Game Day: NAB Cup round 1 v Carlton/Port

[Vader]

He is not soft and lazy - he is over analyzed and overhyped by our fan base... The kid is only 21 and still learning AFL footy and for the past 2 preseasons (this being the 3rd) everyone talks about how much muscle he has put on and how he is going to just rip the AFL apart... It was never going to happen....

Yes.. he is soft & lazy.

People also forget that the #1 reason he is in the side is to kick and create goals... As long as he is doing this he stays in the side, no matter how frustrating his lack of defensive pressure is...

Funny.. Neil Craig didn't see it that way and I doubt Sanderson will see things any differently.

There are certain minimum standards which are expected of all players if they are to be selected in the senior team. Walker meets some of these standards, but falls well short when measured against many other criteria. Unless he pulls his finger out he will find himself quickly on the outer with his new coach, just as he (allegedly) did with the old one.

 

[cmndstab]

It was refreshing to see us up by less than a goal in the dying stages of both games and still win.

This is definitely true. In the Carlton game we were less than a goal up with about a minute to go and I was absolutely convinced we were going to lose - it's like I've been conditioned to expect us to cough up those margins

Pleasantly surprised when we didn't, that's for sure!

 

[Wood_Duck]

I'm not so sure Walker is soft, terrible at positioning his body, but I think soft is being a bit unfair.

 

[AFC979810]

We can just say that's cool Tex, don't chase because you kick goals. What a ripper way to instill confidence of all players in the squad.

Or we can say... Tex you got outmuscled by Simon Phillips in the first preseason hitout of 2012... You are out of the side...

Tex makes us a much better side when he is on the park... he is a true forward and yes he struggles with defensive pressure, but his positives far outweigh his negatives....

No doubt his defensive pressure will be discussed, but his #1 focus should be kicking / creating goals... If he does that he stays in the side no matter what...

I still stand by what i previously said.... calls for him to be dropped from the 22 is laughable......Which KPF forward do you replace him with????

 

[jenny61_99]

I'm not so sure Walker is soft, terrible at positioning his body, but I think soft is being a bit unfair.

Not soft, because he's not soft. But he is lazy!

 

[DangerRoo32]

I was thinking the same as the above, sometimes I think his general footy smarts may hinder him in his soft looking contested approach at times. Like in the Carlton game where he stayed down when 3 Carlton players attempted to spoil the ball and it went over the back to him. As for the shepherd Phillips put on him, watching the replay I don't know how you can call that soft? He was literally being lazy like he can be without giving chase and Phillips came at him side on, not exactly in your peripheral vision to prepare yourself for a hit coming towards you. Does anyone remember a similar incident involving Gia and Kossie when he got collected that time? That showed when laying a Shepherd size doesn't necessarily matter, or that you're soft for being cleaned up. Some will disagree, but I think the Phillips incident is having more noise made about it than what it really deserves.

 

[Wood_Duck]

Not soft, because he's not soft. But he is lazy!

Id prefer to think of it as, efficient in his use of energy Jen.

 

[Jars458]

Not soft, because he's not soft. But he is lazy!

He dropped his head in a marking contest due to perceived pressure from behind.

This was just after he missed the ball in the air and on the ground in a contest and then jogged after his opponent as if he following a bowl in lawn bowls. Completely unacceptable.

If you don't want to call it "soft" then fair enough but it was so bloody poor that it sets the wrong example. As Vader says, there has to be some minimum standards.

 

[Wood_Duck]

I was thinking the same as the above, sometimes I think his general footy smarts may hinder him in his soft looking contested approach at times. Like in the Carlton game where he stayed down when 3 Carlton players attempted to spoil the ball and it went over the back to him. As for the shepherd Phillips put on him, watching the replay I don't know how you can call that soft? He was literally being lazy like he can be without giving chase and Phillips came at him side on, not exactly in your peripheral vision to prepare yourself for a hit coming towards you. Does anyone remember a similar incident involving Gia and Kossie when he got collected that time? That showed when laying a Shepherd size doesn't necessarily matter, or that you're soft for being cleaned up. Some will disagree, but I think the Phillips incident is having more noise made about it than what it really deserves.

Yes, Phillips made contact while Walker was a fraction off balance. Mountain out of a molehill.

 

[WALL-e]

Or we can say... Tex you got outmuscled by Simon Phillips in the first preseason hitout of 2012... You are out of the side...

Tex makes us a much better side when he is on the park... he is a true forward and yes he struggles with defensive pressure, but his positives far outweigh his negatives....

No doubt his defensive pressure will be discussed, but his #1 focus should be kicking / creating goals... If he does that he stays in the side no matter what...

I still stand by what i previously said.... calls for him to be dropped from the 22 is laughable......Which KPF forward do you replace him with????

Don't remember calling for him to be dropped.

I'm not a fan of settling, or holding players to different standards. We could create division in our ranks but letting him get off lightly for effort, or we could get him to bring his ass up to scratch and become a better player for it.

Why settle for a good player when he could be great? His work on the training track is good, so it's an application thing.

 

[WALL-e]

Yes, Phillips made contact while Walker was a fraction off balance. Mountain out of a molehill.

He's still very unsure of how to use his big body. Thinks about it too much.

He's fine when he can get a 'feel' on his man, but when he can't control what his man is doing, he's just so unsure. He was off balance because he had no idea of when Phillips would create contact. Instead of just getting his ass to the footy and body lining the aggot (bowling little Phillips over in th eprocess), he looked for contact on his terms and was wrong footed when it came.

 

[SydCrow]

I just want to see him take one mark in front of a pack.

