- Sep 6, 2013
- 56,745
- 69,326
This is the thread for such an agenda so go for it, if it’s in here it’s fine. The issue is plastering every thread with it.
PLAYER Billy Walters
- Thread starter McHunt
- Start date
This is the thread for such an agenda so go for it, if it’s in here it’s fine. The issue is plastering every thread with it.
- Apr 9, 2012
- 12,810
- 14,586
Looked good against QRL standard defence
which at best ....is woeful
Took the most of his chances......that's all you can ask for.
@Sproj ...sorry I thought I answered something about yesterday's game. I should of checked .......move/delete.....up to you.
I honestly don’t know how people who actually watched our games (particularly the second half of the season) in 2022 can disagree / get the shits with the comments around Walters and his place in the team.
If you allow yourself to take a step back and answer the following honestly, without blind optimism; would Walters be the first (or even second) choice 9 for any other NRL team, I think the answer would be pretty unanimous.
He tries hard, he’s competitive, won’t take a backward step - I truly admire those characteristics in him. But this isn’t under 12’s where you get a participation ribbon. Every NRL club should expect more than that from their first choice 9, but somehow we’ve arrived at the point where not only do we accept it, but people defend it.
When, not if, Walters gets named at 9 to start this season (barring injury); I genuinely hope he comes out and proves me wrong in compelling fashion, because that’s what the team needs. But if he doesn’t, the criticisms levelled at him and the inferences of nepotism will remain valid.
tommy
International Rep
- Jun 5, 2015
- 13,164
- 13,943
This is the saddest thing about the whole predicament imo. As one of the most vocal about the issue I feel I should reiterate that I can’t fault billy Walters the man himself and hold nothing personally against him. His old man though, too many head knocks over his playing career it would seem.
Big Del
State of Origin Rep
- Apr 22, 2017
- 5,934
- 6,795
I wanna see him with the 1st 17 players against 1st 17 opposition .
Then I can better judge his abilities .
The basic stuff he was doing impressed me . The one handed pick up , the engaging the markers , his pressure on the kickers , the length of his kicks also caught my eye .
If memory serves me correctly, it’s also worth noting that Billy wasn’t initially brought to the club to play 9.
However, when it became evident he wasn’t our first, second or even third best choice at 6, he got parachuted into the 9 jersey. It’s almost as if the coach looked extremely hard to find a place for him somewhere in the starting 13.
Sans a few games and moments, when the dust settled on 2022, it was there for all to see that Billy had turned out to be little more than Turpin 2.0, who had proven himself to be Macca 2.0.
It seems we’ve just been cycling our way through dull, uninspiring 9’s, each new one praised for a few weeks / months because they were simply not the previous bloke, until it became clear they were no better than the bloke they replaced.
The difference is, the Broncos didn’t offer Turpin a new contract, whilst Billy got his extended. For all the criticisms of Turpin, and I’ve made my fair share, he finds himself second choice 9 at the Roosters.
If anyone thinks I’m simply out to death ride Billy, I am sure @theshed can confirm I have defended a lot of the criticisms he’s levelled against Kevvie from the get-go.
However, unless Billy improves out of sight; if Kevvie keeps picking him I believe some serious questions will need to be asked.
tommy
International Rep
- Jun 5, 2015
- 13,164
- 13,943
Yeah, I’ve made that point a few times. About how a lot of his competition has been pruned out of the team. I’m in the same boat. If Kev wants to hang his career to Billy’s then best of luck but it’s not a team move, and if the experiment fails and Kev gets sacked from his dream job then he can only blame himself.
theshed
Just a Game
- Aug 28, 2010
- 15,586
- 36,310
Don’t worry about people trying to discredit your opinion by using phrases like “death riding”, “agenda”, or “negativity”.
It’s entirely illogical to think a bronco fan who feels strongly enough about the team to post on a fan forum would randomly choose a coach or a hooker to pick on for no reason.
Why would anyone death ride a club legend who is by all accounts a great human, or a hooker who tries his guts out? It makes no sense.
The opinions are based on reality. If anything the people who are shutting down the criticism are the ones with the obvious motivations to do so.
hardly everyone mate , and in all honesty it was 4 games in a strong Melbourne system so definitely not enough to consider him as a first grade player yet.
really hope he does get his shot but he needs a bigger sample size to think he should start ahead of Billy, and I'm all for replacing Billy because he to atm isn't the 9 we need.
let's be honest Turpin wasn't worth keeping
tommy
International Rep
- Jun 5, 2015
- 13,164
- 13,943
im gonna ultimately judge him on how he plays at the roosters compared to how he played for us. Can’t blame a bloke’s form for dipping when he’s told at the beginning of the season he would not be retained. Finished the season a lot stronger than Billy too imo obviously.
I'm judging him from his career not one season, he's in the same category as Walters and smoothy.
Turpin may look better in a team like the roosters but he's depth at best and am happy to tey smoothy over him.
theshed
Just a Game
- Aug 28, 2010
- 15,586
- 36,310
Billy had only played 12 games over 3 years when he got an unchallenged crack as the starting hooker of the broncos - only 2 as starting hooker and 5 off the bench.
Again, I’m not bringing this up to shit on Billy. I’m only saying this because what you are saying about Smoothey is actually correct but it should have also have also been the reasoning applied to Billy’s selection.
I may be wrong and I’ll apologise to Kev and everyone here if I am but I really don’t see a world in which Tyson plays well in cup and replaces Billy. The best we can hope for in regards to seeing Tyson in first grade is that he may push out Paix and this will be regardless of who is providing more out of the 2.
true but Billy was playing good footy before he got injured so probably should have played more, but as I said in the last post in a similar group.
if smoothy is playing good footy in cup and both Walters and Paix aren't playing up to standard, then that’s completely on KKevvieand questions should be asked.
I'm hoping smoothy does get his chance because he's our only real hooker bar mozer and he's a way's of being a real option.
if smoothy is playing good footy in cup and both Walters and Paix aren't playing up to standard, then that’s completely on KKevvieand questions should be asked.
I'm hoping smoothy does get his chance because he's our only real hooker bar mozer and he's a way's of being a real option.
