Chris Walker says what we're all thinking

[Coxy]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...-storms-wrestling-tactics-20110820-1j3l4.html

FORMER Melbourne star Chris Walker has unleashed a savage attack on his former club, claiming the Storm's wrestling techniques are a blight on the game.

Walker posted a series of explosive comments on Twitter after watching the Storm defeat St George Illawarra in Friday night's blockbuster at AAMI Park.

''Melbourne & Craig Bellamy have f----d league with the way they employ wrestling moves, grapple, etc, it's not MMA or wrestling, IT'S RL!!!!,'' Walker tweeted late on Friday night.

He followed up soon afterwards with: ''I'm sorry Melbourne fans, but it's not the way footy should b played, they r a well coached team without that rubbish''. The former Queensland flyer added: ''… I call it as I c it, I was apart of it and I can tell u that they employ all the s--t tactics, we trained 4 it''.

The spray did not go down well in Melbourne. Storm officials did not wish to comment publicly, but were disappointed the tirade will deflect from their surge for the minor premiership, a feat achieved just a year after the salary cap scandal decimated their playing ranks.

One club insider offered: ''Chris Walker is not really well liked by a lot of people in our place, including the coach. Chris is one of only two players sacked on Craig Bellamy's watch, along with Arana Taumata. They are both characters who have had plenty of clubs, were given plenty of opportunities but didn't take them.

''He had numerous misdemeanours down here. He failed the culture of the group and was sacked.

''The biggest thing that pisses us off is that he wants to get into our tackling technique - this coming from a bloke who couldn't tackle.''

Walker played just seven games for the Storm in 2006 before he was sent packing for disciplinary reasons. The veteran three-quarter, who was granted an early release from Parramatta to concentrate on his Walker Brothers Earthworks business, was unrepentant yesterday.

''Some of their techniques … and holds to slow the play the ball down - to a person who knows - are not in the best interests of the game,'' Walker told The Sun-Herald. ''I watched the game pretty closely last night. Having three in the tackle - one around the legs and having two guys hold [the attacker] up, was what Melbourne were doing. St George had ample opportunities to get a third in at the knees, but they're obviously not coached like that down there.

''I know that 99.9 per cent of the teams employ wrestling coaches, but they just seem to have a better technique than everyone else.''

Walker clocked up 163 NRL games across six clubs during a colourful and controversial career. The 31-year-old was a prolific try-scorer but, ironically, was not known for his defence. ''I think defence was a thing that went around my place,'' he joked.

While there wasn't any one incident that caught his attention in Friday's game, the man dubbed ''Texas'' claimed the Storm pioneered many of the wrestling moves now prevalent in league.

''The style of football has certainly changed and I know its changed because Melbourne have changed the game,'' he said. ''I'm certainly not condoning what they do, but now there's a large focus on holding players up, chopping knees, putting people into submission holds that have been learned from coaches.''

Accusations of wrestling always hit a raw nerve with the Storm. Their recent tactics, copied by rivals, have not piqued the interest of the match review committee.

Walker said the Storm didn't need to resort to such tactics. ''That's the thing, Craig Bellamy is probably the best coach at the moment,'' he said. ''He's got a team there with the big three - Cooper [Cronk], Cameron [Smith] and Billy [Slater] - that you don't need to put that on.''

Totally correct. But the Storm also didn't need to cheat the salary cap to win games. But they did that too. The Storm is a club that has no respect or love for the game itself. Their love is purely for their own success. They are guilty of what the NSWRL accused the Broncos of in their early days - being arrogant and above the game.

The Storm are just that. They are the most arrogant club in the NRL. From their players, through their coach, and right through their club staff as exhibited by this disgraceful slur against a player:

''The biggest thing that pisses us off is that he wants to get into our tackling technique - this coming from a bloke who couldn't tackle.''

I've had a gutful of these steaming piles of ****. I really hope News Limited pull funding and they die in the arse. Don't care if the game dies in Melbourne, these germs who run the Storm should have nothing to do with the game.

