The problem i have is i think you’re being over critical because he gets hyped, he wasn’t MOM on friday but he wasn’t ‘awful’ either it’s not a case of he can do no wrong he made some errors (so did Golding against cas) he will do as he’s still learning his trade.

Walker is only 18 and some Leeds fans need to realise that and show some patience. He needs careful nurturing and a training regime that can add some size without losing some speed. In the meantime manage expectations.

I think will naturally bulk up with age, if you watch him he’s not getting thrown around like a ragdoll n fact hes winning us a fair few penalties for high shots as he has a good step, id be more worried about him getting heads shots constantly rather than bulking him up too much.

I do get the over hype thing but I think that’s fine as long as internally in the aying group it os reigned in and Walker himself doesn’t think hes the finished article

Couldn't agree more. Most of us were gutted at the prospect of losing him when his contract talks stalled, yet now for some reason he has become a scapegoat for this dismal season. He clearly has a RL brain / eye for a gap and will only improve with experience. Who knows, one day he may even get to play behind a pack thats on the front foot. Strange breed us League fans!!!

He has more go forward in the collission than Golding. This is what I can not understand of those that talk about physical. He also makes tackles on the line which Golding would not do, and be taken over.

I have seen the lad sinc he was 10 playing, and the bulk he has put on in the last two years is a lot. I have no doubt over the next 12 months he will bulk up further.

However, I can not deny that I get frustrated personally that he always seems to get injured in a collission. I still think there is some second guessing by him, due to the previous fractured skull. But his first step was taken for confidence when he got rid of the scrum cap.

The kid has one bad game (by the standards we expect of him) and all of a sudden he's Andy Hay...

Geez, get a grip Leeds fans, he's a kid who will make lots of mistakes...

Agreed. I'd be tempted to take him out of the firing line for a few weeks, but then again a few games in the middle 8s could be just what the doctor ordered, as he looked fantastic against Leigh.

On the attacking front I suspect that much of the problem is about how the team as a whole is playing. If we're playing a lot of one-out stuff he's also going to struggle in forcing his way through on his own. He showed last season he was capable of creating breaks for himself when he was even smaller, back in the days when the team were generally playing better as a whole. Bullseye is surely right about being patient.

If we're looking for scapegoats amongst the players it is surely the experiences professionals like Cuthbertson, Hall, Briscoe, Moon, Myler, Singleton, Parcell, Ferres etc who should be delivering the goods on a more regular basis. If they play to their potential it makes it a hell of a lot easier for Walker, Golding, Handley etc.

I personally am not looking for a scapegoat and do not think many on here "bashing" Walker are tbh.
Let`s face it if we were looking for scapegoats we would have a herd of them!
For me it`s getting a balance of people going over board with how he is playing not helped of course by Sky who see no wrong in whatever he does. Compared to bringing him and others on here who cream themselves thinking he is the next messiah without him justifying it yet.
Yes he has made one or two nice breaks but he has had made some bad errors too.
I`m sure the more expert minded on here will know he will be an asset in the future but what we need is the asset now along with a decent pack and a stand off.
So he isn`t a scapegoat and he is not the finished article yet but he does have age on his side and hopefully a future at Leeds.
Just because some including me are having a go it is just an opinion but recognise it`s early yet to write him off completely.
With what we have lost in terms of players over the last 4 years and what we might lose next year we are without doubt no longer going to be a top 6 side unless we start to get some decent replacements and the likes of Luke Briscoe, Dom Crosby, Josh Walters, Ian Ormandroyd, Paul Aiton etc etc are not going to get us out of that rut.

I think signings like Aiton and Crosby will be enough to keep is in SL which is the point, i dont think anyone including the management see those players as anything but a quick short term lift, Sinfield has repeatedly said it will take time to sort out the current problems. We have signed a very good halfback for next year and I hope there is more to cone.

