Johns proposes positional switch to “stimulate” Walker’s game

Rugby league great Matty Johns says he’d consider shifting star playmaker Cody Walker away from the halves to “stimulate his running game”.

Without Adam Reynolds by his side, Walker has struggled to find his best form and that came to the fore in Souths’ 12-32 loss to Canberra on Sunday as the five-eighth failed to register any tries, try assists, line breaks, tackle breaks or line break assists.

As one of the club’s most important players, Johns believes Walker simply must be making an impact if Souths are to contend in 2022, and he believes a temporary switch to fullback could help ignite that.

“I would actually consider putting Cody at fullback for a week, just to try and stimulate his running game,” Johns said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“I know Brandy (Greg Alexander) that Gus (Phil Gould) used to do it with you sometimes to just relieve you of all those ball-playing duties and try and stimulate your running game.

“I think that would help Cody and I think it’d take him a little bit away from trying to finesse the ball and push the ball around the park.

“For Blake Taaffe and Lachlan Ilias, it could simplify things a little bit.

“I think there’s too much block-to-block formation, and just try and get Cody going that way.”

SEN host Greg Alexander agreed with Johns’ assessment, adding that Walker could flourish without the weight of ball-playing duties on his shoulders.

“If Cody gets going, things will happen, they need Cody to get going,” Alexander said.

“He was very disappointing yesterday, Cody just didn’t put himself in the game.

“It could free him up, playing at fullback will force him to run the ball and take the pressure off his duties around the ruck.”

Walker and the Rabbitohs will be looking to find some form when they host the Wests Tigers on Saturday at Accor Stadium.