Walker back soon?

[Nordburg]

I think he'd make a very good fb given time.. he's fast elusive has good pass selection and can break tackles. In D he would go ok.. catching the high balls under pressure would be his main problem and as you said positional play

Different fitness levels needed playing FB,so yes,he’d need time especially coming back from injury.But by the time he’d get the fitness,Tom would be back(maybe) so it wouldn’t be worth it,given Elliott has performed admirably

 

[Will on the hill]

Pains me to say but I think Parker is the odd man out. We lose a bit defensively but the upside of Cust at 5/8 (kicking game and straightening the attack) and Walker at Centre (dynamic running threat with the skill to put his winger in space) is to big to ignore.

My outside the box suggestion is to play Elliott at Fullback in defence then switch with Walker when we are attacking inside the red zone. (Disclaimer, Des probably won't do any of this and his reasons will be much more considered than mine.)

 

[Bearfax]

Said all along Manly's Achilles Heel at present is their outside backs.

Their defence has been for the most part OK. But since half time in Round 6 when Turbo didn't return to the field and Walker has been missing, only 2 tries out of 15 scored since then, have come from players outside 5/8, and those two were in Round 7 (one by Funa).

The attack in the three quarters and full back positions has almost stalled. The forwards and halves are scoring all the tries, to cover for the deficiency. They try hard and they make ground, but other teams seem to be able to keep them in check.

Though there is a risk with Walker at full back, he must come into a position where he can spark the backline, and that means centre or full back, until Turbo returns. And I wonder if its not wise to hold Turbo back for as long as possible, to ensure his hamstring is fully repaired.

 

[manlyfan76]

Any rehab specialist will say that athletes should come back slowly IE not a full game straight up.

I'd put Walks to 14 and slot him in where needed (1,3,4,6,9) depending on how the game and players are going. Cust could push to 9 and give Levi a rest, or pull Elliott or Parker off if Levi can play 80- depends on flow of game.

 

[XV-1]

Walker has been picked as #19 for the match against Penrith.
If he proves his fitness, he will be right in.
One would hope Cust drops to bench and Croker to miss out.

 

[Mataiforever]

Walker has been picked as #19 for the match against Penrith.
If he proves his fitness, he will be right in.
One would hope Cust drops to bench and Croker to miss out.

Cust to remain at 6 for the next few years. Kid is a gun, and is much better than Elliott or Parker to be dropped to the bench.

 

[BOZO]

Cust to remain at 6 for the next few years. Kid is a gun, and is much better than Elliott or Parker to be dropped to the bench.

Cust was practically the man of the match last week and is building momentum to greater things
Interesting to see what Des does if Dylan is available .

 

[40 years an eagle]

One would hope Cust drops to bench and Croker to miss out.

I hope not. I would be extremely disappointed if he starts at 6.

Reasons:

Walker has zero match-fitness.
Cust deserves to be given the chance to claim the 6 spot.
He has been offered a 2 year contract extension...if not to be our 6, then why??
I don't believe Walker is a 6.
The last 2 games we have gone better with Cust at 6...don''t f-ck with something that is not broken.

I like Walker at 14 (if he plays), 20 minutes at FB or as backline injury backup.

I would be surprised if he plays at all.

 

[The better Robbo]

Why not keep Cust at 6, Walker to centre and Parker to bench instead of Waddell? Parker covers the backs, especially if Walker needs a rest 1st game back and if really needed Parker could cover 2nd row.
Surely Parker at 2nd row can't be any worse than Waddell covering centre. I think it's a better balance with Parker as cover and drop Waddell.

 

[Nordburg]

Why not keep Cust at 6, Walker to centre and Parker to bench instead of Waddell? Parker covers the backs, especially if Walker needs a rest 1st game back and if really needed Parker could cover 2nd row.
Surely Parker at 2nd row can't be any worse than Waddell covering centre. I think it's a better balance with Parker as cover and drop Waddell.

Parker gets manhandled by opposition centres,how’s he going to go against an actual forward pack?And if Walker needs a rest playing centres,not sure he’s ready to be back playing at all

 

[Freagle]

Why not keep Cust at 6, Walker to centre and Parker to bench instead of Waddell? Parker covers the backs, especially if Walker needs a rest 1st game back and if really needed Parker could cover 2nd row.
Surely Parker at 2nd row can't be any worse than Waddell covering centre. I think it's a better balance with Parker as cover and drop Waddell.