Would think he wouldnt at his age and never played rugby! haha. Could cause some trouble on the wing though if you could float some high kicks to him with his height

He was watching his lad at Halifax the other week and he had a stinker. Lost ball about 3 times in the collision and got sin-binned. Mind you Dwyer was awful too but I thought he played OK last Friday. Not sure these lads put their heart into this DR mallarkey!

My problem isn't one 'bad' game, its how many games has he actually had a major positive impact? I hope I'm proven wrong, but unless he bulks up he'll never be a top class full back IMO. There's no way he'd even be playing open age at a serious level here in Oz with his current build, he'd get smashed out of sight.

rob burrow didnt have a bad career from an early age despite being slight.
he's a boy. he'll fill out. can't believe the stick after one average game

He’s 18! He’s going to bulk up. Last season the vitriol aimed towards Golding when it looked like Walker might leave was totally underserved. Ive a feeling this has created a bit of hostility towards Walker.

He’s had plenty of good games, plenty. He’s the best fullback we have at the club at the moment and there’s a few other areas a lot weaker that we need to fix first, though I don’t think he’s unstoppable, not at all, and Golding should be given a go there at times.

I can. An element of our support are complete moaning s

Cobblers. Yes he's 18, but I'm watching games this season and would struggle to name many full backs in SL he's currently better than. I can see glimpses of potential but he has a lot of work to do both with and without the ball to be a real force, and a lot of it's down to the fact that he's basically puny. If he can't accept criticism then he'll never be as good as he could be.

IMO we spend too much time excusing young players for their failings rather than expecting/hoping that they actually address them. That's why we end up with so many who look like a star at a young age but look more and more average with every year that goes by.

Burrow's an interesting and rather pointless comparison. His job was never to run the ball back into a straight defensive line, and in defence he had very good technique but would still get run over every now and then. That's manageable in a halfback.

Full back is least of our worries. Walker is still a kid but is pure class. He's 18 for God sake. Of course he needs to improve his overall game and get a bit stronger do people seriously expect an 18 year old lad to be the finished article? He's done fantastic so far.

Club legends Sinfield, Maguire and Burrow wasn't at Walkers level at the same age. Jamie Peacock was playing for Stanningley.

With the right coaching, development, luck with injuries and the right attitude from Walker in about 4 or 5 years when Walker is still young at 22 or 23 we might start to see the lad reach his potential.

Pick on some of our soft forwards instead of the class act at full back.

very few full backs don't get run over occasionally. he's quality and he will get more consistent with age.

Don’t take this as a sarky comment as its not intended to be as its a seious question... do you get to see all the games whilst in Aus?

X2

Agreed, it's very rare these days you see teenagers breaking into SL sides for even a handful of games a season, Walker is 18 and already has an assured GF display under his belt along with making the FB jersey his which is quite amazing. He will still have the odd bad game though and make some mistakes, we have to accept that. Could be a world star by 21/22 though if we stick by him.

Not sure what all the concerns are wrt Walker.
At present he is an average full back with time on his side.
He looks to have the skill set to do well but lets face it he has not set the world alight even though Sky think he has.
But before I get shot down If he makes all the right choices in pre season and puts the weight on he will come back a better player.
He is the best we have although I still think Golding should have been given more time at FB for this season alone.
And yes Walker might be more skilful I know.
He is taking plenty of high shots probably due to the way he plays the game.
Is that good for him at this stage of his career considering his previous head injury. Probably not.
He is not the only player who has come under criticism this year and a certain Mr Moon has done well to keep his place along with several others.
But our choices are limited even though some on here have said we should give youth a chance even if we get relegated


For me I would like to see Walker play at SO but we are running out of games and it might not be the time to risk it now. But there is no vendetta from me regarding Walker there are others who deserve that more.

An 18 year old fullback isn't performing to his best in a team full of experienced senior players all playing awful. Who'd have thought, in terms of a scapegoat this is really something else.

Where is he being made a scapegoat?

I dont think Walker has been as poor as some make out & when put into context all young players will hit blips in performances.
Our biggest concerns should be quality recruitment replacing has beens never will bes & a World Class Winger.