Past #19: Josh Walker - drafted #23 '11 RD (GFC) - traded to BLFC end '15 - signed by NM as DFA end '19 - 54 NM gms/6 NM gls

Passmore

Brownlow Medallist
May 22, 2001
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North Melbourne
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True, but I’m thinking about what’s best for now & the future, and the best thing for now and the future is that our young defenders become afl standard and continue to develop. If Walker can take their spot and keep them out, it’s good for Walker and good for North short term, but a negative for North overall, it would mean one of Durdin or McKay hasn’t come on...who we used first round picks on and have spent years developing

If Walker performs he could give us 5 years. If he beats out Durdin and McKay so be it. No guarantees on any draftees.
 

Rad Roo

Premiership Player
Aug 2, 2017
3,389
1,606
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Will be a great interim player to pair with Tarrant and daw for thE now then hopefully Do’Urden and Mackay takes over.
 

Rad Roo

Premiership Player
Aug 2, 2017
3,389
1,606
AFL Club
North Melbourne
looking at his stats, shape and size, he is the incumbent fullback, a daniel marrett like player. Good size and very strong, not too mobile and is limited to a stopper type role. This should free up tarrant to chb to be the general who organizes counter attack.
 
Dec 27, 2017
24,210
53,342
AFL Club
North Melbourne
If Walker performs he could give us 5 years. If he beats out Durdin and McKay so be it. No guarantees on any draftees.

Fair enough. The fact we drafted him means they don’t have much faith in both coming on.

I’m all for being a stronger side, but ideally that would be through both those guys living up to their potential
 

the flying ham

Cancelled
Dec 12, 2006
7,403
16,059
AFL Club
North Melbourne
True, but I’m thinking about what’s best for now & the future, and the best thing for now and the future is that our young defenders become afl standard and continue to develop. If Walker can take their spot and keep them out, it’s good for Walker and good for North short term, but a negative for North overall, it would mean one of Durdin or McKay hasn’t come on...who we used first round picks on and have spent years developing

Agreed Val, but iron sharpens iron. Good for the boys to have competition IMO, spot is earnt and their play improves as a result.
 
Dec 27, 2017
24,210
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Agreed Val, but iron sharpens iron. Good for the boys to have competition IMO, spot is earnt and their play improves as a result.

Absolutely. If they’re not good enough then so be it. I’d just hate for McKay in particular to leave due to lack of opportunity then go on to have a good career somewhere else. Especially if he’s playing well in the 2’s
 
Nov 25, 2014
1,614
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AFL Club
North Melbourne
We're in a development phase. As a back up, IMO he makes sense for a top 4 team but not us. If you're going to say he's good for competition and to keep others honest then why did Brisbane let him go? They don't have KPD depth. Why haven't we taken Douglas, Menzel or Masten for that matter? They're all AFL grade. If we do have gaps, don't fill them with 27 year old blokes at their third club. That's so Farren Ray. The correct play would have been not to have allowed Essendon to boogie on in at 30 and take Harrison Jones from beneath us. A real talent with size and blistering pace. A potential 10 year player. We need a Taz replacement in 3 years when all our young guns are coming into their own and not a bloke who's on a one year contract.
 

Passmore

Brownlow Medallist
May 22, 2001
23,595
75,868
The Gasometer Wing
AFL Club
North Melbourne
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Norf
We're in a development phase. As a back up, IMO he makes sense for a top 4 team but not us. If you're going to say he's good for competition and to keep others honest then why did Brisbane let him go? They don't have KPD depth. Why haven't we taken Douglas, Menzel or Masten for that matter? They're all AFL grade. If we do have gaps, don't fill them with 27 year old blokes at their third club. That's so Farren Ray. The correct play would have been not to have allowed Essendon to boogie on in at 30 and take Harrison Jones from beneath us. A real talent with size and blistering pace. A potential 10 year player. We need a Taz replacement in 3 years when all our young guns are coming into their own and not a bloke who's on a one year contract.
It seems we didn't rate Jones as highly as * did.

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Absolutely. If they’re not good enough then so be it. I’d just hate for McKay in particular to leave due to lack of opportunity then go on to have a good career somewhere else. Especially if he’s playing well in the 2’s

Let's cross that bridge first
 

Rusty Buckets

Team Captain
Oct 11, 2019
311
534
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Agreed Val, but iron sharpens iron. Good for the boys to have competition IMO, spot is earnt and their play improves as a result.
That's all well and good if it's an even playing field Ham, but self-interest dictates that Walker will be first-choice as he was brought in by the coach.
 
