There’s no team under more pressure this week than the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and with a new halfback in the fold, the heat has turned up on five-eighth Cody Walker.
Walker has had a slow start to the season by his lofty standards, but a grudge match in prime time against the Roosters is the type of environment where the fiery playmaker can thrive.
And he’s simply going to have to, according to NRL 360 host Braith Anasta.
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“The pressure has to be on Cody Walker. He has got away with it the first few weeks, but now Round 3 against the Chooks with his team 0-2, he needs to step up,” Anasta said.
You could argue the pressure is always on the likes of Walker, Latrell Mitchell and hooker Damien Cook whenever Souths’ form is down.
However due to interview-gate involving Mitchell and the brutal axing of halfback Lachlan Ilias for NSW Cup captain Dean Hawkins, Walker’s average play to start the season has gone under the radar as The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis notes.
“I think he’s escaped a little bit of scrutiny. So much spotlight has been on Latrell Mitchell but I think Cody Walker has been really poor,” Carayannis said.
“He had that calf injury leading into the Vegas game and couldn’t train. He looks like a guy who is short of a gallop.
“His zip is completely gone at the moment. We saw him get run down by Adam Reynolds last week.”
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In the 47th minute of the Rabbitohs loss to Brisbane last week, Walker did well to gather a Reynolds grubber close when defending near their line.
Walker had a couple of steps on Reynolds when he took off up field but the Broncos half was able to chase down and tackle his former teammate after 30 metres.
The lack of a turn of speed was alarming, but Fox League’s James Hooper was willing to be a bit forgiving.
“I’ll defend Cody Walker here. I think he’s one of the most naturally gifted ball players in the game,” Hooper said on NRL 360.
“You are right about the calf injury, clearly he has been a little bit restricted in terms of his speed but you can never question Cody’s effort. He was playing on the ball last week and busting a gut to try and create opportunities.
“It’s not just on Walker. It’s on Latrell and Damien Cook as well.”
Paul Kent disagreed, believing Walker has to perform much better than he has been.
“He has got to step up,” Kent said.
“He’s got a journeyman halfback now playing alongside him with all respect to Dean Hawkins.
“Dean Hawkins has played six first grade games and 82 state cup games. That’s a big difference. Six NRL games doesn’t suggest a kid on the rise.
“That just puts it all on Cody now to take over the running of the team. He really just has to.”
“But he was doing that last week anyway,” Hooper interjected.
“Well that’s a fair call but it’s fair to say he didn’t hit the mark,” Kent replied.
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Anasta said that it’s not uncommon for players feeling the heat to overplay their hand, and suggested Walker just lets things come naturally.
“Cody being under pressure or having to deliver doesn’t mean he has to try to hard or take the role away from his seven. You let your seven do his thing and let Cooky do out of dummy half and then it takes care of itself.
“If he’s going to close to the ball, trying to hard, himself and Latrell, then they are going to be getting the ball in the wrong areas at the wrong time.
“It’s a tricky one for an out of form player and team to not overplay it and just let everyone play their role.
“You can tell they are trying hard but it’s just not happening.”
Source Agencies
