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realdeal wrote:M.Sikora was named 3rd bog for Sandy.. He's a ruckman!
but he's not a saint this year
I realize this. What I should've been clearer about is the fact the sandy ruckman is one of the bog and we can't bring him up because we didn't draft him.
It was obvious to all of us we were short a back up ruck and another kpp. Surely someone was available. Sikora being one.
realdeal wrote:M.Sikora was named 3rd bog for Sandy.. He's a ruckman!
but he's not a saint this year
I realize this. What I should've been clearer about is the fact the sandy ruckman is one of the bog and we can't bring him up because we didn't draft him.
It was obvious to all of us we were short a back up ruck and another kpp. Surely someone was available. Sikora being one.
You do realise this guy wasnt picked up by any side and I doubt he will again next year. Anyway 11 reserves games last year with sandy doesnt really put you on the radar.
realdeal wrote:M.Sikora was named 3rd bog for Sandy.. He's a ruckman!
but he's not a saint this year
I realize this. What I should've been clearer about is the fact the sandy ruckman is one of the bog and we can't bring him up because we didn't draft him.
You do realise this guy wasnt picked up by any side and I doubt he will again next year. Anyway 11 reserves games last year with sandy doesnt really put you on the radar.[/quote]
I do realize this, thanks. And you're right, it doesn't put you on the radar however he's obviously doing something right now. However, I digress, the fact is we have one of our key forwards and a player who only about 189cm tall playing ruck. Not ideal is it? Surely there was someone who we could've drafted to play the role?
Other than that I'm generally very pleased with the players we have, the direction we're heading and the style we're playing.
Think we may finally see a more composed and better player in Raph under Scott. Just get the feeling that the more free flowing attacking game will benefit him.
To the top wrote:It was a big ask on Simpkin - but what was the option?
No doubt pushing rucks forward is the tactic against us and particularly with McEvoy out.
With McEvoy we can structure with Riewoldt, Koschitzke and Stanley forward meaning opposition rucks will need to pay attention to the defensive zone and particularly if we can win the clearances as we did in the second half this afternoon (we really excelled at the clearance work in the second half with a full on and fierce presence).
I note on the VFL Site that Clarke was best for Sandringham - and he will now automatically return to the side.
We also need Gwilt and Fisher in our defensive zone because, quite frankly, when the game was there to be impacted on from the start the likes of Geary and Blake and Dempster (and then Wilkes) in our back half were caught in the spotlight and found seriously wanting. They could not make a contest and they butchered our zoning allowing their opponents to run free as easy forward options. It really resembled a practice session for West Coast until our mid field began to dominate.
No doubt Dempster does not play to his height - and the pressure was on him to play to his height this afternoon and he failed. This afternoon we had too many defenders who rely on being the spare defender to get a disposal - they can not win contested disposals or negate the ball.
On this afternoon's performance, Wilkes is not an AFL footballer.
I still rage at Milne running off the contest looking for the "gift" shot on goal from the work of others - he should learn from both Milera and Saad who go straight at the ball and make winning the ball their first objective. Plus Milne can learn from those 2 that your disposals when not firing on goal need to find a St Kilda player or give advantage to a St Kilda player. Milne's field disposals this afternoon were pathetic at absolute best. A spearing pass inside the 50 to a West Coast player with no St Kilda player within 20 metres of him was unfortunately typical.
Some of the free kicks paid to particularly the ruckman with the dreadlocks and the other ruckman resulting in goals were gifts which caused my hosts to apologise! The free to number 20 when he was not the competing ruckman at the boundary throw in and collided hip and shoulder with Blake was unbelievable. Another goal to the umpires!
Generally the umpiring bordered on straight out cheating (who did the Greek supremo have has money on this week, noting he was not present at the game?) and the acknowledgement was that West Coast were significantly advantaged and to match winning dimensions.
It was not only what was paid it was what was not paid going the other way.
The umpires umpired to the crowd and the name. And to West Coast players continually appealing for free kicks and attempting to umpire the game to engage crowd pressure on the incompetent umpires.
You would assume that most sides will lose to West Coast in Perth (with their 21 players on the field) so the loss is not as serious - altho my impression is that West Coast are soft around the contests and are vunerable.
But we need Fisher, Clarke, Gwilt, McEvoy and now Stanley back ASAP - and that will allow us to structure to assist Simpkin which is the first requirement.
Clarke positions around the contest and against his direct opponent exceptionally well.
