why doesnt anyone pass to Walker? Espcially the senior players, Stevens, Campo, Scotland.

Because he doesnt know what to do with it when he gets it

id rather see him getting the ball then not, he will learn what to do with it.

Was standing on his own in the HBF, AFL Members side at one stage and said a rather naughty word when the ball wasn't passed to him.

Anything to this?

Suspected Whitnall was being frozen out earlier this season

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

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Been happening all year .. he works his arse off making good position and gets ignored by some players. His decision making is OK.

Ive noticed the likes off stevens, camporeale, scotland, whitnall only seem to pass it to each other and never to the young players.

Bit harsh there keogh...He's disposal of the ball this year has been much better than last year. There's being numerous occasions this year where he's kicked it to the right spot for a leading forward/player.

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You can just smell that fresh Carlton arrogance coming back into the air

8 possessions 5 clangers.Has had 2 years already.I admit it is early days ,but at the same time it's a worry.

To add to the scalps of McLeod and Akermanis.

He's a kid. He'll have great games and he'll have poor ones.

I didn't see yesterday's game but it's important to remember how old he is.

The important thing at this stage of his career is what talents a player has rather than how often he's using them. If it's there it's there. If it's not it's not. You can teach an Andrew Walker to be a superstar. Ian Prendergast will always be Ian Prendergast.

We'd all like him to be at Judd level now but Judd's a 1 in 20 year event.

Give him time.

Digby Morrell is another one who was on his own a bit yesterday and got ignored until the last quarter.

Was anyone at the game yesterday?

He looks lost with the ball. Yes he can run, but he has no awareness or peripheral vision. Was run down at least 2-3 times through simply not being aware of an opponent's whereabouts. Doesn't think when he disposes of the ball. Doesn't know how to kick a proper drop punt. Slams it on the boot and kicks it forward, often resulting in a direct turnover. Athletes are good and all but we may as well have Matt Shirvington out there at the moment. Both look good and can run but both have no idea what to do with the aggat.

give him time .... give him time ... blah blah blah ... gimmie a footballer in McLean anyday

At training Walker is encouraged to run and carry the ball and use his pace. The main reason he was caught yesterday was because his teammates didn't help him out. If our midfielders were prepared to work hard off the ball and block for him we would really see him shine.

Let's not hang Walker out to dry, he really is the least of our problems.

That's all well and good but there's no point encouraging a bloke to run with the ball if they can't use it.

As I said, his skills, in particular his kicking (style and decision making) are far below an average league player. He should be encouraged to improve his kicking technique and maybe have a chat to the likes of a Ratten, Bradley or Diesal for some midfield advice on where to look, how to set up, where not to kick, how to stay calm under pressure.

He is the least of our worries as you said, but the people holding out for the day he becomes a dominant force in our side will be waiting along time, because it just isn't going to happen. Natural ability is just that ... natural ... you either have it or you don't .... and I'm afraid Walker would be better suited to a career in athletics

I'll look forward to revisiting this in a couple of years. His kicking technique is actually fine, the lack of support is the problem.

btw, did you see what happened to Cooney in the last minute of the Bulldogs game? Cost them a win and possibly a place in the finals, and it came from within his field of vision.

His skills are poor but you don't need to have sublime skills to be great. Robert Harvey isn't the best kick neither was Paul Kelly but they were still fantastic. He probably has 3 years to get his game together.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Would love to revisit this thread in a couple years time and be proved wrong.

However, at the moment, I made a simple observation that Walker's kicking is flawed. I would hazard a guess that 50 % of his drop punts do not spin like a drop punt should. He kicks mongrels, plain and simple.

I hope the kid works on this and can improve, cause as everyone can see, he has the body and by all reports, has the work ethic. Still would rather a McLean anyday of the week though.

Give him a break!

How many times must we disect the poor boys footy?

He's in his second year only, he was at the bottom age end of his draft (ie.he's younger than most others in his draft) and he's been playing in the worst performed team in the AFL.

Jarrod Waite didn't even get selected for a game in his first year and now we talk about him as a potential superstar. Let 1AW develop at his own pace...give him a chance to learn the trade. Players develop differently.

GET OFF HIS BACK.

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Number 17 - come on down!

This just reminds me of something the Bulldogs suffered a couple of years ago with the likes of Smith / West / Darcy / Grant and a few others who shared the ball amongst themselves instead of using the kids back then.... I believe that it was addressed at the time and the senior players started to involve the Kids... and we have seen the change in them.

it wouldnt surprise me that the main seniors at the Blues have been doing this ..maybe from being a bit selfish... lacking faith in the kids...self preservation to get there stats up....So the answer the senior players need to do as the Bulldogs and use the players in the best position as the more they get involved the better they will be ie Walker in the example of the thread.
But also a lot of this is also due to lack of leadership so as we have already stated mant times ... lack of Talent is one problem... lack of leadership is another big problem...Good leaders will involve the other developing players on the list encourgae them and uutislise them.. not kick to one there own mates even if they are in a much worse position.

So whatever we do and that is that we will get an injection of talent regardless of where we all stand... We do have some exciting prospects coming through.. Now we just need some leadership to mix in with the new talent and the talent we have on the list already.

When Walker roost's it they really travel.But he is a mongrel pass.He needs a heap of work in this area.But this is not a worry as in time he will improve...............The big worry is that Walker along with others is being ignored..........We are developing a team within the team and that is bad news.Lack of unity and support for each other is really shitting me up the wall bigtime.

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All my dangerous friends

It pisses me off he makes such great position and they dont pass it to him either.
Walker is one player who works hard to make space.


The matador you strike me as a bloke that doesnt have a clue about footy....

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