Josh Walker

[geelong_crazy26]

really like the look of this kid, a great mark and leap, and has a really solid frame and at 196cm could hold down a key position at either end of the ground

the question is which end of the ground at AFL?

with hawkins/podsiadly, it is fair to assume podsiadly isnt going to want to end his career anytime soon given he has only been in the system a few years, will want to go on till his 35

maybe given the age of our defence, scarlett/lonergan, we need a young quality tall defender to slot in

 

[dazbroncos]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

Scotty has indicated that he likes flexibility in his players - see Jimmy Bartel.

As such, I reckon you will see Smedts, GHS, Walker, Bathie, Brown all see time
at both ends. We did it with Lonners and Vegas too...

Not saying they will makes careers at both ends but the ability to play at either end is becoming more and more important is the current game, especially considering the current rotations and sub rule.

With Walker, I reckon more predominately forward overall with his marking and reading of the play. See what Jenkins and Tex Walker are doing at the crows and reckon he could be our version of that.

Go Catters.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

He's a CHF if ever I've seen one. He's been tried back and done ok, but he looks much more nataural when playing forward, and it suits his skillset better.

Having said that I understand the OP in the context of the fact that we have several young KPF but not as many KPD and depending on how Gillies progresses we may need one of our forwards to go back. Having said that, if I had to, I'd probably send Brown back before I sent Walker back because I think he would be a better backman than Josh would be.

 

[meto]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

Who cares, just reckon we better size up like Adelaide and get some solid and larger bodies at the contest, looking at us we just seem to give up size and weight.

If he can play, which seems apparent, then just bring him in!

 

[tenderwarrior]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

He is a CHF pure and simple. Sure, I think he would make a good CHB, but he will be a better CHF.

However, looking at our talent, gee it would be nice to sit him at CHB!

If Vardy ever comes good we will have an awesome set up.

B: Guthrie Bathie? Gillies
HB: T.Hunt WALKER Smedts
C: Murdoch Selwood Horlin-Smith
HF: Menzel Brown? Motlop
F: Varcoe Hawkins Kersten
R: Simpson Duncan Christensen
Inter: Vardy Stringer Schroder Burbury

Be interesting to see how Hamling develops. We could do with another KPD

 

[Turbocat]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

My only reservation about his forward work is his conversion.

He is probably no worse than a lot of players , Hawkins for instance , so Im certainly not saying he will not be a forward but I do like forwards to have a strong confidence in conversion. The pressure to kick goals seem to always eat away at players who struggle to kick them , its one of the reasons I love Menzel with the ball in his hands. But I would trust PO and say his skill set is more forward than back , I haven't seen enough of him to make that call.

I will say this . Some very smart people always say CHF is the hardest position to play. I dont think its as clear as that.I think really depends on your gifts , your personality etc. I doubt Gary Ablett Snr. could play the role of a shutdown CHB. To do what Lonergan now does is a very task to judge when to go , when to not go , when to trust your skill , when to cut the angle , when to stick to your man , when to leave him.....

Id say when he plays in the AFL it will become more apparent.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

For.starters, gary ablett snr would.never need to.play a.shutdown role as wherever he would be playing he would be a chance.to.kick.a.bag!

Josh Walker is big and aggresive. I like that and so do those around him! Would be silly not to elevate him as he clearly as.the.ability and body. could be an option at chb, but his instincts.suggest forwatd to me!

 

[Turbocat]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

For.starters, gary ablett snr would.never need to.play a.shutdown role as wherever he would be playing he would be a chance.to.kick.a.bag!

Josh Walker is big and aggresive. I like that and so do those around him! Would be silly not to elevate him as he clearly as.the.ability and body. could be an option at chb, but his instincts.suggest forwatd to me!

Gaz , my point is some players are not mentally attuned to certain roles , so CHF is not always the hardest position to play , its depends on the individual player.
By the way GA snr played of the HBF for the first part of 89 , Blight tried him their as rebounding type. Didn't last long and nor should it have , what he could do few other could so why get him to do what other could do.

 

[you pick one]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

For.starters, gary ablett snr would.never need to.play a.shutdown role as wherever he would be playing he would be a chance.to.kick.a.bag!

