Shannon keen to crack Titans

[DIEHARD]

Shannon keen to crack Titans

ENIGMATIC former Kyogle rugby league player Shannon Walker believes more consistency is the key to him cracking a place in the Gold Coast Titans line-up for the 2011 National Rugby League season.

Walker, 22, has been a prolific try-scorer for Tweed Seagulls in the Queensland Cup since 2007 and feels now is the time to strike.

?Before the Christmas break I was the happiest I?ve been at training in years,? Walker said yesterday.

?I feel like I?m in better shape physically and mentally than in previous years.?

Walker made just one appearance in the NRL last season, coming off the bench in the Titans? 11-10 golden point victory over eventual premiers St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 20.

He may have a better chance of getting a call-up next season with veteran fullback Preston Campbell expected to drop back to the bench or play five-eighth.

?I would love to get that fullback spot,? Walker said.

?I just want to play some good footy and the rest will take care of itself, hopefully.

?I?ve put on a bit more weight and still consider myself to be a real game- breaker.

?I?m really confident about the year ahead and can?t wait to see how I perform in the trials.?

The Titans will play three trial games in February.

Walker comes off contract at the end of 2011.

Meanwhile, former Mullumbimby Giants junior Sam Martin is set to join the Titans for 2011.

The 19-year-old second-rower, originally from Ocean Shores, returns after two successful years playing SG Ball and Toyota Cup for the Melbourne Storm.

After playing for the NSW Under-18 State of Origin team in 2009, he continued to impress in 2010, playing every game for the Storm Under- 20s.

?I loved my time at the Storm, but I am stoked to be back closer to home,? Martin said.

?I met some great people in Melbourne but I really missed the coastal lifestyle.

?I had about five weeks of training at the Gold Coast before the Christmas holidays.

?They have awesome facilities up there, and I?m really keen to get back in to it.

?I?m not sure about breaking in to the NRL this year, but I hope to learn a lot from guys like Anthony Laffranchi and Mark Minichiello.?

Martin also looks forward to the prospect of one day playing alongside other former Northern Rivers talent in Walker and David Mead.

?I haven?t met either of them, but getting a chance to train and play with them some time in the future is something that excites me,? he said.

The Titans will return to training next Tuesday.

Source: http://www.titans.com.au

[teke]

Shannon has probably been the best trainer in the squad in the preseason so far.

If he doesnt crack the number 1 spot which is looking unlikely I think they might look to put him outside Mead on the Wing which would be one deadly combo.

[Supergoose]

Shannon has probably been the best trainer in the squad in the preseason so far.

If he doesnt crack the number 1 spot which is looking unlikely I think they might look to put him outside Mead on the Wing which would be one deadly combo.

Would they make any front on tackles or just run everyone down from behind?

[Titanic]

Would they make any front on tackles or just run everyone down from behind?

Totally agree ... our speed bump right side defence ... gee it's demotivating to think of Walker, Mead, Prince in the same corridor.

[teke]

That is true

look at these disturbing stats...

Kevin Gordon 75 tackles 40 miss tackles
David Mead 93 tackles 24 miss tackles
Joe Tomane 113 tackles 50 miss tackles
Clinton Toopi 223 tackles 33 tackles
Steve Michaels 104 tackles 17 miss tackles

What do these stats say? To me they say that the centre position is a hard spot to defend in, the more experience players seem to do a better job.

You want another year interchanging Josh Graham, Atkins, Delaney, Toopi etc etc

I sure as hell dont, you cant leave Gordon and Mead on the wings forever. The 1st trial match will see Tonga and Mead line up in the centres which i think is a great combo.

[Supergoose]

I still want to see Zillman trialled at number 6 which makes way for Walker at the back. If Presto is on the bench then we have have ample back-up for these positions if things implode. I also think Tonga and Tomane should be our centres, maybe not straight away but going forward. Maybe interchange Tomane and Mead on the right side centre and wing. Would like to see big Joe bringing it back from kicks. Where would teams kick to? Walker, Gordon or Tomane?

