Walker - New Key Role

[The Sloane Ranger]

After reading the article I am pleased that the Club is taking this approach with Tex.

In time Tex will develo the flexibility to play close to goal, as a high leading forward or even push into the midfield if needed, pretty much similar to a Hird or Pav type of role..

This certainly indicates to me that Tippy is marked for FF, Hentchel for CHF and Walker for HF

The more strings you have to your bow the more valuable you are to the team

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/walker-in-shape-for-new-key-role/story-e6frecj3-1225838092212

 

[relapse]

After reading the article I am pleased that the Club is taking this approach with Tex.

In time Tex will develo the flexibility to play close to goal, as a high leading forward or even push into the midfield if needed, pretty much similar to a Hird or Pav type of role..

This certainly indicates to me that Tippy is marked for FF, Hentchel for CHF and Walker for HF

The more strings you have to your bow the more valuable you are to the team

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/walker-in-shape-for-new-key-role/story-e6frecj3-1225838092212

Before that happens Craig will have to promote him from his current position as the official bench warmer.

On a serious note, I just want to see Tex given a year of solid AFL football and for him to no longer be one of the harshest judged players in our side by our coaches.

 

[Riggy1]

wow. I like it (more so the)

allow him to play that Andrew McLeod-type role, the half-forward who goes up the ground and into the midfield

McLeod doing the role I beleived he should of had last year. This could only be good things for the team with McLeod having this role.

We don't want Tex to get stuck deep in our forward line. He doesn't want to do that

great , he really struggled against some of the floods he faced last year. Get him out of the congestions and allow him to kick over the flood is great. But this could hurt Knight's production , well. If it creates more avenues for long distance goals then I'm all for it

now, for those wondering why I look suprisingly positive to Walker, it is because someone is actually pointing out what he is doing, instead of just throwing out something like this

Walker, 19, has long been considered Adelaide's next great full forward, following the exploits of mid-1990s star Tony Modra.

 

[ManInTheArena]

In other words; we want Taylor Walker to be Nick Riewoldt.. I like it! He can do it

 

[Macjoe]

It's good to hear club coaches being specific about the role and expectations of a player - we heard about how Petrenko and Reilly had to change their "natural game" to find a place in the side, and now it's Tex (Good of David Noble to confirm his "official" nickname ).

It's a good insight into the balancing act the match committee has to perform to fit different talents into a "best 22".

I know this is a Capel quote: "The outrageously-talented Walker, 19" but I get excited about outrageously talented 19 year olds in our side, especially a 19 year old who has been on our list for 3 years and is still adding fitness, muscle mass and reducing skin folds while staying un-injured. So looking forward to watching him this year. Pity he already has a Rising Star nom.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Seems a natural deep forward to me. Would have thought that you'd want him as close to goal as possible.

I wonder if it is purely the presence of Tippett that has caused us to work on these other sides to Walker's game, or if we believe that all young KPP's need to develop a certain level of flexibility. I think it's the former.

 

[ruscy002]

Love it, just love it!

And never mind the time trials or the trimmed body fat or anything like that...the fantastic thing about him pushing up the field is that he'll be delivering the ball to our forwards with those sublime kicking skills.

 

[cmndstab]

Walker's time trials have always been pretty good - he's as fit as a fiddle. It's the pace that is a worry with him and I haven't seen any indication that has improved. However... I don't mind him pushing up into the midfield a bit from the forward line. He reads the play well, and is a very good kick so hopefully he can spot up a few leads as well as kick some goals himself


Man, bring on the start of the season, I can't believe we still have to wait another three weeks

 

[Vader]

We know he's capable of kicking the big bombs from well outside 50, so it makes sense playing him further up the ground if his fitness permits. Not unlike the role Knights was playing last year...

BTW, Macjoe, there's nothing to stop players from getting multiple rising star nominations (in different seasons). It's been done before. As long as they're an eligible age and have played a maximum of 10 games, then they're eligible. Walker's not eligible as he's played 14 games, not because he's already had a nomination.

 

[Alex99]

ha ha another role, another excuse for Neil Craig to play him in the SANFL as he’s not ready for this role.

Right oh, let’s just get on with the season and when Brett Burton get back – let’s see Walker play the same role.

 

[Macjoe]

We know he's capable of kicking the big bombs from well outside 50, so it makes sense playing him further up the ground if his fitness permits. Not unlike the role Knights was playing last year...

BTW, Macjoe, there's nothing to stop players from getting multiple rising star nominations (in different seasons). It's been done before. As long as they're an eligible age and have played a maximum of 10 games, then they're eligible. Walker's not eligible as he's played 14 games, not because he's already had a nomination.

I knew that

 

[jenny61_99]

Please tell me this isn't shades of Nick Gill? Amazing kicking skills when in the field of play, crap at goals! I guess the issue is, when ALL fit, we have a number of go to options in the forward fifty. If Tex wants to play there, he will need to be flexible.

 

[KingJames23]

After reading the article I am pleased that the Club is taking this approach with Tex.

In time Tex will develo the flexibility to play close to goal, as a high leading forward or even push into the midfield if needed, pretty much similar to a Hird or Pav type of role..

