Walker and kelly

[Paw93]

Don't know about Walker, he's on big money and I don't think he's come back properly from that injury last year, too much downside now.
Kelly is good, provided we are not going to pay him a fortune, although his defense worries me.

Walker is still a weapon. Let's see how he goes with a full pre-season again. Last season he came back straight from an injury while moving between centre and 5/8.

 

[grassy]

Yea everyone knows my thoughts on walker. But under the circumstances having Des back i am willing to put my one track mind aside and give him the benefit of the doubt. But he needs to work on that discipline though.Say what you like about Trent but Walker did not make things any easier for him.Total ballsup this year and would like to put that behind me.

 

[Rackets]

Some of his hard runs to get yardage in '17 were Skivi like.

Exactly my point, but he also needs to aim up at defence too and hit like Matai. He has the speed, step and physique to do it.....Des and Donny just need to extract that

 

[mjb136]

Walker is a must to keep. He has been hamstrung by injury and poor coaching since he got here.

 

[HoldenV8]

Prob not ,His good game ratio to the time he has been here is abysmal.But willing to give him one more year playing centre under Des.

Part of the problem with Walker is that we signed him as a centre, and when he's been on the field he has played 23 out of his 57 games for us at out of position at 5/8.

When he played 25 out of 25 games in 2017 in the centres, he was the Dally M Centre of the year and but for the PM's XIII injury would likely have been in the Kangaroos World Cup squad. An injury which also kept him out of this years NSW side. And don't for a minute think that James Roberts would have still been the NSW centre if Walker had been playing all season in the centres for us.

His form suffered in 2016 when he played 13 of 18 games at 5/8 (and 1 at fullback), and again this year when he played 10 of 14 games in the #6. And the most puzzling part about this year was while Walks was out of position in the halves, we had an Origin series winning half sitting on the bench being played as a back up hooker. It made zero sense.

A guy we signed as a centre basically played only 8 out of 32 games in the centres over two years and his form suffered. The year he played only at centre he was the best in the competition. Do the math. His good game ratio to the time he has been here was severely hampered by a coach who's team selections left a hell of a lot to be desired.

With both Hodkinson and Elgey in the squad as options to partner Cherry in the halves, I can't see Des playing Walks anywhere but in the centres in 2019 and that being the case I can't see any reason other than another injury which would keep Walks from regaining his Dally M winning form.

 

[Class of 96]

I’m tipping a very big year for Walker. You don’t make Dally M centre of the year being average. Get a good winger outside him that he has confidence in and watch him tear a few new ones.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

When Walker played this season, Manly was a far better team having him on the park so that makes the decision for me, and he played pretty well at 6 this season

He came back and we beat Brisbane and Melbourne in consecutive weeks, was out with the eye injury and we didn't win another game, came back and we beat Penrith, missed a couple of games then came back and we had the close loss to Penrith then the Sharks win

 

[robbiea]

Part of the problem with Walker is that we signed him as a centre, and when he's been on the field he has played 23 out of his 57 games for us at out of position at 5/8.

When he played 25 out of 25 games in 2017 in the centres, he was the Dally M Centre of the year and but for the PM's XIII injury would likely have been in the Kangaroos World Cup squad. An injury which also kept him out of this years NSW side. And don't for a minute think that James Roberts would have still been the NSW centre if Walker had been playing all season in the centres for us.

His form suffered in 2016 when he played 13 of 18 games at 5/8 (and 1 at fullback), and again this year when he played 10 of 14 games in the #6. And the most puzzling part about this year was while Walks was out of position in the halves, we had an Origin series winning half sitting on the bench being played as a back up hooker. It made zero sense.

A guy we signed as a centre basically played only 8 out of 32 games in the centres over two years and his form suffered. The year he played only at centre he was the best in the competition. Do the math. His good game ratio to the time he has been here was severely hampered by a coach who's team selections left a hell of a lot to be desired.

With both Hodkinson and Elgey in the squad as options to partner Cherry in the halves, I can't see Des playing Walks anywhere but in the centres in 2019 and that being the case I can't see any reason other than another injury which would keep Walks from regaining his Dally M winning form.

Ok you sold me ,Are you a lawyer ?.