Dec 27, 2017
24,210
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Needs to lift his output. Just doing enough and not demanding a spot

He would have played if Thompson wasn’t playing. It’s pretty messed up if Thomo retried to make room for the blokes coming through and then they do this.

Thompson and Walker had similar years,

 

Passmore

Brownlow Medallist
May 22, 2001
23,595
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He would have played if Thompson wasn’t playing. It’s pretty messed up if Thomo retried to make room for the blokes coming through and then they do this.

Thompson and Walker had similar years,

Thompson retired because he'd had enough. Not to make room for anyone.

One of our esteemed brethren has mentioned that McKay is that highly rated internally at the moment. It's ip to Ben to change that.

Durdin is yet to show that he is any more than a fill in. It's up to him to prove otherwise.

Walker is coming off a reasonable season but is only on a 1 year deal. Hardly a ringing endorsement.

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Dec 27, 2017
24,210
53,342
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Thompson retired because he'd had enough. Not to make room for anyone.

One of our esteemed brethren has mentioned that McKay is that highly rated internally at the moment. It's ip to Ben to change that.

Durdin is yet to show that he is any more than a fill in. It's up to him to prove otherwise.

Walker is coming off a reasonable season but is only on a 1 year deal. Hardly a ringing endorsement.

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Was Thomo asked to go round again?

RE McKay, I get that. Ive seen it first hand, (last year) I mentioned what I saw in the training thread (he was easily out marked by Larky when Ben should’ve had him covered, I looked at the Whitecross and he was shaking his head)...the poster replied with something like ‘and people wonder why he isn’t playing’.

I’ve also seen him doing some really great stuff with plenty of effort.

I have faith he’ll come on.
 

the flying ham

Cancelled
Dec 12, 2006
7,403
16,059
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Thompson retired because he'd had enough. Not to make room for anyone.

One of our esteemed brethren has mentioned that McKay is that highly rated internally at the moment. It's ip to Ben to change that.

Durdin is yet to show that he is any more than a fill in. It's up to him to prove otherwise.

Walker is coming off a reasonable season but is only on a 1 year deal. Hardly a ringing endorsement.

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Spot on KC

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Passmore

Brownlow Medallist
May 22, 2001
23,595
75,868
The Gasometer Wing
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Norf
Was Thomo asked to go round again?

RE McKay, I get that. Ive seen it first hand, (last year) I mentioned what I saw in the training thread (he was easily out marked by Larky when Ben should’ve had him covered, I looked at the Whitecross and he was shaking his head)...the poster replied with something like ‘and people wonder why he isn’t playing’.

I’ve also seen him doing some really great stuff with plenty of effort.

I have faith he’ll come on.
Dunno if they asked him ro play on but he said he was done.

I like what I saw of McKay in 2018. Happy to take TOAs word that the internal view to where he stands at the moment.

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shimaburnsgrieg

Premiership Player
Apr 1, 2017
4,357
10,092
AFL Club
North Melbourne
We have 4 key backs now in Walker, Durdin, Maj and Taz - only 3 will be picked week to week.

If Maj is right to go then he will play as he provides the 2nd Ruck option. Taz of course is automatic. That leaves Durdin v Walker.

(BTW BMac is not in the discussion - he would need to show a lot more application, skill, match awareness to even be considered close to a game early in 2020.)

Durdin has the job at the moment as he performed ok as a kpd late in 2019.

Walker will get his turn though as injuries/form etc unfold during the year.

I like his recruitment - he offers something we need in terms of depth in the kpd area and I think he will do ok there.
 

arden station

Cancelled
May 3, 2015
1,655
3,173
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Brisbane supporting mate is not happy about losing Walker. Says he's a very strong contested mark and did well as the no 1 KPD when Andrews was injured. And he plays well forward. He might play well enough to demand selection but if not, he offers flexible, quality depth - you just never know who's going to get injured.
 
I rate this addition as an absolute bargain, cost nothing, can play back, forward, and ruck, takes a good grab, can kick goals, as good a "depth" player as you could possibly have on your list. As to whether he is walk up start for seniors right away, under our previous coach, definitely, under Rhyce, remains to be seen.
Welcome to the 'Roos Josh.
 
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