Opinion Mitch Wallis where is he at?

[charcoalchicken]

I'm not sure what to make of Wallis at this stage, he's slow, his tagging is usually ok but he did get smashed by Murphy on the weekend (besides I was expecting/hoping him to be more than just a tagger), his skills are ok but nothing amazing, he has no real standout attributes. He's starting to seem like a real average to nothing player to me.

I'm worried whether he will make it or not.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[timtamWB]

He's at the Bulldogs.

Let him play his natural inside game, feeding the ball out, and watch him flourish.

 

[charcoalchicken]

He's at the Bulldogs.

Let him play his natural inside game, feeding the ball out, and watch him flourish.

we've already got one of the best in the business doing that already, getting hard tags and in time will learn to beat them. Not sure where that puts Wallis considering we have Smith, Hrovat etc. as well

 

[threenewpadlocks]

One thing I don't get is why we don't play him in the same way that he did in the 2012 season, where as a second year player averaged over 22 touches a game and was meant to be one of our great young hopes. Now he's just treading water.

 

[Mattdougie]

we've already got one of the best in the business doing that already, getting hard tags and in time will learn to beat them. Not sure where that puts Wallis considering we have Smith, Hrovat etc. as well

Can ANYONE tell me why Hrovat is so highly rated??

Serious question I'm not being smart but What I've seen hasn't exactly belong my doors off and maybe I missed something but I watched him several time at Willy last year and I'm yet to be real excited.

He is also tiny so will have to be more than just a good player to be effective

 

[Mattdougie]

Oh sorry to change topic.

Wallis isn't a tagger it's that simple, release him to play his game or drop him

 

[charcoalchicken]

Oh sorry to change topic.

Wallis isn't a tagger it's that simple, release him to play his game or drop him

explain to me what his game is exactly because I've forgotten. If he's an in and under player like timtamWB said we have players of a similar age who are better than him at it which puts him exactly at no where.

I like the look of Jong more than Wallis at this stage I gotta say.

 

[timtamWB]

explain to me what his game is exactly because I've forgotten. If he's an in and under player like timtamWB said we have players of a similar age who are better than him at it which puts him exactly at no where.

I like the look of Jong more than Wallis at this stage I gotta say.

Like who? Smith will be a forward/mid rotating, Hrovat isn't as in and under as many think. Wallis reminds me a bit of Sewell, just let him go in and under and then use his exceptional vision to get the ball out.

 

[1961grandfinal]

Can ANYONE tell me why Hrovat is so highly rated??

Serious question I'm not being smart but What I've seen hasn't exactly belong my doors off and maybe I missed something but I watched him several time at Willy last year and I'm yet to be real excited.

He is also tiny so will have to be more than just a good player to be effective

Not all players dominate at the lower level, some play better under the pressure of the big league. The game allows for small players and he is one with a future, if he ever gets a run at it; he has time when in possession and some of his set ups last year were outstanding - he had 2 or 3 possessions in the one play; it is just his awareness and follow up. Give him a couple of years, to this old dog this young one is a keeper.

 

[charcoalchicken]

Hrovat isn't as in and under as many think.

What is he then? I know he can play outside too because his skills are pretty decent but I'm fairly sure he's predominantly an inside mid

 

[timtamWB]

What is he then? I know he can play outside too because his skills are pretty decent but I'm fairly sure he's predominantly an inside mid

Not as in and under as people think, not saying he's not an inside mid. But I don't think he's the type to get on the bottom of a pack and get the ball out, but is an inside mid.

 

[Libba39]

Wallis is not good enough to play midfield in the AFL. He has therefore been given the role of tagger.

He is tough but lacks skill and speed.

Smith, Hrovat, and Tutt are probably all better prospects at this stage.

I think he will be gone by the time his contract expires at end of 2015.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

He's a victim of our or inability to find a lock-down small defender which has forced Liam Picken to move from our preeminent on-ball tagger to the back pocket. Right now he's floundering as a tagger where is lack of speed and average skills are forcing him to tread a very fine line between what is and insn't acceptable for a tagger to do to his opponent. All of this has lead to him being found out when matched against some of the best mids in the game. I'm not sure that releasing him to play a role that comes more naturally to him isn't going to expose the same limitations that are evident in his game. Either way I think he needs to return to Footscray and work on his game.

Has all the hallmarks of being a journeyman at best.

Apologies if I have made these points before.

 

[immortalmike]

I'm also concerned about Wallis. Although his end to last year is also fresh in my mind. He gave Dangerfield, Murphy and Kennedy a bath in that period while getting more of the ball than them. Hopefully he returns to that form as I see him as our version of Cameron Ling.

 

[fargy]

Last I heard he is on his couch watching My Kitchen Rules.