 

[HoldenV8]

Ok you sold me ,Are you a lawyer ?.

Nope, I'm not that good a liar lol.

But I wish I had their pay packet.

 

[stoodamire]

https://www.facebook.com/546253932181137/posts/1251287931677730/

Further confirms that Buzz is filth.

 

[TWO DOGS]

https://www.facebook.com/546253932181137/posts/1251287931677730/

Further confirms that Buzz is filth.

Rothfield is a low mongrel. He thinks the world revolves around him and his opinions. Absolute gutter journalist.

 

[HoldenV8]

This is the thing that puzzled me about Barrett playing Walker at 5/8 for the most part in 2016 and again this year.

In 2016, our best 5/8 option we had was Killer. Everyone knew it. And its not like Killer was a novice at the halves either. I mean, we did win a premiership with him wearing the #6 jumper. And our form in the back half of the year did improve after Walks and Killer swapped positions.

Then there was this year and as I have already mentioned, in the back half of the year after his full time return from injury, Walker was played at 5/8 while Hodkinson twiddled his thumbs on the bench playing mostly as a backup hooker. That also meant weakening other positions. Tom played a dual fullback / play maker role which often meant forgoing his running game. It meant playing Suli in the centres and having Brad Parker on the wing. That meant 5/8, centre, wing and fullback were all weakened.....and it showed.

You know, the conspiracy theorist in me is wondering if this year wasn't some form of personal sabotage. The win-loss record wouldn't have meant much to the coach because he thought he had another head coaching job to go to after his resignation. Was it Barrett's way of getting back at Manly for the perceived lack of support from the clubs owners in not giving him what he wanted? I mean, all that weakening of the backline and halves did come after he had handed in his resignation.

Probably not in all reality though. It was more than likely just that Barrett was showing that he was out of his depth as a first grade head coach. But it is thought provoking.

 

[ManEagle]

Part of the problem with Walker is that we signed him as a centre, and when he's been on the field he has played 23 out of his 57 games for us at out of position at 5/8.

When he played 25 out of 25 games in 2017 in the centres, he was the Dally M Centre of the year and but for the PM's XIII injury would likely have been in the Kangaroos World Cup squad. An injury which also kept him out of this years NSW side. And don't for a minute think that James Roberts would have still been the NSW centre if Walker had been playing all season in the centres for us.

His form suffered in 2016 when he played 13 of 18 games at 5/8 (and 1 at fullback), and again this year when he played 10 of 14 games in the #6. And the most puzzling part about this year was while Walks was out of position in the halves, we had an Origin series winning half sitting on the bench being played as a back up hooker. It made zero sense.

A guy we signed as a centre basically played only 8 out of 32 games in the centres over two years and his form suffered. The year he played only at centre he was the best in the competition. Do the math. His good game ratio to the time he has been here was severely hampered by a coach who's team selections left a hell of a lot to be desired.

With both Hodkinson and Elgey in the squad as options to partner Cherry in the halves, I can't see Des playing Walks anywhere but in the centres in 2019 and that being the case I can't see any reason other than another injury which would keep Walks from regaining his Dally M winning form.

This is the thing that puzzled me about Barrett playing Walker at 5/8 for the most part in 2016 and again this year.

In 2016, our best 5/8 option we had was Killer. Everyone knew it. And its not like Killer was a novice at the halves either. I mean, we did win a premiership with him wearing the #6 jumper. And our form in the back half of the year did improve after Walks and Killer swapped positions.
Then there was this year and as I have already mentioned, in the back half of the year after his full time return from injury, Walker was played at 5/8 while Hodkinson twiddled his thumbs on the bench playing mostly as a backup hooker. That also meant weakening other positions. Tom played a dual fullback / play maker role which often meant forgoing his running game. It meant playing Suli in the centres and having Brad Parker on the wing. That meant 5/8, centre, wing and fullback were all weakened.....and it showed.
You know, the conspiracy theorist in me is wondering if this year wasn't some form of personal sabotage. The win-loss record wouldn't have meant much to the coach because he thought he had another head coaching job to go to after his resignation. Was it Barrett's way of getting back at Manly for the perceived lack of support from the clubs owners in not giving him what he wanted? I mean, all that weakening of the backline and halves did come after he had handed in his resignation.
Probably not in all reality though. It was more than likely just that Barrett was showing that he was out of his depth as a first grade head coach. But it is thought provoking.

