Walker Big Game Player!

[The Who]

Do you even watch the games or just look at the stats.

How many have each played in the halves (not all 17 of Walkers were at 5/8), how often did Cust run a good yardage line, look at the improved line break assists, now try assists coming into his game and the quality early ball Dylan has been offering etc etc.

Even Walkers kicking game is improving, the upside to Walker is much higher than the upside of Cust.

I would prefer Cust as a half not a 5/8, will develop into a Chad Townsend type steady, cheeky, scheming player at a good value price.

Yeah. I do actually watch the game.
In fact, I've been watching Manly play for the past 60 years. It's probably even longer than you have.
I am certainly not focused on stats; probably the opposite. I just wanted to try to understand why I am one of the few posters on here that doesn't rate Walker nearly as highly as you and the others.
I'm mystified why a player most of you say is a dynamic runner has the least tries or line breaks of any regular five-eight in the competition.
We all seem to agree that he has defensive weaknesses so that is another black mark against him.But thanks to a recent post by Kiwi Eagle I'm now the wiser about Walker.
He is not a ball runner at all; he is a ball player.
So, if he is in our team next year I will watch him much closer and hope that he changes my opinion.
You see. I would love nothing better than for him to prove me wrong. I want all Manly players to be superstars. I have never met the bloke and I read that he is a great bloke, despite plenty of bad press.
So Mr Walker. Go ahead and prove my opinion wrong.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

I seem to be in the vast minority here about Walker's abilities.
But for a bloke dubbed a great running player and our X-factor I checked his stats for 2019.
Played 17 matches, made two line breaks and scored 3 tries.
FYI, Cust played just seven matches and scored four tries.

So in your opinion cust ia a better 5/8? Cust is the reason for walkers numbers he barely gave him the ball hahaha walker in the last 4 weeks was better then dce even.. he killed it in a finals game cust is an unknown he was due some luck amd his unpredictability as a rookie is hard to coach against untill he plays a few more games amd when he did he was average AF. He will make a good hooker

 

[The Who]

So in your opinion cust ia a better 5/8? Cust is the reason for walkers numbers he barely gave him the ball hahaha walker in the last 4 weeks was better then dce even.. he killed it in a finals game cust is an unknown he was due some luck amd his unpredictability as a rookie is hard to coach against untill he plays a few more games amd when he did he was average AF. He will make a good hooker

I'm simply saying that in my opinion Walker is overrated.
He may be the best option we have at the moment, but he is not worth the reported $600,000 salary.
We could do a lot better for the $600,000.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

I'm simply saying that in my opinion Walker is overrated.
He may be the best option we have at the moment, but he is not worth the reported $600,000 salary.
We could do a lot better for the $600,000.

Who do you have in mind?

 

[The Who]

Who do you have in mind?

I think we lack a tall, fast winger. As much as I admire the work of Jorge I would love Voooonavalooo (sic) from the Storm.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

Walker easily played himself into a new deal & simultaneously locked down the 5/8 position as well. I had Cust over Walker initially at 6...but Walker has matured into a completely different player...a ball playing 5/8...not a centre purely just running the ball either. A bona fide ball playing No 6 with a kicking game to boot. Rather impressive Dylan has been...pretty shocking in fact.
Just have a look how well he read the defence against Souths...holding those passes for just long enough. He’s been exceptional of late...will start @ five eighth next year...easily.

 

[Go manly]

His team mates, current coach and a local immortal rate him

Gonna stick with them for now and let the dollar and cap management to others

Btw
I was not always a fan
But think he actually wants to stay and he will be offered a fair deal that a test , Origen and premiership winner warrants

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Him and Joel Thompson, neither are signed for 2020 or beyond.

 

[davohan123]

Him and Joel Thompson, neither are signed for 2020 or beyond.

Do you think we retain both or are they gone ?

