Strategy Can Walker be a key position defender ?

[geelong_crazy26]

So after todays performance I think most of us are putting more thought into the next few years rather than just the next 12 months. We have a number of good tall young forwards but our 3 best tall defenders
are 28,30 and 30.We need to get games into these young tall players and at the same time find replacements for our defenders and playing walker in defence does solves both these problems.

Can josh walker play down back as a key position defender ?

after thinking about it , not the best idea , hes too good a forward

 

[Chappycats]

No.
Let's actually go and recruit or trade for someone who is suited to this position instead of trying to change another. It has worked a few times in the past but our team was much stronger and could afford to wear some "learning" mistakes.
I think it's about time we started to play our players in their natural positions and to their strengths, isn't that why we recruited them?
It reminds me of a line from the Simpsons.

Martin: Uh, Sir, why don’t you just use real cows?
Painter: Cows don’t look like cows on film. You gotta use horses.
Ralph: What do you do if you want something that looks like a horse?
Painter: Ehh, usually we just tape a bunch of cats together.

 

[SJ]

So after todays performance I think most of us are putting more thought into the next few years rather than just the next 12 months. We have a number of good tall young forwards but our 3 best tall defenders
are 28,30 and 30.We need to get games into these young tall players and at the same time find replacements for our defenders and playing walker in defence does solves both these problems.

Can josh walker play down back as a key position defender ?

after thinking about it , not the best idea , hes too good a forward

If he's too good a forward, what the hell are we doing recruiting more of them?

I can see him at another club next year which will be a damn shame, considering the gains he made between 2012-2014 with very little chance at senior level.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

If he's too good a forward, what the hell are we doing recruiting more of them?

I can see him at another club next year which will be a damn shame, considering the gains he made between 2012-2014 with very little chance at senior level.

This is basically why I was thinking about putting him in defence , I want to get him in the side because he's to good to be in the VFL side and we need replacements down back soon.

How about Clark and Stanley sharing the ruck and 3rd forward role with Walker and Hawkins up forward ?

 

[catempire]

So after todays performance I think most of us are putting more thought into the next few years rather than just the next 12 months. We have a number of good tall young forwards but our 3 best tall defenders
are 28,30 and 30.We need to get games into these young tall players and at the same time find replacements for our defenders and playing walker in defence does solves both these problems.

Can josh walker play down back as a key position defender ?

after thinking about it , not the best idea , hes too good a forward

I think I said in another thread, if we get to two thirds through the season and he's not getting afl games as a forward, we ought to try him as Lonergan's understudy.

 

[iameviljez]

So after todays performance I think most of us are putting more thought into the next few years rather than just the next 12 months. We have a number of good tall young forwards but our 3 best tall defenders
are 28,30 and 30.We need to get games into these young tall players and at the same time find replacements for our defenders and playing walker in defence does solves both these problems.

Can josh walker play down back as a key position defender ?

after thinking about it , not the best idea , hes too good a forward

I don't really like the concept because his big strength is attacking the ball in the air to mark. That's not really a defensive skill, to be honest - defenders don't attack from behind, they position themselves in front and use their bodies a la Lonergan to outmark their opponents, or they float across as the third man a la Leo Barry You Star.

I - like you - don't want to lose him, but one of he or Clark will have to share ruck duties to make it work.

 

[dazbroncos]

If he's too good a forward, what the hell are we doing recruiting more of them?

I can see him at another club next year which will be a damn shame, considering the gains he made between 2012-2014 with very little chance at senior level.

He does not have to be forced out. Play him and play him now. He's confident, fit and doing really good things.
And if that means Hawk, Clark and Walker inside F50 - so be it. What's the worst than can happen. Cant make our win /loss ratio any worse.

I get its not a popular structure but try it for a few games. Hell even give Clark a spell. He, like every other player out of the game long term, will run out of steam sooner or later.

Go Catters

 

[cynical]

he doesn't read the play or have the footy smarts to be a defender, it's forward or bust

we are in a rebuilding phase what is better for the club a 22yo KF with a big tank playing CHF or a 27yo ruck/forward playing CHF?

The decision should be easy, play Walker as the CHF and Clark as the second ruck.

Make Stanley first ruck, winger or defender put him onball for all I care it doesn't really matter cos we aren't winning a flag.

Get them all in the team cos sooner or later Kersten will be putting his hand up and possibly Vardy later on.

 

[00VicWard001]

This is basically why I was thinking about putting him in defence , I want to get him in the side because he's to good to be in the VFL side and we need replacements down back soon.

How about Clark and Stanley sharing the ruck and 3rd forward role with Walker and Hawkins up forward ?

this would be ideal in my opinion.

 

[Bobby_]

I think I said in another thread, if we get to two thirds through the season and he's not getting afl games as a forward, we ought to try him as Lonergan's understudy.

I like your thinking now catempire
You have gone from not wanting to see much change in the back-line this year to all of a sudden wanting to see a natural forward hopefully replace Lonergan.

I like it!

 

[SJ]

I like your thinking now catempire
You have gone from not wanting to see much change in the back-line this year to all of a sudden wanting to see a natural forward hopefully replace Lonergan.