Josh Walker is big and aggresive. I like that and so do those around him! Would be silly not to elevate him as he clearly as.the.ability and body. could be an option at chb, but his instincts.suggest forwatd to me!

That's what I like about him as well as having a good tank,you would no doubt realize I've been pushing his barrow for a while but at the same time I've been screaming out for us to play two rucks as we did last week and I thought Orren did well enough to hold his spot which I reckon won't help the chances of Walker it would make us top heavy IMO,add to that we already have Mitch Brown on the seniors list and I reckon the selectors might want to have another look at him this season.

Unless we decide to run with one ruck police from here or decide to blood players for next year if it becomes mathematical impossible for us to make the finals heaven forbid he may have to wait till next year for his chance.

 

[Vdubs]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

He is a CHF pure and simple. Sure, I think he would make a good CHB, but he will be a better CHF.

However, looking at our talent, gee it would be nice to sit him at CHB!

If Vardy ever comes good we will have an awesome set up.

B: Guthrie Bathie? Gillies
HB: T.Hunt WALKER Smedts
C: Murdoch Selwood Horlin-Smith
HF: Menzel Brown? Motlop
F: Varcoe Hawkins Kersten
R: Simpson Duncan Christensen
Inter: Vardy Stringer Schroder Burbury

Be interesting to see how Hamling develops. We could do with another KPD

Good points, I hope we don't lose one of Bathie/ Walker. Jenkins, now with Ade. was, IIRC, affiliated with Bombers. Not easy to keep all these guys if they continue to be VFL only.

 

[meto]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

The latest says he stands at 197cm, the same as Hawkins, for cryin' out loud p##s off one of these short arses and bring him in!

We need more power in the playing group fullstop, that's why Mitch Brown is a failure at Afl level just not heavy and strong enough, he's 10 kilos to light!

For goodnessake bring in this big strong kid!

 

[hbk_aus]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

The latest says he stands at 197cm, the same as Hawkins, for cryin' out loud p##s off one of these short arses and bring him in!

We need more power in the playing group fullstop, that's why Mitch Brown is a failure at Afl level just not heavy and strong enough, he's 10 kilos to light!

For goodnessake bring in this big strong kid!

We still have a lot more big bodies in our team than most other teams. That isnt why we are losing games and/or contested possessions. And bringing in another big fella just makes us even slower than we already are.

 

[meto]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

We still have a lot more big bodies in our team than most other teams. That isnt why we are losing games and/or contested possessions. And bringing in another big fella just makes us even slower than we already are.

Have a look at the Eagles for size or Adelaide, grow a brain mate, this guy(Walker) was among the best time trial runners all pre-season

The talk that Geelong is so big in the bodies is bullshit! Alot of our guys are pretty much on the light side when you look at Taylor, Corey, Enwright not to mention the small and lightweight youth. Smedts, Stringer, Brown, Motlop, hardly big bodied.

Lets get a bit bigger and stronger, was good to see Stephenson ruck so Tommy could play where he belongs, CHF/FF.

It's not hard to see why we need a Patrick Dangerfield type around the clearances, we're just to small!

 

[hbk_aus]

Re: Josh Walker- a KPD or KPF?

Have a look at the Eagles for size or Adelaide, grow a brain mate, this guy(Walker) was among the best time trial runners all pre-season

The talk that Geelong is so big in the bodies is bullshit! Alot of our guys are pretty much on the light side when you look at Taylor, Corey, Enwright not to mention the small and lightweight youth. Smedts, Stringer, Brown, Motlop, hardly big bodied.

Lets get a bit bigger and stronger, was good to see Stephenson ruck so Tommy could play where he belongs, CHF/FF.

It's not hard to see why we need a Patrick Dangerfield type around the clearances, we're just to small!

For starters, you can give it a rest with the abusive stuff, we are trying to debate a point here. No need to get personal.

Walker was the best time-trialler yes, which measures endurance, not raw pace. So that is irrelevant.

