Round 8

[shadows]

Good to see Ben Walton in for his first game this year but Baker seems to have lost his way after some good early form in tagging roles.

[Hit The Boundary Saints]

How has he been going for Springvale?
To be honest I have never been a rap for him, he doesn't exert enough pressure in the forward line, and will never be a key marking target.

[shadows]

He was in the best players the last 2 weeks.I got this from the paper.I have not seen Springvale play.

[Hit The Boundary Saints]

I think he may be a good seconds player where talent is sufficient to get by, but in the firsts his size is against him.

[sainter]

I didn't see last weeks Springvale game but I'm led to believe that Ben was best on ground last week.

To me, his pace is a little questionable. However he seems to have the ability to kick a freakish goal and is not a bad mark for his size.

He definitely has the talent and I'm glad he has been given an opportunity. (Even though the huge injury list would have helped).

If Ben doesn't improve at all this season, I think he will be struggling to keep his spot on the list. Let's hope he can kick a few goals and do some of the things that he has promised.

[StrengthThroughLoyalty]

ben walton definately has the talent to kick goals when he has the ball, i just have a query about his pace and work ethic. you can't do much about your pace but you can do the so called 1%s like chasing and tackling in the forward line. if he wants an example of what is required he only has to look at hamill.

if he doesn't take his chance in the seniors this time around it will be curtains for ben at the end of the year.

having said that i hope he makes it as he could be a very useful forward flanker because he does know how to kick a goal.

they better win it for burkey this week.

[Samuels]

Lets hope Walton plays well and we have a win.

[Savatage]

You'll actually find that Walton is a very GOOD tackler & puts in a lot of effort for 1%s.

The problem is he's usually not quick enough to catch anyone!

If he had pace, he'd be a very good footballer, unfortunately it's not that he's slow, it's that he's REALLY slow, unless he can take a mark then he's in trouble.

I was Benny's biggest fan in his first couple of years, but what I've seen since hasn't impressed me.

Now that I've said that, he'll probably kick 8!

Let's hope so!

[sainter]

Savatage,

I have questioned Bennie's pace as well but I reckon saying he is "REALLY slow" seems a little harsh.

I'll be interested to see how he goes tomorrow and for the rest of the year.

From watching a bit of him, I know that he also has the ability to win a heap of the ball in the midfield, despite playing mostly as a forward.

There was a VFL game last year on c7 where he had 40 possessions, 8 marks and kicked 2 or 3 goals. I realise the difference between VFL and AFL is quite large, but Stephen Milne has shown that the long apprenticeship in the VFL was time well spent as he has looked comforable from day 1 in the seniors.

Hopefully it will be the same for Ben.

[Hit The Boundary Saints]

I didn't see the game (stuck in an aeroplane at the time), but note from the AFL site that Walton had 2 kicks & 3 handballs, all in the 2nd quarter and nothing for the rest of the game.
I assume from that he wasn't on the field.
Any insights into the reasons, given the 18 out there can't have been doing all that well!

[Savatage]

How's it harsh Sainter?

Benny Walton IS really slow, there's no hiding the fact, he realises this himself!

You know yourself how much of a fan I've been of Benny's in the past, but let's be realistic he'd be in the bottom 5 in the club for pace. For a bloke of his size and proposed position it's a BIG problem.

Yes I remember the match he got 40 possessions in the reserves, from memory I don't think they gave him a senior game the next week either. But unless he's having a really "ON" day, then I think you'll find he'll stuggle in the seniors.