I am not p@ssing in your pocket @HoldenV8, but I always like reading your posts, they are always well worded, carefully constructed, balanced and thought provoking. these posts are a perfect example, Yet again you hit the nail on the head, I couldn't agree more and been saying it with much less decorum than you.

 

[Shoe1]

Part of the problem with Walker is that we signed him as a centre, and when he's been on the field he has played 23 out of his 57 games for us at out of position at 5/8.

When he played 25 out of 25 games in 2017 in the centres, he was the Dally M Centre of the year and but for the PM's XIII injury would likely have been in the Kangaroos World Cup squad. An injury which also kept him out of this years NSW side. And don't for a minute think that James Roberts would have still been the NSW centre if Walker had been playing all season in the centres for us.

His form suffered in 2016 when he played 13 of 18 games at 5/8 (and 1 at fullback), and again this year when he played 10 of 14 games in the #6. And the most puzzling part about this year was while Walks was out of position in the halves, we had an Origin series winning half sitting on the bench being played as a back up hooker. It made zero sense.

A guy we signed as a centre basically played only 8 out of 32 games in the centres over two years and his form suffered. The year he played only at centre he was the best in the competition. Do the math. His good game ratio to the time he has been here was severely hampered by a coach who's team selections left a hell of a lot to be desired.

With both Hodkinson and Elgey in the squad as options to partner Cherry in the halves, I can't see Des playing Walks anywhere but in the centres in 2019 and that being the case I can't see any reason other than another injury which would keep Walks from regaining his Dally M winning form.

I have a recollection, could be wrong, that he was signed with 5/8 in mind. The wrong position for him I agree. He is a fantastic centre.

 

[Supreme Leader]

https://www.facebook.com/546253932181137/posts/1251287931677730/

Further confirms that Buzz is filth.

Great to see Walkz stand up, good on him

 

[HoldenV8]

I have a recollection, could be wrong, that he was signed with 5/8 in mind. The wrong position for him I agree. He is a fantastic centre.

We signed him as a centre. The problem was that we had no pivot because Foran had left and Killer was reluctant to move to 5/8 because he wanted to see out his career in the centres, which is understandable. And that was compounded by literally having a rookie coach who simply didn't have the balls to tell Killer that the team would be better off with him playing in the halves with the younger Walks in the centres. It only happened in mid-season after it became more than obvious that not only would we be better off if Killer and Walks swapped positions, but that Killer's best days as a centre were behind him.

Remember, 2016 was the year in Round 2 at Leichhardt against the Tigpies when Tim Simona made Killer look old and slow. It was unfortunately the beginning of the end for him. Age and injury was beginning to slow him down and limit his physical effectiveness, but we definitely could have used his experience in the halves. Realistically Barrett should have made them swap positions then because it was obvious after the first round loss to the Dogs (Des' Dogs if you remember) that showed Walker wasn't going to cut it in the halves.

 

[The better Robbo]

Hasler has come out and mentioned 3 areas of change for manly.
1. Defence
2. Potency on the wing
3. Moving players close to training headquaters. Doesnt want them wasting energy travelling from sydney west...
Hes been here less than a week and already got it sussed. Go you good things.
Intetesting that we might be in the hunt for some wingers

 

[HoldenV8]

Hasler has come out and mentioned 3 areas of change for manly.
1. Defence
2. Potency on the wing
3. Moving players close to training headquaters. Doesnt want them wasting energy travelling from sydney west...
Hes been here less than a week and already got it sussed. Go you good things.
Intetesting that we might be in the hunt for some wingers

I wonder what that means for Jorge, Suli and Parker?

 

[winnyason]

I wonder what that means for Jorge, Suli and Parker?

Brad parker poor prick that game at brisbane dig a whole in put him in it. I say jorge and suli in firing line.

 

[HoldenV8]

Brad parker poor prick that game at brisbane dig a whole in put him in it. I say jorge and suli in firing line.

And the sad part is that physically at least (I mean his size, not his speed or skills), Parker probably fits the modern winger more than anyone we have other than Turbo and maybe Anderson.