As for strong bodies, there is now way Enright and Taylor would be able to wrestle down back if they werent strong. As for Corey, he would be one of our strongest onballers if not the strongest. In fact, a list of Kelly, Bartel, Chapman, Corey, Selwood, Johnson as our onballers would match the best of them as far as body strength goes.

Of course the fact that we have introduced a number of 1st/2nd year players means that they wont be as strong as the others but overall i think we stack up just fine as far as strength goes around the ball.

Now see how i calmly and rationally discussed the debate without abusing you?

 

[winty]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Why can't he be both?

He could be our equivalent of Michael Hurley IMO. If we need another tall defender, we could play him back, but if we want to stretch opposition defences by adding another tall, he could do that too.

Players who are 190cm+ and can play at both ends are worth their weight in gold.

 

[hbk_aus]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Why can't he be both?

He could be our equivalent of Michael Hurley IMO. If we need another tall defender, we could play him back, but if we want to stretch opposition defences by adding another tall, he could do that too.

Players who are 190cm+ and can play at both ends are worth their weight in gold.

Winty, you would think he would have to be a shoe-in to be upgraded at the end of the year, wouldnt u? Players of his size, endurance, versatility and attack on the ball just dont grow on trees.

 

[you pick one]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Winty, you would think he would have to be a shoe-in to be upgraded at the end of the year, wouldnt u? Players of his size, endurance, versatility and attack on the ball just dont grow on trees.

And he's blue and white to the the core.

 

[hbk_aus]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

And he's blue and white to the the core.

Very true. Considering Pods is one or 2 years away from moving on, Walker has to be a big chance. Then we draft a ruckman/KP back and the rest of our recruits need to be strong/pacy midfielders.

 

[Willo_]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Doesn't a rookie get elevated mid year? I think we will see where the club rates him if he gets elevated and gets a crack... If he doesn't I'm not sure what to make of him and if he will be kept around..

 

[you pick one]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Doesn't a rookie get elevated mid year? I think we will see where the club rates him if he gets elevated and gets a crack... If he doesn't I'm not sure what to make of him and if he will be kept around..

If he wants to be there next year he will be there regardless of who gets elevated this year,he will get a contract.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Winty, you would think he would have to be a shoe-in to be upgraded at the end of the year, wouldnt u? Players of his size, endurance, versatility and attack on the ball just dont grow on trees.

On current form, certainly.

If he keeps it up in the second half of the year he will most certainly be on the senior list next year.

 

[Vdubs]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

On current form, certainly.

If he keeps it up in the second half of the year he will most certainly be on the senior list next year.

I am impatient for him to be on our senior list asap.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

I am impatient for him to be on our senior list asap.

Me too, but he's unfortunate that one of the knock on effects of having pacy guys like Varcs out is it limits the number of talls we can carry (even though his endurance is top shelf).

He will get his chance before the year is out, if he keeps banging the door down. He's going to be a very useful player for us in the coming years.

 

[meto]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Me too, but he's unfortunate that one of the knock on effects of having pacy guys like Varcs out is it limits the number of talls we can carry (even though his endurance is top shelf).

He will get his chance before the year is out, if he keeps banging the door down. He's going to be a very useful player for us in the coming years.

Crazy logic!

How tall is Varks(180?) if he's included, and who then goes out???

Then you would still have to drop another for Walker anyway!
He is the needed ingredient, not another small!!!!!!!!

If we're now kicking long we need some added size, that's why it's not working, it's because we're not big and strong enough.

There's just not enough powerful players in our team.

 

[hbk_aus]

Re: Is Josh Walker a key position defender or forward?

Crazy logic!

How tall is Varks(180?) if he's included, and who then goes out???

Then you would still have to drop another for Walker anyway!
He is the needed ingredient, not another small!!!!!!!!

If we're now kicking long we need some added size, that's why it's not working, it's because we're not big and strong enough.

There's just not enough powerful players in our team.

Clearly u just ignored my previous post to u. We are slow without Varcoe and Wojo. Slow down back, slow in midfield and slow in the forward line. Another tall would make us even slower. We are strong compared to most teams. Stronger than most. We are one of the slowest at the moment. Wouldve thought what PO said makes perfect sense.