One of the issues of Headingley is there are very few places you can see the whole fabric of the game - something you cannot see on TV

I've not seen anybody deny this is the case - he does have a tendency to over chase and can break structure, but given he is so low down the pecking order, and the fact he clearly puts in a massive effort, to throw out lines like 'the worst excuse of a rugby player' is way over the top, sensationalist and smells of a personal vendetta.

I've seen players with much more natural talent put in far worse performances (and on a regular basis) than Walters did against Hull. The grief he gets is way over the top for his standing in the game.

Yup. For me, a lot of his mis-directed effort can be attributed to how infrequently he gets game time. That's not to say he should keep a better player out but plenty of well-regarded defenders would become a whole lot less reliable if they weren't doing it week in week out.

I repeat my my previous comments, while we have an extremely low salary cap you will always have a disparity of skills.
English rugby union cap is presently seven million pounds, even that does not prevent top players from moving to France.
I note that the wire board is complaining that stars like Morley and briers have never been replaced.
Probably because those players today would command too much money for super league. Obviously Morley did go to Australia.
I am not in the gossip loop, so I have no idea what the Leeds players wage structure is, should imagine Walters will be on the same wages as a skilled building worker.
Ben foden the Northampton Union full back ,a reasonable but not top class player is earning at 32 years of age over half a million pounds per year. Unless the salary cap is lifted substantially higher ,the game will plod on as usual owned by sky tv and situated along the m62 corridor.

Apologies apparently foden is on six hundred grand per year my pal has just informed me. Information via Sunday times

But players wages are completely irrelevant when in this scenario. They are only relevant if talking about first choice star players. If Walters is really a 7th choice backrower, then even if he is on a pound it shouldn't be there. There is players in the system who are far more likely to be a success with experience who would perform the equal of what he plays now. That is the choice we should be making. Not just make excuses because someone is a backup. He isn't a youngster, he has been around a while now. Leeds have had many many back up players over the years who have made numerous first team appearances, and have dissapeared in the game since, not good enough. I just can't recall one off top of my head as bad as him. I am sure there must be one.

Yet McDermott, the most successful coach in Super League history continues to pick him.

I do get the argument of give a youngster with more long term potential a shot instead, but Walters is obviously doing what the coach expects of him to justify his place. Maybe the coach thinks it's better to it someone like Walters in almost as cannon fodder, than put a junior in that same position who's development could be hampered by taking a beating or by falling into the same mistakes or bad habits as Walters by trying to do too much when the troops are low.

The thing about McDermott is that everything is done for a reason - even the stuff that leaves the rest of us scratching our heads. His lack of use of subs, Kirke playing for 10 mins with the job of just holding the fort whilst JP has a rest, Bailey being the distraction (whilst pretty much anonymous in attack)...

But whatever reason Walters gets picked, and when he does, he gives his all, and that puts him above many other players who've had all the talent in the world but not of the right attitude. To call him the worst excuse of a rugby player is over the top. You get what you expect from him - he shouldn't be hammered for that.

It's up to younger players to get themselves ahead of Walters then.

Let's be honest, the younger player mostly in question here and who Gotcha has championed a lot is Cameron Smith, it's not Walters fault that Smith hasn't made himself playable in McDermott's eyes and for the criticism he gets for not giving youngsters a chance the likes of Ward and Walker were played in GF's at 18.

Smith sounded poor and uninterested at Bradford and the same person who slates Walters minutes after a good home win, points the finger of blame at the club for Smith. Maybe the finger should be pointed at Smith rather than the club or Walters but it won't be because of previous backing of Smith.

That is a very fair assessment - the question is why hasn't Smith kicked on?

The only person who can answer that question is Smith.

Smith has had a couple of really bad injuries, to be fair. It's hardly surprising though, the younger a player is when they play first grade, the more injury prone they tend to be.

As I've said before the step up from 19s to Championship is massive, to Super League even more so. It's a big ask, especially for a forward and one that's had a few injuries. Smith may be a late developer or he just may be not quite as good as was originally hoped (Richard Gunn?).

There's a bit of truth on both sides of the debate re Walters. IMO he looks clueless positionally. In attack its less of an issue because he's not a key player, but he really needs to get more disciplined in terms of getting back into position once he's made a tackle, as he looks like an U9s player chasing the ball.

I personally would rather give chances to younger players. But its also true that its up to those younger players to show enough in the Academy or on loan or at training to demand to get a chance, and then to do enough when picked to make the coach want to pick them again.

Bit of a long shot, but does anyone have a programme from the Hull game at HQ? I’ve been in the shop to see if they have any spares, but have every one bar this (typical). I’ve tried eBay as well but no such luck. Obviously I’ll pay for it.