best position at centre and play for 80 minutes there to gain momentum his confidence would increase and so will his performance from the stability of playing regular footy and gelling in one position

Play the slow , predictable and one dimensional Parker a game at fullback and then game at 5/8 and then off the bench for a few minutes here and there and see how his stats go ???

 

[Eagles4Life]

Ah here we go again. All the fault of that washed up no ideas coach again. Jeez some of you lot love to be negative.

Des is doing a great job. But unfortunately Walker is a huge liability in defence in the middle. I don't think we can beat the Storm with Walker in the seventeen. Smith and Grant would be hoping we keep playing Walker in the middle, as their try-scoring opportunities will increase exponentially, due to his defensive liabilities. Lawton is a much better defensive option as our fourteen. But Lawton needs to be given more consistent minutes off the bench. Basically the same minutes that Walker is getting now. There is no way that Walker should have come on before Lawton last weekend, considering the situation at the time.

 

[Fonzarelli]

He is slow but he is a great defender. He does run good lines and is good on decoy plays. Is there a centre on the market?

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

When Chambers rubbished him on the ground in the heat of the moment He proved great restraint showed no anger issues

As far a dumb goes . Having drink issues does not define ones intelligence .

I agree he has so much ability and with more game time he will get more confidence and match fitness to reach his playing potential .

Yes and I agree - contrary to people on here calling him out about the Chambers issue and some on here saying he/it upset our game - I felt he was totally well restrained and just basically ignored him. Others in the team weren't so keen to let it go and I didn't think it impacted on us at all.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Yep, injuries and a lack of forwards may have precipitated the notion ... but I think it is now an established ploy .. funny, Schuster would be the perfect ball player/runner/ game breaker you would want to come on against a tiring defense in exactly that role ... but you would be shot if you kept a kid of his talent sitting on the bench ...

Yes and my only thought there is that he is not as explosive and quick off the mark to make the most of a tiring forward. Walker still has that.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Ah here we go again. All the fault of that washed up no ideas coach again. Jeez some of you lot love to be negative.

bahahahahaha yes

 

[Nambawan]

Okay, we have all by now had a fair look at the ploy of having Walker come on late in the 1st half for a run in the middle .. best guesses are that it is part of the new age attacking strategy ... expansive creative footy ... upside when it works, and I can see it working well against most teams, is lots of points. ... downside is the better teams will take advantage when he is on and target concentrated attack through the middle where he is defending ..

Will it work long term, is the experiment/gamble here to stay ?

I am of mixed feelings ... I prefer 21 feet of grunt on the bench ... but new era, new game, new tactics ...

Not working liability in defense and is targeted. So far not working in attack also.

 

[maxta]

I don;t see it a gamble by Des, more a calculated idea that can definately work in the modern game....against certain teams it will work better and even against Storm he made a break and will test ANY defence in the NRL in this role.
The problem is the flipside to this, defensively he is always losing the contact and the best sides will use him as a springboard....as in - they will target him and win fast play balls 90% of the time and the Real danger is not "that" Walker tackle, but the momentum created by this, will create a struggling line which from that point that will be on the back foot and easily be picked apart.
I have always supported Walker as a player, but in terms of having a serious shot in 2021, can only pick 17 and only there if there are injuries in my team of choice - though Des likely will persist with this tactic and hope he leaves a big splatted egg on my melon
I think there is enough "flare" to win with Parker in the centres, so would argue he is the better option if we are to have "ANY" hope against the Top sides, as we CAN score points with enough strike in Turbo, DCE, Schu Saab ect and simply need few errors, better field position and an even share of decisions.

 

[Nambawan]

Walker is just filling in a place for forwards at the moment that we don't have. He has been given a job to try and add attack down our middle. He is not a forward but is doing his best Thing is we don't have anybody else. Unless we want to experiment with Moses Suli another back. Walker has played at middle forward, at fullback and five eight. He is a centre.. I can't remember when I last saw him there. In the positions he has been given he has done his best.
But it's not working.

