Luke Walsh

[Utey]

What's the go? I thought you guys had found a future halves combination with Mullen and Walsh?

 

[TooheysNew]

We had. He's been surpassed by Dureau.

 

[Utey]

On the basis of one game?

 

[roopy]

On the basis of one game?

on the basis of three months training, three trials and two games.
Walsh is over his ankle injury and in career best form in reserve grade.

 

[Utey]

Cheers guys.

 

[Hanscholo]

Smith said Walsh is doing some good things in reserves, and will get a go at some stage this year. He also said that Dureau is going too well to drop at this point. I agree. We have him on a 3 year deal so the combination isnt going anywhere for the time being.

 

[Karmawave]

I wonder if you all thought Andrew Johns was a goose last night when he said on the Footy Show that Dureau/Mullen wasn't the preferred combination this year?

Or just Karma :lol:

 

[Pika]

Just you.

He was referring Mullen / Bailey you ignorant fool

 

[Karmawave]

I KNOW that Pika.

The point is though, Dureau wasn't the plan :lol: - which was all I had said all along. Nothing more, nothing less. My theories were questioned were they not? Im just glad someone like Joey came out and basically said the exact same bloody thing.

It's not like Walsh isn't a chance to get a crack at some stage too mate.

Don't confuse my opinions before to be pro Luke Walsh - between him and Dureau, we probably have the weakest halves in the comp.

 

[macavity]

scotty forced smithy's hand by good trial form and putting in at training. from the 4 halves I have no doubt he has the best footy brain and the best kicking game.

with mullo in 6 we dont need a strong running half (Walsh when he is fit) - we need an organiser and kicker. and I think scott is the best organiser and best kicker in the club, hence the best fit for our team.

I don't think its all doom and gloom karma. we have a rookie (with questions over them) half either way we go, but at least we have options.

 

[Karmawave]

Nah, don't get me wrong, its not all doom and gloom.

If anything, my opinion on our halves shows the strength in the halfback position across the entire NRL.

To be frank, and I know Dureua is a particular favourite of the Crusade fan base, but I still think halves is our biggest weakness in comparison to the rest of the NRL, and it completely baffles me as to why Brian Smith would want to tinker with them during the season - or even talk of doing so.

All week we have been reading coaches saying that keeping the same halves combination is the single most important thing for a team - and ours is talking about changing it?

It's unusual to say the least.

 

[keeney]

Brian Smith is unusual, and for all his positives, its things like this that make me doubt his ability to win a premiership.

 

[roopy]

Walshy looks like he is coming along nicely to me.
It was frustrating watching him play with an injured leg in firstgrade last year and knowing one of the best parts of his game was his speed off the mark and seeing he just couldn't do it, and knowing that his kicking game could be so much better if he was injury free etc.

I look forward to him getting a run in firstgrade, because he was only 80% of what he can be in firstgrade last year, and this year he is a bit bigger and injury free.

I think Dureau grabbed the firstgrade spot at the final trial game v Cronulla at Cessnock. Dureau played the first half of the reserve grade game and tore it up. Walsh played the second half and looked decent but not in the same class as Dureau on the day.

 

[BG]

Brian Smith is unusual, and for all his positives, its things like this that make me doubt his ability to win a premiership.

What have "things like this" got to do with falling at the final hurdle? (Especially when those hurdles have been mighty big--Brisbane (SOO strength in the 90s) and the '01 Knights). I would have thought that winning minor premierships and making grand finals was a better gauge of the success of Smith's week-to-week selection and tactical approaches.

 

[keeney]

Incessant mind games, continual shuffling of players, the prevailing lack of stability that is a derivative of those two.

I suppose its not really that cut and dried adn an unsubstantiated comment. I love Smith and what he's doing for the club, sometimes though, I cringe at statements he makes, that's all.

 

[otori]

Surely the halves at the Rabbitohs (with Wing out) and Panthers would be rated worse than ours? The Panthers are pretty woeful there despite the bright light that is Sammut.

 

[Karmawave]

Luke Walsh is majorly on the outside looking in now.

The rotation system set in place isn't involving him for first grade currently, and any rotation in halves he will be doing is in reserve grade.

Fall from grace really when you consider 4 months ago he was the golden child :lol:

 

[BG]

Incessant mind games, continual shuffling of players, the prevailing lack of stability that is a derivative of those two. I suppose its not really that cut and dried adn an unsubstantiated comment.

That Smith shuffles players, plays mind games and backs his own judgement isn't unsubstantiated. You make a fair call on that. But why relate it to his failure thus far to nab a premiership? It's an old criticism levelled at him, but there's no logic in it. Smith makes a lot of controversial decisions and they often turn out to be brilliant and sometimes backfire. Overall he has an amazing record of turning clubs around who have been in the doldrums. If anything he has tended to be more conservative at finals time, so I can't see how any of the radical stuff has anything to do with his failure to date to win a grand final.

I love Smith and what he's doing for the club, sometimes though, I cringe at statements he makes, that's all.

Me too. But I also know that I don't have a shred of Smith's knowledge of the intricacies of rugby league, or his insight into the physical/mental state of individual players at any particular point in the season.

 

[sneaky_is_here]

Surely the halves at the Rabbitohs (with Wing out) and Panthers would be rated worse than ours? The Panthers are pretty woeful there despite the bright light that is Sammut.

I think our halves combo is far from the worst in the comp... infact whos to say that (and i know its very early days) scotty couldn't be a future NSW half, he has all the makings. And well i don't need to say much about Mullo when he hits top gear.

 

[Hanscholo]

I havent seen any poor coaching in Smith's sides over the years. There is no doubt that occassionaly he moves players around and does some strange things with the bench but its always for a good reason.

So to answer his critics id like to mention that when he went to StGeorge they were a basket case, they couldnt make the 8, the werent likely to win anything. They went on to dominate competitions, make two Grand Finals and lost to the best side of the generation in Brisbane. When he left StGeorge he left that club in very good order and Waite was able to take the side to another GF years later, that was the only one the Saints lost that they shouldnt have on paper.

He then went to Parra, yet another basket case side that wasnt making finals. He built up and amazing roster there twice. He turned the side into consistent finalists and threats for the tital. When he left Parra he left an amazingly talented team which he had constructed, Hagan was amazed at how professional the systems were he had in place. He lost the GF in 2001 to a side brimming with talent and all in their prime, Johns, Kennedy, Tahu, MacDougall, Buderus, O'Davis, Simpson, Hughes and Gidley. All either class National team players or NSW origin reps of high standard. Smith had hardly any rep quality players in the parramatta side despite their dominance throughout the year they were beaten by a much better team.

So far what he has done in Newcastle is very similar to what he has acheived before. He has taken over a poorly managed side and is doing his utmost to get some cattle into the team capable of competing and he is nurturing the young blokes along. Is he a great coach or not, his time with us will tell wont it, this is his test and i think he will win a premiership with us within 4 years.

Coaching highlights:

• Premiership final with Hull in 1989
• Consecutive grand finals with St. George in 1992 and 1993
• Dally M coach of the year 2001.
• Minor Premiership and Grand final with Parramatta in 2001.
• Most wins as Parramatta first grade coach
• Longest serving Parramatta first grade coach.

The two issies thrown up in his face time and again are he hasnt won a premiership and that no side he has coached has gone on to win a premiership since. That last item is not so bad when you look at it, Smith couldnt win a premiership while he was there and the roster he put together couldnt do it, but the new coach didnt do it either.