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Sloan vs Walsh

Auntie.Gerald

First Grade
Messages
7,261
Same age almost to the month (21yrs old)
Same debut season 4 seasons ago
Walsh was seriously backed in first two seasons into a team that only won 5 games a season in those years ie same as Dragons 2023
ie not much fun for a young new FB to NRL.

Walsh played 38 games first two seasons
Sloan only 13 games first two seasons

Interestingly though in season three when Sloan got to play 23 game........his tries, try assists and line breaks were quite interesting to compare vs Walsh? And the teams stats almost identical in games lost vs won like ours in 2023 at the Dragons.

Walsh tries (2022 and 22 games) - 2 tries, try assists 12, line breaks 9

Sloan (2023 and 23 games) - tries 10, try assists 8, line breaks 16

Very interesting !!!!!!!

Feel free to slide bar on the profiles to the right to check out other stats.

Just feels like Sloan in a "good team" like Walsh experienced last season and already 20 plus games ahead of Sloan is chalk and cheese for an emerging FB............2024 will be fascinating !


 
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Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,872
Sloan's transition to the NRL compared to Walsh is chalk and cheese. Walsh was not in and out of the team because of an error or 2. He played each week and got better and better. Walsh's confidence was never smashed from pillar to post. This is the year Sloan needs to showcase his skills and improve his defense. There is no better coach to help him do this than Flanno. I like the idea of switching Lomax and Sloan around so I am hoping we see that too as it will have the opposition guessing.
 

Victoire

Juniors
Messages
1,094
It's another honourably optimistic post AG.
There are certainly *some* similarities there, but I think Walsh was always on a different plane to Sloan in terms of intensity. He does everything at speed and with 100% intent. There were some much improved signs from Sloan in that second trial, compared to the first - he ran the ball back with more venom rather than just traipsing up to the defence, and this found him actually winning those rucks instead of being folded and sent backwards. And he boasts the speed and sublime movement across the field (at times) that Walsh possesses. However the intensity and involvement is still quite lacking.
I feel a more apt comparison may end up being Jason Saab
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
9,237
It's another honourably optimistic post AG.
There are certainly *some* similarities there, but I think Walsh was always on a different plane to Sloan in terms of intensity. He does everything at speed and with 100% intent. There were some much improved signs from Sloan in that second trial, compared to the first - he ran the ball back with more venom rather than just traipsing up to the defence, and this found him actually winning those rucks instead of being folded and sent backwards. And he boasts the speed and sublime movement across the field (at times) that Walsh possesses. However the intensity and involvement is still quite lacking.
I feel a more apt comparison may end up being Jason Saab
I know that Saab is a traitor and is injury prone, but having a speedster like him gets the adrenalin pumping as he glides down the touch line to score.

I would love for us to get Daniel Tupou from the Roosters. His contract at that club finishes this year so it would be good if we could snag him for a year or two.
 

kit66

Bench
Messages
4,004
I was watching Sloan off the ball a bit in the trials and he's more vocal than last year, organizing players from the back, a vital skill for fb's these days. I think also his involvement will pick up this year under Flanno who will teach his 6,7+9 and others how to improve the way they bring Sloan (and others) into the play, to create specifically for the likes of Sloan. We saw Flanno's influence in both trials, particularly against Wests, with the boys having more direction and purpose in their game, working the ball down one side with powerful runs and drawing the defence to that side of the field to open up the other side for a quick spread or to create gaps to put people thru. Our finishing needs to improve but we're headed in the right direction.
One other thing with Sloan and Lomax, I'm not convinced that Flanno really wants Lomax at the back at all. I think maybe Flanno knew Zac would be a little peeved about losing his Centre spot and has dangled that No1 jersey carrot to appease him for a while. I think Flanno has faith in Sloan, as he should, the kid can be our biggest weapon by far.
His defence will improve, has already and those saying he was ragdolled in the trials should watch them again because he wasn't. He got pushed back a metre or so like everyone else.
Lomax will be stuck on the wing for a while yet. Train him at fb as cover sure but personally I don't think he's the answer there, talking a lot, directing the line from there and he also lacks the speed needed to chime into an attacking line the way Sloan or Walsh or Pappy does.
I like our backline as it is, or at least think it's well worth persisting with for now.
 

AyiosYiorgos

Coach
Messages
14,164
Stat's don't tell you everything, there are so many variables as to what how and when the stat happened, i wouldn't care if Sloan had better stats than Walsh, he isn't near Walsh as a player, its like the old Dufty v Ponga debate, chalk and cheese, until Sloan learns to defend and put his body on the line, he is no better than Dufty.
Prove me wrong Sloan...
 

SAP58

Juniors
Messages
2,044
Toughness is the difference would Sloan do what Walsh did in Vargas even if they are saying it was a shoulder charge , which I thought was ok Walsh went in with everything ,........ Sloan in the same situation I dought it .........
I hear all the comments on Sloan & don’t disagree but if we go back a couple of years when Walsh was playing for the Warriors he was ordinary at best. The change in him has been enormous over the last 12 months. I am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt for a fair bit of this year with Flanno in charge. if there is not a significant change in 2024 under Flanno then we must start looking at others whether it be Rumble or a purchase. big yrar ahead for our current # 1
 

Auntie.Gerald

First Grade
Messages
7,261
I only played league till 16yrs of age.