Not too much to ask of our FF is it? I reckon Brown, Fev and Riewoldt might have managed that in their first three years.

 

[Wood_Duck]

He's still very unsure of how to use his big body. Thinks about it too much.

He's fine when he can get a 'feel' on his man, but when he can't control what his man is doing, he's just so unsure. He was off balance because he had no idea of when Phillips would create contact. Instead of just getting his ass to the footy and body lining the aggot (bowling little Phillips over in th eprocess), he looked for contact on his terms and was wrong footed when it came.

Spot on. I am happy to accept that Walker is a bit dumb (in a footy sense).

 

[Wood_Duck]

I just want to see him take one mark in front of a pack.

I agree with this. I have no idea why so often he plays from behind. Taking speccies over the back is definately not his thing.

 

[spexau]

I thought he crashed packs a lot more than I've seen of him before. He didn't stay down too often. Maybe I have to watch it back.

 

[AFC979810]

Don't remember calling for him to be dropped.

I'm not a fan of settling, or holding players to different standards. We could create division in our ranks but letting him get off lightly for effort, or we could get him to bring his ass up to scratch and become a better player for it.

Why settle for a good player when he could be great? His work on the training track is good, so it's an application thing.

Others in this thread have called for him to be dropped (that was the reason for my original rant).

So you are not a fan of settling - how do we bring Tex up to scratch in this area? He has already been dropped over the past 2 years to work on his defensive game and according to many hasn't improved..Its obviously something he has been told to work on, so how do we fix it...

I personally think its something that will come good in time.... He is a very very good player and is unfairly analysed because of his hype... He will continue to get better as he matures.

 

[Freddy Bassett]

To state the obvious Walker needs to improve his marking to play Full Forward... But I think it is just a confidence thing.... He doesn't seem to have any issues marking at SANFL level.... And he does time his leads well which is the most important thing.... Maybe our delivery is just that bad that when a kick actually hits his tit he shits himself?

As for Sloane, he is our best U/25 bar none.....

 

[Slippery Pete]

I'm not a fan of settling, or holding players to different standards.

One size fits all approach doesnt work, Wall-e

 

[WALL-e]

Others in this thread have called for him to be dropped (that was the reason for my original rant).

So you are not a fan of settling - how do we bring Tex up to scratch in this area? He has already been dropped over the past 2 years to work on his defensive game and according to many hasn't improved..Its obviously something he has been told to work on, so how do we fix it...

I personally think its something that will come good in time.... He is a very very good player and is unfairly analysed because of his hype... He will continue to get better as he matures.

You can do it behind closed doors, just keep enforcing the message to him that it's not on. If he fails to bring it after that, then it has to be done more publically. My preferred method is a quick spell in the back line on a hard working forward (in the NAB Cup...or if up or down big in a H&A). I don't think dropping him will be good for him, but if it doesn't work it is the last step.

One size fits all approach doesnt work, Wall-e

Team working environments say otherwise. Geelong is an example, ripping Ablett apart for not working hard enough.

 

[amer]

I thank AFC lotsanumbersafterhisname (damn Tapatalk won't let me see the posts while writing, and I cant be bothered going back and checking) for bringing some sanity into an insane thread.

There is an awful lot of over analysis going on in this awful thread, my friends. I've gotten more useful information from John K's 'Where to now Adelaide' thread than this debacle, and that's saying something. Two things to remember.

1. It is February. What happened yesterday is totally inconsequential to anything, anywhere at any time. There can be no analysing what went on, because it means so little. I'd rather you told us whether there were any hot chicks there.

2. Talk of players looking lethargic or lazy is laughable. Let's not also forget that half the squad was struck down with a virus last week, and it was oppressive weather conditions yesterday. I don't blame some of them for looking disinterested. I DONT CARE HOW INTERESTED WE LOOK IN FEBRUARY.

ALL I care about is that we get through unscathed. That's IT.

For that reason, every Crows supporter should be content this morning.

Now, if you don't mind, can we go back to talking about how much Neil Craig screwed up our club.....

Thank you.

Clown patrol on here post match. It's also somewhat sad, in a way, that people would get themselves worked up over something that the objects of their obsession aren't emotionally invested in.

 

[Freddy Bassett]

Team working environments say otherwise. Geelong is an example, ripping Ablett apart for not working hard enough.[/QUOTE]

Great example Wall e.... If Geelong had the horses for courses attitude towards players Slippery Pete likes, Ablett would still be a lazy half forward flank. This is AFL professional football, it isn't B grade Division 6 amateur league.

 

[Slippery Pete]

He is not soft and lazy - he is over analyzed and overhyped by our fan base....

And he's not even on 600k plus a year.....

 

[Slippery Pete]

Great example Wall e.... If Geelong had the horses for courses attitude towards players Slippery Pete likes, Ablett would still be a lazy half forward flank.

I'd be very careful suggesting that one of the greatest teams of all time doesn't have a horses for courses approach.

By the way, do you think Hawthorn had it with Buddy, especially early in his career?

 

[crowsarethebest]

I'd be very careful suggesting that one of the greatest teams of all time doesn't have a horses for courses approach.

By the way, do you think Hawthorn had it with Buddy, especially early in his career?

Don't think you can ever call Buddy lazy. He was never a lazy type, he just lacked discipline, aka gave away free kicks all the time. Anyway, Buddy's athleticism has seen him run down many players from behind- his defensive pressure is very good.

 

[King Elvis]

If Walker had the competitive intensity of Tippett, he'd kick 80+ goals this year, comfortably.