Where's Raph

[mr six o'clock]

Whats the deal with Raph clarke ?
I was reading " the Saint " the other day , and was amazed that in eight years he has only played 82 games .
why is he so injury prone ?
Are we likely to see him play this year ?

[The Redeemer]

Whats the deal with Raph clarke ?
I was reading " the Saint " the other day , and was amazed that in eight years he has only played 82 games .
why is he so injury prone ?
Are we likely to see him play this year ?

I read somewhere that he is out for another 4-6 weeks.

So does that mean whilst training in the Summer and the lead up to the season he would have sustained the equivalent of a 10-14 week injury? (approx)

On the back of his 2011 ending prematurely to injury?

Well on the flipside it could be worse...it could be a much better player who does not poop himself with ball in hand.

[Buckets]

Didn't he sustain the same type of injury the Roo sustained? Thought that was late last year which would explain why he is still out.

[White Winmar]

Hate to say it, but his abscence is no great loss. Should have been delisted some time ago. I've rarely seen a player look so unsure of himself with the ball in hand. I wish I could see the potential others on here see in him. In any event, we can no longer look to his potential. He has failed to deliver on it for years and his time has passed. Neither he, nor Xavier have bodies that can stand up to the rigours of AFL. I saw a bit of him as a junior and I must admit he looked athletic and dominant at under age level. There was, however, a sneaking suspicion amongst recruiters at the time, that he would not be able to "kick on" in senior ranks and that he was a bit of a junior ranks "bully". Throw in his ongoing battle with epilepsy and you have to wonder if he was doomed from the start. Another first round drafting "howler" we're now paying for (read R. Clarke, McQualter, Watts, Lynch and Lovett, with the jury still out on Armitage and Cripps). Wish we could have some, or all of those again.

[whiskers3614]

Just like his brother seems like a really personable young bloke.
Injuries and great expectations(most un-met) have marred his career, don't reckon he will get to 100 games the way things are shaping

BUT neither did John Coleman
What we internet warriors often forget is the ability and effort required to ger on an AFL list, let alone play 50 or100 games!

[dragit]

The injury must have been very late last year,

As I can clearly remember him playing in the Sydney final… and it wasn't pretty, one of his worse performances that I can recall.

I thought he did the serious hamstring pre-season last year?

[Eastern]

Raph did his hammy about a week before the season launch (not sure whether same or other). I heard that he might have had a series of injections in it (German calf blood treatment??) in an attempt to fix it once and for all. I thought the major hamstring injury he suffered was late 2010. I could be wrong !!

[8856brother]

Raph did his hammy about a week before the season launch (not sure whether same or other). I heard that he might have had a series of injections in it (German calf blood treatment??) in an attempt to fix it once and for all. I thought the major hamstring injury he suffered was late 2010. I could be wrong !!

His injuries are so frequent they tend to blend into each other.

I agree with some other posters though. He has been ordinary so far this year.

[matrix]

hasnt he done a calf?

if not who was that?

[stkildathunda]

He did it in Zebs last practice match. He felt a twinge and came off and noone seemed concerned and so he kept training that week and it then became apparent.

[hAyES]

He isn't in the side which is all that matters.

[mightysainters]

not in our best 22.... in all honesty unless he dominates vfl i don't want to see him back in the team...

[WinnersOnly]

Not good for Raph, love the bloke but injuries will see him looking for a new hone next year I fear!

[Thinline]

I reckon he's a unrealised gun whose body's failed him badly. Never had a long enough run at it to feel secure.

[gringo]

We are still bagging the guy even when he's not playing. I can't wait to see who our new whipping boys are. I'm getting the sense Cripps is getting on peoples nerves- he's play about 6 games and isn't a dominant midfielder yet. He is at least crippled with illness too so he's not going to have the strength to stand up to it. Wilkes will have a lean week at some point and he's from another club.

[To the top]

It was mid 2010, in a game in Perth, when he was clearly best on ground to that stage (making it 4 out of 6 games that he was in our best half dozen - look at the AFL records), that he incurred a similar injury to the one Riewoldt incurred, delaying his start to 2011 - including because he had had no pre-season.

In his second last game of 2011, v. Carlton he was best on ground at the MCG.

