TonyK
CibbuanoCraig won't call on Walker
July 21st 2008 00:14
ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig says he won't be blooding promising youngster Taylor Walker in a bid to fix his side's misfiring forward line.
Walker has kicked 33 goals in 10 games for Norwood in the SANFL but hasn't come into consideration for selection; even with the club's injuries to leading goalkickers Brett Burton and Jason Porplzyia.
Craig said playing the 18-year-old at this stage of his career could hurt his development.
"Me putting Taylor Walker into the forward line next week is not going to fix where we are going. It could put Taylor Walker back in his development, I've got a responsibility not to do that," he said.
Despite missing Burton and Porpylzia Craig said his forward line was still capable of kicking a winning score, citing Adelaide's 3.8 in the second quarter against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
"I still go back to today when we won our fair share of contested ball. We had 11 scoring shots with the same forward line that you would've seen for most of the day," he said.
"If we can get 11 scoring shots every quarter we'll be pretty happy."
Craig also said his side needed to play four quarters of consistent football if they are going to play finals football this season.
"We are going to be very demanding on all the players at our football club to get to the standard required for a full game of football," Craig said.
"We see patches of it, we see halves of it but we are not seeing full games of it which we need to do to stay in the fight for the eight."
Walker has kicked 33 goals in 10 games for Norwood in the SANFL but hasn't come into consideration for selection; even with the club's injuries to leading goalkickers Brett Burton and Jason Porplzyia.
Craig said playing the 18-year-old at this stage of his career could hurt his development.
"Me putting Taylor Walker into the forward line next week is not going to fix where we are going. It could put Taylor Walker back in his development, I've got a responsibility not to do that," he said.
Despite missing Burton and Porpylzia Craig said his forward line was still capable of kicking a winning score, citing Adelaide's 3.8 in the second quarter against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
"I still go back to today when we won our fair share of contested ball. We had 11 scoring shots with the same forward line that you would've seen for most of the day," he said.
"If we can get 11 scoring shots every quarter we'll be pretty happy."
Craig also said his side needed to play four quarters of consistent football if they are going to play finals football this season.
"We are going to be very demanding on all the players at our football club to get to the standard required for a full game of football," Craig said.
"We see patches of it, we see halves of it but we are not seeing full games of it which we need to do to stay in the fight for the eight."
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