I like it!

And you my friend have quickly gone from the most positive Geelong fan I know to almost Partridge-and 'yours truly'-levels of cynicism!

 

[Bobby_]

And you my friend have quickly gone from the most positive Geelong fan I know to almost Partridge-and 'yours truly'-levels of cynicism!

nah, my positively quickly faded after that record breaking thumping we received from Sydney early last year. I still always felt we would give Hawthorn the best run for their money as our matches have tended to be too close to call for a good decade or so. Obviously it was a kick in the guts after that round 20 defeat and unfortunately, we have taken a bigger step backwards than even the most optimistic of supporters could ever have imagined.

This is just ridiculous what we're currently witnessing. Spectacular in a sense! To be hanging with these premiership savvy teams for two and half quarters and then literally, in the space of 5-8 minutes, completely and utterly get wiped off the face of the earth and made to look worse than the Melbourne Football Club
I've not seen it since some of those early 1990's Geelong matches.

 

[bulletproof]

I don't care where he plays this week but he just has to play. He seems to be the only player at the entire club in any sort of decent form, so for gods sake just play the kid in the firsts.

 

[Partridge]

And you my friend have quickly gone from the most positive Geelong fan I know to almost Partridge-and 'yours truly'-levels of cynicism!

I'm glad you said 'almost' there SJ.

 

[catempire]

I like your thinking now catempire
You have gone from not wanting to see much change in the back-line this year to all of a sudden wanting to see a natural forward hopefully replace Lonergan.

I like it!

You know full well my position has always been about transition Bobby. Transition doesn't mean chucking the back six in and asking for six new ones immediately; it means planning, gradually introducing and eventually replacing.

 

[Turbocat]

Has anyone seen him play the role at any level? If they don't try him there in VFL the club is unlikely to do it afl. To be honest I can see him elsewhere for pick 50+ and being a Bruce for another club.

 

[SJ]

Has anyone seen him play the role at any level? If they don't try him there in VFL the club is unlikely to do it afl. To be honest I can see him elsewhere for pick 50+ and being a Bruce for another club.

They didn't try him in the ruck in the VFL either, but that sure didn't stop them in the AFL.

He played down back in the second half of the qualifying final (bizarrely).

 

[catempire]

Has anyone seen him play the role at any level? If they don't try him there in VFL the club is unlikely to do it afl. To be honest I can see him elsewhere for pick 50+ and being a Bruce for another club.

He spent time at CHB in the VFL in his first rookie year IIRC.

 

[Turbocat]

They didn't try him in the ruck in the VFL either, but that sure didn't stop them in the AFL.

He played down back in the second half of the qualifying final (bizarrely).

Not saying it cant happen , Walker in the ruck seemed to happen on occasion in the VFL last year especially but I'd find the selection unusual if after kicking 20+ goals in 4 or 5 weeks that he was selected at FB in the AFL. If we could trade him for a good mid , we would have to look at it cause thats the area of greater need....yet we probably then will be crying out for KB's in a year or two.

 

[Turbocat]

He spent time at CHB in the VFL in his first rookie year IIRC.

OK thats something I have seen or know off.

 

[dazbroncos]

I'm glad you said 'almost' there SJ.

Oh god.. and then there were 3….

Huey, Duey and which one is Leuy?

Go Catters

 

[dazbroncos]

Why the talk, in Rd 3, of trading or losing Walker. Seems a little premature. I get speculations and the what if game, but can't we just play the kid. And keep playing him.

Go Catters

 

[Partridge]

They didn't try him in the ruck in the VFL either, but that sure didn't stop them in the AFL.

He played down back in the second half of the qualifying final (bizarrely).

If you took the worst extreme views off these boards, it's almost as like those people have been allowed too close to Chris Scott's ears at stages of the last few years. There are frequently decisions that contain an element of risk, but some of ours in recent years have been insane.

And for that match in particular, I'd say the lunatics really did take over the asylum.

I have never known a time where so many risky moves seem to be trialed only in the seniors (i.e. Blicavs on a wing, Walker in the ruck), and not even considered at the lower level. Baffling is one way to describe it.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

He's kicking bags in the VFL as a key forward. He played pretty well in the finals last year as a key forward. Why try to make him something else?

Would he want to play somewhere else? With the form he's recently shown, I'm sure a lot of other clubs would be more than happy to take him from us for nothing and play him in that role. Perhaps some reevaluation of team and future list composition by the coaching staff is required.

 

[hbk_aus]

nah, my positively quickly faded after that record breaking thumping we received from Sydney early last year. I still always felt we would give Hawthorn the best run for their money as our matches have tended to be too close to call for a good decade or so. Obviously it was a kick in the guts after that round 20 defeat and unfortunately, we have taken a bigger step backwards than even the most optimistic of supporters could ever have imagined.

This is just ridiculous what we're currently witnessing. Spectacular in a sense! To be hanging with these premiership savvy teams for two and half quarters and then literally, in the space of 5-8 minutes, completely and utterly get wiped off the face of the earth and made to look worse than the Melbourne Football Club
I've not seen it since some of those early 1990's Geelong matches.

Did you honestly think we would be indestructible forever?