 

[Oracle]

Yeah. I do actually watch the game.
In fact, I've been watching Manly play for the past 60 years. It's probably even longer than you have.
I am certainly not focused on stats; probably the opposite. I just wanted to try to understand why I am one of the few posters on here that doesn't rate Walker nearly as highly as you and the others.
I'm mystified why a player most of you say is a dynamic runner has the least tries or line breaks of any regular five-eight in the competition.
We all seem to agree that he has defensive weaknesses so that is another black mark against him.But thanks to a recent post by Kiwi Eagle I'm now the wiser about Walker.
He is not a ball runner at all; he is a ball player.
So, if he is in our team next year I will watch him much closer and hope that he changes my opinion.
You see. I would love nothing better than for him to prove me wrong. I want all Manly players to be superstars. I have never met the bloke and I read that he is a great bloke, despite plenty of bad press.
So Mr Walker. Go ahead and prove my opinion wrong.

Your an idiot ! Seriously!
I think Walkers abilities at 5/8 are clearly more valued then your beloved Cust or Croker and for good reason
Obviously Des, Bozo, Cartwright ,Brett Stewart just to name a few, know what there doing ....so who really cares what you think
Fact 1
You say Walker can’t defend ?
Did you know against Souths no tries were scored down his side,
(Not once did SB get it over Walker)
Fact 2
All the tries scored against us were down Dce’s side...I wonder why
(Except when Keppie watched Murray dive over for a soft try by the posts..no urgency just didn’t react at all )
Fact 3
Dc plays to loose
Fact 4
Dc plays all over the place and gets caught out when we get attacked
Defending is easier for the backs if Dc is already set, talking and moving up and in
If Dc doesn’t give them that, everyone ends up looking bad (just like Walker did when Cust was playing 5/8) which is what happened
Fact 5
If all DC did in the off season was to turn our right side defence into a fortress and focus less on attack we would be a better team ...
When the team knows there defensive structures are hard to breach our attack will happen more naturally
Finally !,In that context, it’s ironical you think Walkers the one with the defensive problem

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

I think we lack a tall, fast winger. As much as I admire the work of Jorge I would love Voooonavalooo (sic) from the Storm.

But who instead of walker? Who is a better option? I think he'll resign for 550k and for a good half thats cheap... and he is a ball runner he ran a few times and with turbo out back next season he will have more space to do so

 

[40 years an eagle]

Walker easily played himself into a new deal & simultaneously locked down the 5/8 position as well. I had Cust over Walker initially at 6...but Walker has matured into a completely different player...a ball playing 5/8...not a centre purely just running the ball either. A bona fide ball playing No 6 with a kicking game to boot. Rather impressive Dylan has been...pretty shocking in fact.
Just have a look how well he read the defence against Souths...holding those passes for just long enough. He’s been exceptional of late...will start @ five eighth next year...easily.

I have a feeling Walker will be a "Big Game Player!" for another team next year. I see Schuster as having been promised his shot next year to keep him Manly amidst big money trying to lure him away. A pre-season under Des may be all he needs? We will see.

Off-season stuff is not my thing (although I may stick my ugly nose in every now and then) and my house-building will benefit from my mind being more focused on it outside building hours, so i'll see all you wonderful guys and gals again when 2020 starts to ramp up. Have a great Xmas. Love you all!

 

[HoldenV8]

Yeah not sure how fair dinkum. I hope dylan and his manager realise loyalty we showed end of last year if link is real.
Reality is he takes a pay cut everyone knows club needs funds for jake and tom.
If he goes then young cust gets the shot.
Reality is dylan needs to repay the faith here, that piece of **** barrett.

Another for the "what I'm hearing" file.

There is some talk that if Des wants to continue with playing 2 hookers in 2020, Cust might end up back at hooker and play the off the bench role next year backing up Fainu in the same way Manase backed up Api this year. Cust's defence would need a lot of work to handle the load playing in the middle, but he also gives the option of covering the halves if Walker (if he's still here), DCE or one of the centres has injury trouble during a game.

 

[HoldenV8]

But who instead of walker? Who is a better option? I think he'll resign for 550k and for a good half thats cheap... and he is a ball runner he ran a few times and with turbo out back next season he will have more space to do so

Honestly? If not Walker then I would go with Lachlan Croker over Cade Cust (that's if "what I'm hearing" is incorrect and Cust isn't being considered for the bench hooker role).

