Retired #43: Anthony "Walla" McDonald-Tipungwuti - Wins a flag with the Mildura Imperials

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43 - walla.jpg
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2023
My Boy Draft 2023: Pick 5, citizen-erased
 
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Showed glimpses of what he is still capable of. Unlucky to not get a few more tackles paid.

Would love to see a fit tipper stringer and Peter right in the same forward line. Chuck in Weiderman and Snelling/Perkins/Guelfi etc and it’s a good looking forward line.
 
Lore said:
Walla is in this set of photos, which might be captains run?


Was wondering why he’s with Drapes, who is in ordinary sneakers instead of footy boots… like just wandering around observing, doing laps or something?

But in the next shot Draper is participating in the drill in those same shoes, so maybe he just forgot his boots? 🤔🤔

In which case perhaps Walla was training too…
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GAJ used to train in normal runners so it was more slippery and still stand up or evade tackles. Meant when he put his boots on to get traction it became quite the oh boy wowee.
 
Schnitzengruben said:
If there's a metric for "impact per disposal", then Walla would be leading the comp.
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Yep it stands out doesn’t it - ball use going forward. Can never have enough of them in your side.

Merrett’s our obvious one, but Langford and Martin are good, too. Tippa is absolutely in that group, 5-6 kicks inside 50 in a game from him are worth their weight in gold, that’s probably an automatic 4 shots on goal minimum (although he still should’ve taken the set shot, the one he gave to Weid in the pocket)
 

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Lore said:
Walla is in this set of photos, which might be captains run?


Was wondering why he’s with Drapes, who is in ordinary sneakers instead of footy boots… like just wandering around observing, doing laps or something?

But in the next shot Draper is participating in the drill in those same shoes, so maybe he just forgot his boots? 🤔🤔

In which case perhaps Walla was training too…
Click to expand...

Probably still wet from doing shoeys
 
Albertross said:
I hope that he can get his match fitness back to where peak Tippa was. Absolute game breaker at his best, far from it atm.
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Doubt he ever gets back to the 2018-2019 tippa but he did look at lot better shape than r1. He still had a decent impact on Sunday. Elite ball use inside 50 and a few huge tackles. The important part is who else in the side with him as a small forward, because they’ll have to do a look of the defensive running /pressure.
 
Bjchan13 said:
He is close to one of our most important players still. His work in a contest and ball use is still elite and he is providing some of his trademark rundown tackles and pressure. I hope he is happy and enjoying working his way back to full fitness because i want him to go around again next year.
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I am with you. He is still about 3/4 Walla but if he can keep playing and building the fitness base he has something to offer.
 
I agree with the above. I am convinced we're building to be a half-decent team by the end of this season and a fairly decent one next year, with some good youth in the VFL (assuming we have injury-luck one year). Walla will get fitter as the year progresses and have one more preseason before being a quality player again next year. He makes it harder for our young forwards to get a game and supports their development on the track. He won't have too many seasons after next year so he won't be around long enough to make anyone leave out of frustration.
 

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Once he fully rebuilds his fitness, think he’ll be back to his best. But to be fair, Richmond are a very contested team and they lock the ball down quickly, as you could see, Stringer couldn’t find any space last night. Hard to get a run on. Tippa played pretty well considering, and it was a wet ball.
 
Invaluable for the development of the younger indigenous players. He was so hyped for Alwyn and you could tell that the mentorship is incredibly valued in the way that Alwyn speaks about him. Even if he doesn't play on, (I also think he could), I'd love him to have a development/mentorship role at the Club.
 
Really thought he'd be closer to AFL fitness by now. He made noticeably great improvements over summer but yet has arguably gone backwards in the last 3-4 months.

You'd slim down very quick doing an AFL training program so makes you wonder what his diet is like.
 
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Retired #43: Anthony "Walla" McDonald-Tipungwuti - Wins a flag with the Mildura Imperials

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