This certainly indicates to me that Tippy is marked for FF, Hentchel for CHF and Walker for HF

The more strings you have to your bow the more valuable you are to the team

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/walker-in-shape-for-new-key-role/story-e6frecj3-1225838092212

Im glad that the crows arent persistening Walker in one role and pushing him to play other positions. Eventually they will find a spot for him where he is comfortable and he can be a solid contributor this season.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

It seems the role they are grooming Walker for is that role type that Knights played last year .......reckon he'd do ok as well

Does that mean Hentschell is likely to be our CHF this year?

 

[crowman86]

We seemed to use Knights as our CHF towards the end of the year. Not your traditional CHF but we used him as an avenue toward goal.

Look how our forward line went to the shit in the final against the pies when Knights went down. Totally ruined our whole structure.

I don't mind Tex playing this role, however I feel he is a natural deep forward, lets hope he doesn't get lost out on the forward 50 flanks.

 

[Chief Crow]

I think this role will suit him well. Can also see him play it like Carey did in the old Pagans paddock. His reading of the play will allow him to run with the flight of the ball and outsmart his defending opponent .

 

[Macjoe]

I think this role will suit him well. Can also see him play it like Carey did in the old Pagans paddock. His reading of the play will allow him to run with the flight of the ball and outsmart his defending opponent .

Good call.

We seemed to use Knights as our CHF towards the end of the year. Not your traditional CHF but we used him as an avenue toward goal.

Look how our forward line went to the shit in the final against the pies when Knights went down. Totally ruined our whole structure.

I don't mind Tex playing this role, however I feel he is a natural deep forward, lets hope he doesn't get lost out on the forward 50 flanks.

Ok, if you base this on matches at the Bay that you watched, or training sessions you attended, and saw stuff we didn't see at FP.

But on the Crows matches he played, I think he could be both. Worth remembering that his Broken Hill teammates saw him as a tough midfielder, in the young Ricciuto mould, before his growth spurt.

 

[amer]

Walker's time trials have always been pretty good - he's as fit as a fiddle. It's the pace that is a worry with him and I haven't seen any indication that has improved. However... I don't mind him pushing up into the midfield a bit from the forward line. He reads the play well, and is a very good kick so hopefully he can spot up a few leads as well as kick some goals himself


Man, bring on the start of the season, I can't believe we still have to wait another three weeks

Take it with a big grain of salt because it's just something I heard when talking to some uni peers , but I was told Walker has gotten his 20m sprint time around 3.10s. That would be pretty adequate I would have thought.

 

[amer]

It is said that he is a natural full forward, but if his bread and butter is leading he'll probably go well further up on the flanks.too.

Also Jenny - glad you're only joking about that Nick Gill comparison.

 

[crowman86]

Ok, if you base this on matches at the Bay that you watched, or training sessions you attended, and saw stuff we didn't see at FP.

But on the Crows matches he played, I think he could be both. Worth remembering that his Broken Hill teammates saw him as a tough midfielder, in the young Ricciuto mould, before his growth spurt.

Just the way he played last year and the training sessions I went to over the holidays gave me the impression he loves to be around the goals!

 

[Mismatched]

It is said that he is a natural full forward, but if his bread and butter is leading he'll probably go well further up on the flanks.too.

Also Jenny - glad you're only joking about that Nick Gill comparison.

The thing is, is that the traditional "full forward" role died a few years ago. With the introduction of full ground zones there is no such thing as a "stay at home forward", they all must move up the ground as part of the zone. The role has changed, so whilst he can still play it at SANFL and lower levels, at AFL level he must adapt his role in the side.

I actually like the sound of him moving up the ground, similar to the way Pavlich did, in fact I could see him becoming a very similar player to Pavlich.

Whilst Walker isn't quick, sometimes that isn't everything as a midfielder. Walker reads the play extremely well, he also reads the ball off hands really well and has great awareness of where everyone else is. Also, watch some of Walkers disposal in general play, he is elite by both hand and foot, and not only in his ability to hit his target's but hit the right target. He doesn't just dispose of the ball, he creates oportunities.

These are qualities that made the Jarman brothers such good footballers, Porplyzia has similar qualities. Similar to Pavlich though, Walker has the body size that makes him tough to match up on at the stoppages because he'll just outbody any tagger the opposition puts on him.

At the moment, I struggle to see a definite role for Walker as a KPF for us, which is why I think he's struggled at times at AFL level. I don't think he's a CHF, and Tippett's got that deeper forward role all sown up, so why not play him as a high half forward, or even in the middle. He's going to make things happen in there, thats just the type of player he is and why not add another midfielder, who knows how to deliver the footy to a forward, to our midfield mix.

Who know's getting him around the footy a bit more could be the making of him as a Key Forward, get his confidence up, make him feel like he belongs at the level.

 

[taylor_walker_13]

Before that happens Craig will have to promote him from his current position as the official bench warmer.

On a serious note, I just want to see Tex given a year of solid AFL football and for him to no longer be one of the harshest judged players in our side by our coaches.

AMEN

 

[CarnCrows]

Sounds a very positive move. As someone mentioned the way he reads the play, he should be able to find free space by losing his opponent. It is interesting as I thought that would be Burtons role this year, especially with his endurance. But Walkers foot skills are superior.

 

[Cap]

i'm just worried this stuff is just another excuse not to play him

he is a forward who kicks goals which used to be in short supply

 

[CarnCrows]

i'm just worried this stuff is just another excuse not to play him

he is a forward who kicks goals which used to be in short supply

On the contrary I read it as a reason to keep him in the side every week. He can play high, leading or deep fwd. This flexibility is crutial in case of in-game injury. Plus he is a gun!