[teke]

I still want to see Zillman trialled at number 6 which makes way for Walker at the back. If Presto is on the bench then we have have ample back-up for these positions if things implode. I also think Tonga and Tomane should be our centres, maybe not straight away but going forward. Maybe interchange Tomane and Mead on the right side centre and wing. Would like to see big Joe bringing it back from kicks. Where would teams kick to? Walker, Gordon or Tomane?

I too want to see how Zilly goes at number 6 and I am desperate to see Walker given some time on the field. He is the exact same player as a young Wesser, born with mistakes but over time it will disappear and a weapon will emerge.

Joey is alot leaner now than all of last year, he is down to 100kg and you will probably see him showing alot more spark. If Esi comes through the trials well i think he will secure partnership with Kevvy. I think interchanging Mead and Tomane could be a good idea. I know last year Joey always went back to the wing to defend cross field kicks cause he is the best jumper/catcher in the team. He may not keep up with Mead if he makes a break but he would be bullish on the kick returns.

I think teams if they did their homework would always kick to Shannon but at some stage it will be come second nature to him and you probably see him carve a few lazy chasers up.

Im predicting this year to be a break out year for the backs, 1 year on and a pre season to get their heads around what is needed to be done. The big step is the 1st match

[Titanic]

I also want to see Zillman at 6.

In reply to the missed tackles comments, my fear is having all of them on the same side. Successful defences are built around balancing the players but I repeat having Prince, Mead and Tomane on the same side with Walker as the last line is asking for trouble.

[teke]

I also want to see Zillman at 6.

In reply to the missed tackles comments, my fear is having all of them on the same side. Successful defences are built around balancing the players but I repeat having Prince, Mead and Tomane on the same side with Walker as the last line is asking for trouble.

True but what can you do, these players are young and some of the best in the comp, they need experience. In a few years time we will have forgotten all about this.

[teke]

TITANS conditioner Chris McLellan believes the best could be about to come for promising flyer Shannon Walker.

Impressive through the opening months of the Titans' tough pre-season preparation, a stronger, bigger yet just as quick Walker had set the standard on the training field, according to McLellan.

Showing glimpses of the form that earned him big wraps when bursting into the Queensland Cup scene in 2007, working his way back from a debilitating hamstring tear had proven Walker's biggest challenge.

But McLellan, who had worked closely with the 22-year-old to get him back on the paddock, said with an extra 4kg of bulk Walker now tipped the scales closer to the 85kg mark while still boasting the same frightening pace, which could prove a big trump up the club's sleeves when the NRL season opens in March.

''The club had definitely shown some faith in Shannon,'' McLellan said.

''Shannon's been excellent, not that he hasn't in the past, but this off-season he has been training the house down. From what I've seen on the park and in the gym he has been the standout.''

Reluctant to talk up his hopes of cracking the Titans' top-17 for their opener against premiers St George in Round 1, the Kyogle junior admitted his toughest prospect was getting through every training session.

''I'm not thinking that far (to Round 1) because every day here at training is so tough with so many blokes putting the pressure on for spots,'' said Walker, whose 10-day break over Christmas included some tense moments isolated in Kyogle due to the recent flooding that rocked the region.

''I've had the injuries over the past few years so I'm trying to get into this season more prepared physically and mentally and we'll see what comes of that.''

Handed one opportunity in the top grade against the Dragons last season, while it was far from Walker's greatest night the experience and faith shown by coach John Cartwright had given him hope that he was not a forgotten man.

Another high was marrying long-time sweetheart Cassie last season, and with their first child expected in April, Walker said with his life away from football working it was now time to make it happen on the field.

''It's been a good year over the past 12 months, it's settled me down a bit. I've got to work hard now and put those hard yards in,'' he said.

''I'll get to the first trial and hopefully I can get the opportunity to play some good footy and things can take off a bit from there.''

I can feel this year is where Shannon starts to shine nationally

[onlooker]

Hope Walker gets into a full time position somewhere. From what i've seen from him he has a load of talent and speed to burn. He looks like the Titans first cult hero in the making as well.