Sironen and Karl Lawton were available.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Sironen and Karl Lawton were available.

Lawton was already in the 17...Sirro, Burbo,and De Luis were available though. I think Des is giving Walker every chance to prove he has worth.

 

[Nambawan]

Gee I must say I wasn't just looking at Walker all night but I certainly didn't notice him missing tackles and he added a spark in attack which is what we need and need to beat Melbourne. He has his poor days and his defence can be suspect but last night he certainly wasn't our issue.

He struggled in defense, probably only made 2 one on one tackles!

 

[Nambawan]

Lawton was already in the 17...Sirro, Burbo,and De Luis were available though. I think Des is giving Walker every chance to prove he has worth.

Lawton only came on in the last few minutes.

 

[Nambawan]

Walker is just filling in a place for forwards at the moment that we don't have. He has been given a job to try and add attack down our middle. He is not a forward but is doing his best Thing is we don't have anybody else. Unless we want to experiment with Moses Suli another back. Walker has played at middle forward, at fullback and five eight. He is a centre.. I can't remember when I last saw him there. In the positions he has been given he has done his best.
But it's not working.

Lawton and Sironen were available. Lawton only came on in last few minutes.

 

[40 years an eagle]

I felt he was totally well restrained and just basically ignoreh him. Others in the team weren't so keen to let it go

And this is exactly how it should go. I think people saying "he upset our attack" mean't he did it by being in the way, and were not referring to the Chambers incident.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Lawton only came on in the last few minutes.

Mate, I agree Lawton should have come on instead of Walker. I don't agree with that choice but we are not the ones making those decisions...and it's pretty pointless us even commenting on it.
.Sirro, Burbo,and De Luis were available but were not picked in the 17.

 

[Fonzarelli]

The game on the weekend proved beyond doubt that we need to cut out mistakes to beat Melbourne.

Walks allows two line breaks for every one he makes
He has had 8 trys scored against him and only scored three and set up two

You have a great hatred for walker it seems! He just wants to play footy at center... you merely want him dead

 

[Technical Coach]

The attack has looked more pedestrian, predictable and lacking sharpness ever since Jake is back playing the link role which risks Manly getting into a grind due to a lack of attacking output.

In saying that Jake did well against Melb in keeping the middle tight but I'm not really confident enough to say this defensive benefit is compensating enough.

Manly need points to defend to improve the confidence and enthusiasm in our defensive line along with applying pressure on teams to keep up with our points scoring.

I would be happy and always wanted Walker to play a sort of J.Lyon role of chiming in with some ball play when needed but also playing at center if Foran is at 5/8.(a floating centre)

Parkers running lines are essential for the left side attack so i feel Harper will have to be dropped.(i still don't think Harper is 100% after injuring his knee in one of the early rounds----surprised he has lasted this long----a credit to his toughness)

 

[Fonzarelli]

Perspective time

If Walker settled in his best position at centre and play for 80 minutes there to gain momentum his confidence would increase and so will his performance from the stability of playing regular footy and gelling in one position

Play the slow , predictable and one dimensional Parker a game at fullback and then game at 5/8 and then off the bench for a few minutes here and there and see how his stats go ???

Well said mate, poor walker has been shifted all over the place.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Well said mate, poor walker has been shifted all over the place.

Agree. Why? Because he hasn't been goods in any position he has been tried at and Des is hoping he can find somewhere he will be.

 

[Fonzarelli]

Agree. Why? Because he hasn't been goods in any position he has been tried at and Des is hoping he can find somewhere he will be.

Everywhere but centre! And please don't bring up the 20 he had there last week when tom came off and the team shifted all over the place. He was good at 5/8 but not the player we needed to help Cherry-Evans. Parker has been good there thats why walker hasn't taken the spot back. He did train there all off season so Des obviously had him ahead of Parker until harry smoked tommy