 

[LukasTheGreat]

I think both he and Libba need to find another string to their bow. It's worrying how far Wallis has fallen from 2012.

 

[Mattdougie]

I think both he and Libba need to find another string to their bow. It's worrying how far Wallis has fallen from 2012.

Libba is suffering from the fact that Griff hasn't been 100% so Libba is getting a lot more coverage and tag.

This year will be a development year for him to learn how to deal with it and he will come out better in the end.

 

[LukasTheGreat]

Libba is suffering from the fact that Griff hasn't been 100% so Libba is getting a lot more coverage and tag.

This year will be a development year for him to learn how to deal with it and he will come out better in the end.

Whilst he does need to learn to shake a tag he also could benefit from being able to be played in another position. At the moment he can't do that at all, not even up forward.

 

[Mattdougie]

Whilst he does need to learn to shake a tag he also could benefit from being able to be played in another position. At the moment he can't do that at all, not even up forward.

Disagree.

I kinda getting sick of this idea that players have to have the ability to play everywhere.

Unfortunately Libba is clearance player and that's it and being one of the best at it he doesn't hurt us and actually should help release iter players to do that

 

[Rockford18sx2]

I'm sure Wallis will make it, it will just take time for him and Macca to work out how he will benefit this team. The tagging role worked last year, but why that has not carried into this year is anyone guess.

One story I can share about the bloke is that he came into my work a few years ago (one year after he was drafted) and spoke to a class full of school kids. I have never seen a more mature and well spoken footballer at my work, and we've had a few. I was shocked at how well he spoke to a group of year 10 students, only a few years younger than him.

Previously we'd had the likes of Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan, Leigh Montangna and Joel Selwood all come in when they were only 18/19 year olds, and Wallis was the most impressive and professional of them all. He spoke about diet, professionalism and the sacrifices that he had made to make it into the AFL. He was even a better guest speaker than Boyd, Darcy and Murphy who came in a few years before him, and they weren't even kids at the time.

We joke at work to any players who come in that they are destined to be a star, as everyone who has visited have become outstanding AFL players.

He will make it, and he is future captain material, in the off field standards he will set for those under his leadership.

I have faith that he will rediscover why he was recruited in the first place.

 

[Sharkey66]

I said in the list and trading thread that Wally needs to be unleashed to play his natural game, and that is not second guessing himself watching his opponent, but to go see ball, get ball and use his lightning quick hands to get the ball out of the pack and make his opponent worry about him.
We were told when they were drafted that Wally and Libba had played so much together that they knew how each other think. That they had chemistry.
That is what i want to see!
I understand all about teaching players other roles and stuff but how about we start playing our players to their strengths ffs.

 

[fronkalicious]

Pearce is the guy that can play lock down on small forwards. That allows picken to tag and wallis can play as a genuine mid if his form warrants. And that's a pretty big if IMO.

 

[StringyDog]

Pearce is the guy that can play lock down on small forwards. That allows picken to tag and wallis can play as a genuine mid if his form warrants. And that's a pretty big if IMO.

Pearce isn't good enough, we don't have that player on list, the days of Picken tagging are gone, forget it, he was moved out of midfield for a good reason, you can't have a midfielder who is that ineffective at winning and distributing the ball, unfortunately Wallis has gone down that same path this year making him largely ineffective. Only room for tagger in modern game is ones that can still importantly win and secondly distribute ball.

 

[dogwatch]

I'm sure Wallis will make it, it will just take time for him and Macca to work out how he will benefit this team. The tagging role worked last year, but why that has not carried into this year is anyone guess.

One story I can share about the bloke is that he came into my work a few years ago (one year after he was drafted) and spoke to a class full of school kids. I have never seen a more mature and well spoken footballer at my work, and we've had a few. I was shocked at how well he spoke to a group of year 10 students, only a few years younger than him.

Previously we'd had the likes of Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan, Leigh Montangna and Joel Selwood all come in when they were only 18/19 year olds, and Wallis was the most impressive and professional of them all. He spoke about diet, professionalism and the sacrifices that he had made to make it into the AFL. He was even a better guest speaker than Boyd, Darcy and Murphy who came in a few years before him, and they weren't even kids at the time.

We joke at work to any players who come in that they are destined to be a star, as everyone who has visited have become outstanding AFL players.

He will make it, and he is future captain material, in the off field standards he will set for those under his leadership.

I have faith that he will rediscover why he was recruited in the first place.

I've also heard from someone that knows him that Wallis is an incredibly focussed young man on and off the ground. If he doesn't make it, it won't be for lack of application and ambition.

 

[BRWB]

I'm not sure where Wallis is at, but I am sure that wherever he's going, he will get there slowly...but hey the hare and tortoise gives hope