Was invaluable last season running off half back, making players look stupid with his immense defensive pressure and tackling and using his elite evasiveness and foot skills to set up his teammates down the ground.
He is wasted forward now that we have Green.
The thing people are forgetting, is that he’s a pretty average defender
Do you mean locking down a direct opponent and/or positioning himself/helping out other defenders/intercept marking when the ball is coming in?
I’d agree they weren’t his strengths, but you think they could have worked on those weaknesses during the pre-season rather than trying to turn him into a forward.
Defenders also need speed, vision, strength, physicality, tackling, ball skills, courage and repeat efforts, of which he had plenty.
Was invaluable last season running off half back, making players look stupid with his immense defensive pressure and tackling and using his elite evasiveness and foot skills to set up his teammates down the ground.
He is wasted forward now that we have Green.
The thing people are forgetting, is that he’s a pretty average defender
Huge fan of Walla but JLT1 was nasty and JLT2 improved but still not a great outing.
However the thought that he isn’t best 22 is laughable, really just out there absurd. The run down in the fourth qtr was exactly what you love and couldn’t help but make me wonder whether he has been holding back a little bit in the pre-season.
I agree he is a liability overhead playing down back but if we are playing +1 then it can be covered. I’d like to see him play wing… For mine his positioning should be similiar to a ‘WA’ in netball… starting from the back edge of the centre square through to the forward goal line. Play as a link man and utilise his sublime skills to hit up the leading target.
Obviously it might take a few weeks to work out what his best role is, and that may apply to multiple guys right now, but I can see another big season ahead.
At the risk of getting shot for saying this, Walla is still missing a solid defensive side to his game. I’m not talking about the ability to corral and hunt the player down, but his ability to stick to his man and compete in a contest. It won’t be the end of the world to tell him to get in the 2s and work on beating your man at the contest whilst playing up the ground, then when he has that down pat come in the seniors and dominate like we know he can.
Long term I think it would do him some good rather than sitting him in the forward line and letting him get 5-10 touches a game.
I think he will be a star in years to come, and I’m glad as hell that he is ours to debate about.
It’s pretty obvious Walla is not a natural small forward. However I still think that is his best AFL position.
At the absolute least, in his worst game, he will provide forward pressure and not waste whatever disposals he gets. So that’s a step up from Nick Kommer.
At the best is the Carlton game you mention.
The kid has already shown a dedication to improving his football. Leave him in the role for the season. Let him spend next pre-season further refining his craft. ??? Profit.
He was easily our best small forward on the ground today. Easily one of our best 3 on the ground. Hopefully he did enough to calm a few people down that were suggesting he’s not best 22. Looking forward to watching him in the season proper!
Terrific game yesterday. He provided real spark and showed his class.
The good bit is that he will continue to improve with more games and experience. Playing in a better side will help lift him further as well.
He is a liability in the air, always has been, always will be. It’s why his best position will be on the ball, where it doesn’t matter and his explosive step and sublime kicking will make the most impact.
I think its all above the shoulders for Tippa, first two rounds he looked lost out there.
For some reason yesterday he had the mindset that he is better than most footballers and played like it. Needs to be told on a daily basis that he’s better than nearly everyone else on the football field. Not to make him arrogant, and I really like how he always does the team things. But if Tippa believes, who knows how good he could actually be. Play like yesterday every week and he is as good as Betts and thats damn good.