 

[HoldenV8]

Made a post about this in another thread, but if Walker stays and continues in 6, I wonder if Cust will too? Wonder if he would be happy as a utility off the bench, or would want to find somewhere else where he can play in the starting 13 full time

The question also must be asked if Lachlan Croker would stay if Walker does and is in the #6 jumper. Going by the team selection over the past couple of months where Croker has mostly been the 18th player while Cust, when actually named in the 22, is usually one of the first two to drop out of the side, I would say that currently Croker is second in the 5/8 pecking order behind Walker with Cust only the 3rd choice.

Of course, it might be a moot point if Cust is prepared to play the bench utility role, something that I think he's probably a bit more suited to at this stage given that he can cover the halves and hooker whereas Croker is really only a half or 5/8 and when he did cover at hooker in games this year, his passing off the ground at the play the ball wasn't that great, nothing like his good passing in normal play. Of course, there is room for improvement so could Croker take Fainu's spot on the bench when Manase moves into the #9 jumper full time?

If Croker takes the spot, where to for Cust? And if Cust gets it, where to for Croker? And what if Dylan does leave?

Actually, if Walker did leave (I hope he doesn't), both would probably get regular gigs in the 17 given that we'd need a 5/8 and with Fainu in the starting side we'd need a bench utility.

 

[madmax]

I'm simply saying that in my opinion Walker is overrated.
He may be the best option we have at the moment, but he is not worth the reported $600,000 salary.
We could do a lot better for the $600,000.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion mate, however your dislike of Walker is obvious. You are one of the few who thinks he is overrated & like i said that's your opinion but many disagree. I hope he re-signs for life. Cust is not in the same class yet! I have nothing against Cust. His time will come.

 

[The Who]

Your an idiot ! Seriously!
I think Walkers abilities at 5/8 are clearly more valued then your beloved Cust or Croker and for good reason
Obviously Des, Bozo, Cartwright ,Brett Stewart just to name a few, know what there doing ....so who really cares what you think
Fact 1
You say Walker can’t defend ?
Did you know against Souths no tries were scored down his side,
(Not once did SB get it over Walker)
Fact 2
All the tries scored against us were down Dce’s side...I wonder why
(Except when Keppie watched Murray dive over for a soft try by the posts..no urgency just didn’t react at all )
Fact 3
Dc plays to loose
Fact 4
Dc plays all over the place and gets caught out when we get attacked
Defending is easier for the backs if Dc is already set, talking and moving up and in
If Dc doesn’t give them that, everyone ends up looking bad (just like Walker did when Cust was playing 5/8) which is what happened
Fact 5
If all DC did in the off season was to turn our right side defence into a fortress and focus less on attack we would be a better team ...
When the team knows there defensive structures are hard to breach our attack will happen more naturally
Finally !,In that context, it’s ironical you think Walkers the one with the defensive problem

Whooh.
Now I'm an idiot for having an opinion.
Name calling? I thought that went out in primary school. I presume because you are the Oracle that you made it to secondary school so you should have a more sophisticated approach to putting forward an argument.
Let's get things straight.
1. Dozens of posters have pointed out Walker's defensive issues.
2. I have never said anything about Cust and Croker being better players, and I certainly don't "love" them as you state.
3. I believe Walker is not as good as people like you.
That's it. I'll move on and not post another word about Walker.

 

[Paw93]

Yeah i didn't think Walkers 2018 performances were all that bad either, relative to a poor season the team had anyway.

I wanted Manly to persist with Walker at 5/8 instead of succumbing to the pressure of making the eight and using Lyon in 2016.

Probably in the long run it's best it panned out this way as his confidence may have been permanently ruined playing behind a poorly coached, unstructured, uncompetitive outfit for two years.

To be honest, I think that's what happened to DCE. He's very much a confidence player and has only recently, aside from some shoddy defence, shown the ability that got him his $1 million+ deal.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Honestly? If not Walker then I would go with Lachlan Croker over Cade Cust (that's if "what I'm hearing" is incorrect and Cust isn't being considered for the bench hooker role).

So would i, i like croker he plays a bit like foran. Hes always injured ffs so we never get to see him shine.. he was doing good last year until he did his knee. He was having his best game for us and he started taking control it was good to watch.. but imo he will never be as good as walker he is x factor