Is there a better battle in super league right now? Walker has taken this by the scruff of the neck and made it his own. Already an interesting scenario for squad numbers next season. Very exciting.

Overall, Walker looks a class apart. Happy to make contact coming from defence and miles better attack wise.

Walker is a class act and I would love to see him have a run at stand off. Golding is the better defensive fullback and would have made one or two of the tackles Walker missed tonight.

Golding can keep the #1 but Walker already looks the better all round full-back. Where else could you play Golding though?

If Moon and Burrow are out next week I would play Walker at 6 and Golding at 1 with Lilley on the bench

Would normally have said the wing but Briscoe had a good game (though he doesnt back himself for the corner enough)

Walker clearly better in attack but not as good in defence, tonight we actually probably would have done better with Golding as Walker set up one but arguably let in 3

How many times has Walker won MOTM? Kid is ace. Keeping them both happy long term could be a problem. Unless one is OK with playing a different position

Obviously walker is a quality player. My main concern is he is still a youngster and last night he received several heavy shots. Not all of them legal. So I would be careful in playing him every week. Without doubt his time will come so we need to be careful with him.

Agree with this.

I completely disagree with it. He's proved he's good enough, so he's old enough. Let him play.

Yep.
Nathan Cleary is in his second season in the NRL and he's not 20 until November.
You don't get battered anywhere as hard as in the NRL.

At this stage Golding is the better last line defender having had some notable efforts this season but Walker is IMO more assured under the kick, he returns with speed and purpose and offers a threat when joining the line.

Despite the first comment above Leeds' three abject defensive performances (Cas away, Hull cup, Wakey away) all featured the same starting full-back and it wasn't last night's. Not that any full-back can be held solely responsible when the men in front dissipate like snowflakes in an ocean.

Obviously I don't see them as much as you lot, but for me it's a no brainer.

Golding is one of those players that the best you are ever going to be able to say about him is, "he doesn't let anyone down," or "he doesn't look out of place." He is a nothing player. Not a bad player, just, meh.

Walker looks like a match winner.

I am with you,if he's good enough he plays,age is no barrier particularity for a back.
I would like to see him in the halves, but if not run Golding on the wing for a bit instead of Briscoe who is a waste of time ,reasonable performances like last nights just highlight how mediocre he is most of the time.

Walker is a precocious talent. He could make fullback or stand off his own over the next few years and would potentially form a good partnership with Lilley as their skills complement each other nicely.

I wouldn't rush him until he's had a full preseason to put the size on that will enable him to ride the rough challenges that will inevitably come his way.

The days of if you're good enough you're old enough are long gone with the physicality of the modern game. I know it's not as brutal as it used to be but it's far more physically demanding.

Spot on, it's a ridiculous line that people use with little to no thought, care or idea about the physical demands on the body and how much developing the bodies of 17/18 years old players still need to do.

You're not so bad after all...



As a parent to a 18 year old who is similar in stature to Walker, I know that whilst he can run around me all day long, if I were to snot him he'd really know about it. We are talking about the same thing here, just on people who are fitter and do this for a living.

I know I moan about the club a fair bit, and I think it's deserved, but the way they are handling Walker including the contract stuff, seems pretty spot on to me.

Ive only seen them on telly or when you play us (Cas) , but Walker looks a much better player already. Not sure how you will manage them both after giving Golding a long term deal. Walker could be the England full back in a few years whereas I can only see Golding been shoved on the wing or leaving for first team footy .

Walker doesn't have the positional play that leads to being a good last-line defender, but that can be taught. Maybe not by the current coaches but it can be taught. I'm not sure Golding can be coached to break a tackle.

For all of McDermott's criticism wrt to coaching attack, Golding has improved much more in defence since his early days in the side when he looked a bit similar to Walker's defence now. Add in Hardaker became the best defensive FB in the league during his time here then I actually think defence is one area that he will improve.

Walker has something you can't teach - instinct

& pace!

Fully agree Batley. The last thing we want is some thuggery to restrict Walkers confidence.

And that can go quickly with serious injuries.

Actually dont buy that, far too many players seem to accept they dont have natural pace and dont do the sprint training that could improve them (cough...Lilley...cough)

Both Frank Lampard and Christiano Ronaldo admit that they were not blessed with pace but worked to improve their acceleration relentlessly.

So no reason that Gould couldnt match Walkers pace with the required sprint training.