 

[dukey]

Maybe they don't need to employ the tactics they use to win. But it would be remiss of them not to take full advantage of every technique that may give them the edge. As long as it's within the rules, you can't really criticise them over it. It may not be what you're used to seeing in a game of footy, but over the past century there have been a lot of changes that purists would've hated but have come to be a part of the game.
And secondly: why are we listening to Chris Walker about anything? His opinion carries about as much weight as Peter Peters.
Also, in this case, 'A club insider' means 'things the journalist wants to say without getting into trouble for saying them'.

 

[Bucking Beads]

And secondly: why are we listening to Chris Walker about anything?

Because he is right and is one of the few brave enough to come put and say exactly what most people think..

 

[Coxy]

Maybe they don't need to employ the tactics they use to win. But it would be remiss of them not to take full advantage of every technique that may give them the edge. As long as it's within the rules, you can't really criticise them over it. It may not be what you're used to seeing in a game of footy, but over the past century there have been a lot of changes that purists would've hated but have come to be a part of the game.
And secondly: why are we listening to Chris Walker about anything? His opinion carries about as much weight as Peter Peters.
Also, in this case, 'A club insider' means 'things the journalist wants to say without getting into trouble for saying them'.

Because it's **** to watch. It's going to lead to injuries. And they play the most boring footy on earth.

 

[Big Pete]

Tall poppy syndrome at it's finest.

 

[Coxy]

Tall poppy syndrome at it's finest.

If you say so.

 

[Big Pete]

If Melbourne weren't succesful, would this article (let alone thread) exist?

Melbourne just control the ruck better than any other team and for that they deserve some kudos.

 

[Bucking Beads]

If Melbourne weren't succesful, would this article (let alone thread) exist?

Melbourne just control the ruck better than any other team and for that they deserve some kudos.

No doubt they control the ruck better but it is due to the wrestling tactics they employ. You have been off the mark lately is everything ok? :confused:

 

[Big Pete]

Every team wrestles though.

 

[Coxy]

Lately...

Seriously, if you can't see how their tactics are dirty and a bad look for the game you're dumber than I thought.

 

[Big Pete]

How about discussing the topic rather than the poster?

Every team does it and if they weren't finding ways to dominate the ruck they'd find another part of the game to exploit. It's just how sport works.

 

[Coxy]

So you're fine with crushers, grapples, and the latest, third man in attacking a player held up by 2 other tacklers?

 

[Bucking Beads]

every team started doing it after the Storm were allowed to get away with the dirty tactic... It just isn't League and the game is suffering for it. We want fast play the balls and to see attacking football. We don't want to see trashy wrestling.

 

[dukey]

Then ban the tackles outright instead of singling out the team that does it best.

 

[Big Pete]

Actually the game started to change when Stuart introduced the three man tackle that enabled the defenders to dictate terms (thank you Wally) to the opposition and slow the game down to their own leisure. Bellamy and co. have just refined it.

Coxy, I'm not fine with the grappling, crushers or three man tackles but again I don't believe it's right to point the finger squarely at Melbourne when every other team is guilty of it. I believe the NRL are doing the best they can to stamp out crushers and those three man tackles but it's still relatively early days. I do believe they need to be harsher with grapple tackles as you see them very rarely put on report.

 

[Jeba]

So every other team employs the tactic of slowing down the ruck for like 4 seconds by having 2 men tackle high and 1 player around the legs? They dong just do this every now and then, they do it consistently. It's slow, boring and like Coxy said, Melbourne are in it for Melbourne. If it was the Broncos employing those tactics I'd be embarrassed to be honest.

Watching a game between the Titans and Eels is more entertaining than watching these ****wits. Same thing happened in AFL when the Swans were one of the heavyweights, they were successful but boring!!!

But having said that, at least the Storm have fast centres......

 

[Coxy]

If it was the Broncos employing those tactics I'd be embarrassed to be honest.

^^^ This!

But having said that, at least the Storm have fast centres......

LOLZ!

 

[Charmamba]

If Melbourne weren't succesful, would this article (let alone thread) exist?

Kinda, Instead it would be lol @ Melbourne, using cheap tactics and still not winning.