He is rarely beaten.
Further, he has absolute courage jumping into packs to get a defensive hand on the ball - and getting a defensive hand on the ball is another exceptional skill he has.
He has rebound skills with a deceptive, loping gait and is an accurate disposer of the ball also over good distance.
You will note also the direction he gives in defence in regards zoning.
A very good AFL footballer as his many very good performances attest to.
In regards injuries they can strike any player.
His hamstring injury was similar to Riewioldt's - he was BOG against Fremantle when that injury struck, and had been in our best for 5 of the previous 7 weeks.
So do we decry Hayes for successive knee reconstructions, or Riewoldt for his hamstring injury, or Gwilt for his knee reconstruction? Do we decry Stanley now including for games played since he was drafted?
Simply, it is a taxing sport and injuries occur.
We would wish that they did not, but they do.
To judge a player by his injury history is to ignore the crux of the matter being the ability to play to a very good standard and have a positive impact on the results of games.
In terms of games played, he played 1 game in his debut season.
And how many the next season before establishing his position in the side?
So exactly where is the accuracy of "just 82 games in 8 seasons", noting we are just into the 2012 season?
An automatic selection as the record shows - and given his 2 VFL games back from injury have seen him in the best (and best) in both games his return is anticipated to improve our defence (as is the return of Gwilt and Fisher - also both from injuries).
not alot about the game on here so I'll spend my few bob, players that stood out for me;
Curren - keeps impressing and improving, handy and speedy smarts
Markworth - my first look at him and is a little bigger than what I was expecting and did some nifty work around the ground
Ledger - another good game and building his form, comically left the ball behind (again) when bouncing and off on a stroll, effective
Shenton - now played in defence and getting more of it, but butchers and coughs up
Clarke - super
Schnides - good to see back and laid some good tackles and looked fresh
Ross - looking more at home gradually and showing some composure now
Winmar - not injured and playing
Archer - kicked four and starting to take some contested marks, nothing wrong with his kick on goal
To the top wrote:Clarke positions around the contest and against his direct opponent exceptionally well.
He is rarely beaten.
Further, he has absolute courage jumping into packs to get a defensive hand on the ball - and getting a defensive hand on the ball is another exceptional skill he has.
He has rebound skills with a deceptive, loping gait and is an accurate disposer of the ball also over good distance.
You will note also the direction he gives in defence in regards zoning.
A very good AFL footballer as his many very good performances attest to.
In regards injuries they can strike any player.
His hamstring injury was similar to Riewioldt's - he was BOG against Fremantle when that injury struck, and had been in our best for 5 of the previous 7 weeks.
So do we decry Hayes for successive knee reconstructions, or Riewoldt for his hamstring injury, or Gwilt for his knee reconstruction? Do we decry Stanley now including for games played since he was drafted?
Simply, it is a taxing sport and injuries occur.
We would wish that they did not, but they do.
To judge a player by his injury history is to ignore the crux of the matter being the ability to play to a very good standard and have a positive impact on the results of games.
In terms of games played, he played 1 game in his debut season.
And how many the next season before establishing his position in the side?
So exactly where is the accuracy of "just 82 games in 8 seasons", noting we are just into the 2012 season?
An automatic selection as the record shows - and given his 2 VFL games back from injury have seen him in the best (and best) in both games his return is anticipated to improve our defence (as is the return of Gwilt and Fisher - also both from injuries).
Just letting you know that sentences are not the same as paragraphs.
Any danger of easin' up on Milney champ? Some of us have had enough! (not just from you).
What this passionate, loyal team man cops from opposition supporters/Herald Sun morons etc. surely is enough!
Should be made immune from criticism on a St.Kilda Football Club fan forum at this late stage of his career surely IMO.
Calling a turnover 'unfortunately typical'??? The guy was All Australian last year FFS! .....and a top bloke....
To the top wrote:
To judge a player by his injury history is to ignore the crux of the matter being the ability to play to a very good standard and have a positive impact on the results of games.
Others judge him by the world record of run downs from behind that he owns..
I have gone from being a fan and defender of Raph, to frankly, being over it... Let down time and time again, not so much by injury, but inconsistent performance... His best is good to very good, but his bad is just horrendous..
Thats the difference the Lenny Hayes et al that you brought up... Lenny's quiet games are just that, quiet... Raph's are howlers that have us playing 21 men to 23...