But Parker can’t come on and play 15 minutes at dummy half like Croker or Cust. Is it silly to suggest that Walker could play wing? He used to, back in his very early days.

 

[Freagle]

Possibly equally silly - Brad Parker would make a good FB as well...tall, tough, excellent defender...plus he spent time out wide so can catch the ball. Won’t happen of course, but interesting consideration. According to me, anyway...

 

[joeboy]

Parker is not a second rower or a fullback.


both these ideas scare me. He is only just a centre

 

[40 years an eagle]

Parker gets manhandled by opposition centres,how’s he going to go against an actual forward pack?

I can't recall Parker ever being owned by an opposite centre buddy, but I do recall him owning quite a few other big-name centres.

He only gets manhandled bringing it back from kicks or on hit-ups...even then, not more than most centres.

 

[Nordburg]

I can't recall Parker ever being owned by an opposite centre buddy, but I do recall him owning quite a few other big-name centres.

He only gets manhandled bringing it back from kicks or on hit-ups...even then, not more than most centres.

I wasn’t referring to his defence,in fact he’s probably one of the best defensive centres in the game.But he does get overpowered with the ball.And the argument that it’s “not more than most centres” is irrelevant because we’re not talking about moving other centres into the back row like we are Parker

 

[40 years an eagle]

I wasn’t referring to his defence,in fact he’s probably one of the best defensive centres in the game.But he does get overpowered with the ball.And the argument that it’s “not more than most centres” is irrelevant because we’re not talking about moving other centres into the back row like we are Parker

Talking about moving him to the forwards is insanity mate. i was talking about him at centre, and what I said is what I have seen.

 

[Nordburg]

Talking about moving him to the forwards is insanity mate. i was talking about him at centre, and what I said is what I have seen.

That was the original suggestion I was replying to.I have no problems with him in centres but there are people on here suggesting so many crazy positional or personnel changes that don’t make any sense given the success the last two weeks

 

[40 years an eagle]

That was the original suggestion I was replying to.I have no problems with him in centres but there are people on here suggesting so many crazy positional or personnel changes that don’t make any sense given the success the last two weeks

No problem, you forgot to mention in your post what you were referring to so it came across as a "general" comment.

There are many crazy suggestions here all the time mate, not just lately : Parker to 2RF, TT to 2RF, Horhay to 2RF etc.

 

[Mataiforever]

I hope not. I would be extremely disappointed if he starts at 6.

Reasons:

Walker has zero match-fitness.
Cust deserves to be given the chance to claim the 6 spot.
He has been offered a 2 year contract extension...if not to be our 6, then why??
I don't believe Walker is a 6.
The last 2 games we have gone better with Cust at 6...don''t f-ck with something that is not broken.

I like Walker at 14 (if he plays), 20 minutes at FB or as backline injury backup.

I would be surprised if he plays at all.

i think walker is a great 6 now, he has really come leaps and bounds from what he was in barrett years. As a 6 for Barrett he was extremely average (or worse).

However I agree, Cust should surely be the 6 for the rest of the season and next. Walker is still a great centre, and has exactly what we are lacking out wide - pace (oh and hands... and any attacking flair bar Suli). He's a great centre and I don't see why if we have a more genuine half and good foil to DCE we don't put him back there.

Parker has been great but he isn't a great attacking option at centre... he is basically a small backrower with great defence. Bulk him up to be a backrower / centre cover off the bench. Its about time we start threatening teams out wide again like we used to, Suli & Walker combo brings that back into the arena again. I would even prefer him at wing if it meant Cust played... he has the strong runs and is probably still better in the air than Jorge (see: Parker take bombs for Funa on his debut). Would prefer parker off bench as 2row/centre cover but.

Everyone see that photo of Cust when he was like 14 with DCE in the sheds? That's exactly it. Cust plays for the jersey as he is a life long fan and is living his dream of playing with the best half Manly have had in the modern NRL era.

 

[winnyason]

Walker needs to be right centre and Suli on the left