I loved AFL, Soccer, Basketball more so to play...... as I was a 360 degree sport type person. Loved angles and loved no limits on movement.

But playing a bit of FB in league .................wow wee what a bloody difference when you team owns 50% field position minimum.

Bombs are easier.

Directing traffic is easier.

Keeping the width of you defence each side is eaiser.

Looking for cheeky quick play of the balls for your forwards was easier.

Opportunities to be the link the chain in genuine attack is waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy easier.

I just dont think we can compare plums with plums until Sloan is near he 60 game mark in the NRL and has experienced playing in a team that can actually fight tooth and nail for field position. To play a second season full season...... not like his first two with only 13 games and not all at FB......................its light years apart.

I mean what f**king FB wants to run side to side in his own try line half the game..................like you do when you are NOT winning beyond 5 games a season?????? what a shit job to have !

Its like having the best of the best in any sport exhausted by defence 70% of the game.

Im not saying he is the next messiah because his attack might go again but his defence may lag again. But we are judging him way to early !!!!. Media punching down way too much. I cant believe cant see what they are doing to Tyrell. Its like expecting a 1st year chef to run a 3 hat restaurant ?

Its like expecting a 1st year journo to write and provide insight like a 20 year journo !!!

Who was punching down Hoopes or Kent when they were shouting beers to their colleagues in year one in the media and having their material rejected and or seriously red lined as not up to scratch !

Its like Dune2 vs the original Dune

sooooooooo much better :)
 

Lennyb

Juniors
Messages
399
Dont want to repeat what I said a few months ago. He has improved a bit, but what I found shocking is how easily the tiges fb reigned him in when he got through the front line.
That shocked me. He has acceleration, top line speed mmmm.
In Flaano we trust.
 

SnowDragon

Juniors
Messages
910
I totally get Aunties position, and back it tbh. Sure, atm his deficiencies still stand, and many players in this situation never break thru which we have to keep in mind, but he has improved heaps wrt high ball, is starting to hit the line a bit, and isn’t being ragdolled Any more than other fullbacks. Behind a more dominant go forward team he may jump ahead as early as this year, or it may take a year or two more in line with the team development.

while he continues to improve, and Flanno backs him so will I.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,918
Same age almost to the month (21yrs old)
Same debut season 4 seasons ago
Walsh was seriously backed in first two seasons into a team that only won 5 games a season in those years ie same as Dragons 2023
ie not much fun for a young new FB to NRL.

Walsh played 38 games first two seasons
Sloan only 13 games first two seasons

Interestingly though in season three when Sloan got to play 23 game........his tries, try assists and line breaks were quite interesting to compare vs Walsh? And the teams stats almost identical in games lost vs won like ours in 2023 at the Dragons.

Walsh tries (2022 and 22 games) - 2 tries, try assists 12, line breaks 9

Sloan (2023 and 23 games) - tries 10, try assists 8, line breaks 16

Very interesting !!!!!!!

Feel free to slide bar on the profiles to the right to check out other stats.

Just feels like Sloan in a "good team" like Walsh experienced last season and already 20 plus games ahead of Sloan is chalk and cheese for an emerging FB............2024 will be fascinating !


Walsh wins in a knockout Round 3 this time round
 

SnowDragon

Juniors
Messages
910
Walsh wins in a knockout Round 3 this time round
While I’d 100% choose Walsh over Sloan, and that is sort of the comparison this thread is addressed to, I think that’s so obvious it kind of misses the discussion point. Sloan has weaknesses, but Walsh did at some point as well as some damm good other players. The question really is , can he develop? And is so how far.

im assuming Flanno is our coach for 3-5yrs min. So, if by end of the year he wants to resign him, great, if not, so be it
 

Crush

Coach
Messages
11,245
Walsh has confidence in abundance, he believes in his ability and knows he’s better than almost everyone else.
Sloan is timid, he doesn’t seem to like contact, he doesn’t believe in himself under the highball, he submits in tackles and accepts getting rag dolled.
Sloan is a nice human, Walsh is a prick.
The prick is the player who you want in your team at fullback.
 

Auntie.Gerald

First Grade
Messages
7,261
The point of the post was comparing where they both were at approx 35 games into their career

Sloan is a full season behind Walsh in NRL games

It has nothing to do with who is better right now or who maybe better

Walsh is on fire and had very good 2023

The stats say that at the same stage of career when both in crap teams that Sloan was a long way ahead in attacking impact via tries, try assists and line breaks

This surprised me

What I am alluding to is that if we can get 14wins this season we may also see Sloans stats match Walsh’s stats come the end of 2024 !

It’s possible and he needs to go close young Sloan
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
9,595
Walsh has confidence in abundance, he believes in his ability and knows he’s better than almost everyone else.
Sloan is timid, he doesn’t seem to like contact, he doesn’t believe in himself under the highball, he submits in tackles and accepts getting rag dolled.
Sloan is a nice human, Walsh is a prick.
The prick is the player who you want in your team at fullback.
What he said ☝🏻
 

since77

Juniors
Messages
2,478
People forget very quickly how big the difference between Walsh's best and worst was at the Warriors. Lots of rocks and diamonds moments. A lot changed with better coaching and better players around him at the Broncos. Hopefully Sloan will follow a similar path in development.
 

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