As our next generation backline develops this year and next, Raph must surely be on the outer, and cannot be pencilled in as a key cog...
millarsaint wrote:not alot about the game on here so I'll spend my few bob, players that stood out for me;
Curren - keeps impressing and improving, handy and speedy smarts
Markworth - my first look at him and is a little bigger than what I was expecting and did some nifty work around the ground
Ledger - another good game and building his form, comically left the ball behind (again) when bouncing and off on a stroll, effective
Shenton - now played in defence and getting more of it, but butchers and coughs up
Clarke - super
Schnides - good to see back and laid some good tackles and looked fresh
Ross - looking more at home gradually and showing some composure now
Winmar - not injured and playing
Archer - kicked four and starting to take some contested marks, nothing wrong with his kick on goal
Thanks millarsaint
Macquarie Dictionary Word of the Year for 2023 "Kosi Lives"
I dont know about all these howlers of games Raph has supposed to have played. On a number of occasions he has made one or two errors early in games, then settled down and played well. But then on here the experts dont see past the early errors (also made by Gilbert I might add). I hope when Raph gets a game this year you blokes are more objective and fair towards him for a change.
borderbarry wrote:I dont know about all these howlers of games Raph has supposed to have played. On a number of occasions he has made one or two errors early in games, then settled down and played well. But then on here the experts dont see past the early errors (also made by Gilbert I might add). I hope when Raph gets a game this year you blokes are more objective and fair towards him for a change.
No chance, look at Gram and he won a Norm Smith (technically)
And he took off in the full expectation that Fisher's voice would have been to "hold" if Fisher was not blocking.
It is a team game and voice is crucial.
Fisher was in a position to provide the voice (and the block) and obviously did not.
The thing is that Clarke rebounds - and with the likes of Simpkin (excused as the central last line defender) Blake, Dempster, Geary et al in our defence we have no rebound.
Sometimes when you take the game on you take risk.
I note no mention of the free kicks against Milne or the errant attempts on goal of Schnieder and Milne?
They are the opportunities which cost us that game.
Our backs and our mid-field did their job holding a powerful Geelong side to what score but our small forwards let us down because they did not capitalise on the opportunities the team provided to them.
My recollections are of golden scoring opportunities which were absolutely botched - if they had been capitalised on we would have been a couple of goals up and could have broken them wide open.
Instead we gifted them back into the contest - and gave them confidence.
I still blame Fisher for his run down in 09 GF. Didn't shepherd, didn't call him out just thought he was about to dispose and didn't back him. Secondly he is a ball carrier so is going to be subjected to more pressure than a player who dishes off as quickly as they can. His role was obviously to do the same as Gwilt- who has also been known to be run down from behind, that is to carry the all from defence and bypass the midfield with vision and precise kicking. He had a mass of possessions at Sandy last week and wouldn't be surprised if he comes in for Cripper.
gringo wrote:I still blame Fisher for his run down in 09 GF. Didn't shepherd, didn't call him out just thought he was about to dispose and didn't back him. Secondly he is a ball carrier so is going to be subjected to more pressure than a player who dishes off as quickly as they can. His role was obviously to do the same as Gwilt- who has also been known to be run down from behind, that is to carry the all from defence and bypass the midfield with vision and precise kicking. He had a mass of possessions at Sandy last week and wouldn't be surprised if he comes in for Cripper.
borderbarry wrote:I dont know about all these howlers of games Raph has supposed to have played. On a number of occasions he has made one or two errors early in games, then settled down and played well. But then on here the experts dont see past the early errors (also made by Gilbert I might add). I hope when Raph gets a game this year you blokes are more objective and fair towards him for a change.
No chance, look at Gram and he won a Norm Smith (technically)
That's why I'm so frustrated and disappointed in the way Grammy goes about it - so skilled and can really play.
Back to Raph. Yeah, I agree that lack of voice and shepherding from team mates doesn't help when you take the game on. However, whatever Raph's shortcomings, he is also very skilled, a good defender, courageous and tries his guts out.
Go Raph
It's Dave, man. Will you open up? I got the stuff with me! -------Who?
Dave, man. Open up ------------------------------------------ -----Dave???
Yeah, Dave. ---------------------------------------------------------Dave's not here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOiG1hAr ... detailpage
skeptic wrote: ↑Tue 30 Jan 2024 8:07pmCongrats to Dave McNamara - hereby dubbed the KNOWINGEST KNOW IT ALL of Saintsational