Against Sydney in that final in 2011 we got towelled in ruck (Gardiner should have played), could find absolutely no mid-field presence (and no supports to match Sydney's rotations which put us under even more pressure) resulting in the ball being continually in the Sydney forward line, where our entire defence was under pressure.

Recall Sydney won numerous free kicks, and because the ball was parked in their attacking zone multiple resulted in goals.

Funny how some conveniently ignore the facts in their continuing attacks on Clarke, who is easily in our best 22.

Some on here judge Clarke thru very dark sunglasses - and on the basis of skill, presence and courage you are wrong.

[Thinline]

It was mid 2010, in a game in Perth, when he was clearly best on ground to that stage (making it 4 out of 6 games that he was in our best half dozen - look at the AFL records), that he incurred a similar injury to the one Riewoldt incurred, delaying his start to 2011 - including because he had had no pre-season.

In his second last game of 2011, v. Carlton he was best on ground at the MCG.

Against Sydney in that final in 2011 we got towelled in ruck (Gardiner should have played), could find absolutely no mid-field presence (and no supports to match Sydney's rotations which put us under even more pressure) resulting in the ball being continually in the Sydney forward line, where our entire defence was under pressure.

Recall Sydney won numerous free kicks, and because the ball was parked in their attacking zone multiple resulted in goals.

Funny how some conveniently ignore the facts in their continuing attacks on Clarke, who is easily in our best 22.

Some on here judge Clarke thru very dark sunglasses - and on the basis of skill, presence and courage you are wrong.

Tend to agree. He is undoubtedly prone to a clanger occasionally (plenty of defenders are), but on the whole he's a talented guy who just physically can't get a consistent crack at things.

[gringo]

It was mid 2010, in a game in Perth, when he was clearly best on ground to that stage (making it 4 out of 6 games that he was in our best half dozen - look at the AFL records), that he incurred a similar injury to the one Riewoldt incurred, delaying his start to 2011 - including because he had had no pre-season.

In his second last game of 2011, v. Carlton he was best on ground at the MCG.

Against Sydney in that final in 2011 we got towelled in ruck (Gardiner should have played), could find absolutely no mid-field presence (and no supports to match Sydney's rotations which put us under even more pressure) resulting in the ball being continually in the Sydney forward line, where our entire defence was under pressure.

Recall Sydney won numerous free kicks, and because the ball was parked in their attacking zone multiple resulted in goals.

Funny how some conveniently ignore the facts in their continuing attacks on Clarke, who is easily in our best 22.

Some on here judge Clarke thru very dark sunglasses - and on the basis of skill, presence and courage you are wrong.

Tend to agree. He is undoubtedly prone to a clanger occasionally (plenty of defenders are), but on the whole he's a talented guy who just physically can't get a consistent crack at things.

I love how people get stuck into guys who run the ball out which is now much harder with presses. If your streaming out and you have no one to go to you need to kick long, draw your player and wait for a team mate or try to break through carrying the ball -all are risky and when they come off no one notices. One goes wrong and your under scrutiny.

[Bernard Shakey]

Raph will be back and prove the naysayers wrong, mark my words.

[Legendary]

Interesting To The Top ... you have picked out just about his best 3 games in the last 3 years.

Raph can actually play a match of AFL football and be in the best 5 players on the ground. Undoubtedly.


What frustrates me - and so many other supporters - is his inconsistency. He can play one match and be BOG for the Saints, and the next week make some terrible decisions and play very poorly, and clearly be in the bottom 5 players in the team.

I have rarely seen AFL footballers who still have such a large "gap" between their best and worst at the age of 25-26.

Most footballers either get delisted for their inconsistency and inability to sustain sufficient performance at AFL level, or they overcome the "peaks and troughs" of form and play fairly consistent and reliable football ever week.

It's so unusual for someone to still experience the highs and lows of form like Raph does. That's why he still frustrates so many supporters who view him like a 2nd year player, with glimpses of his best mixed with displays of his worst.


Maybe the cause of this is injury, maybe it's expectations, maybe it's his epilepsy, maybe it's the way he's been played, maybe it's his just him as a footballer.

Whatever it is, I know that he will continue to frustrate me as a supporter unless he can find some consistency in his on-field performances.

[Dan Warna]

pretty sure raph has had to deal with a number of medical issues, including epilepsy, medication, as well as injuries.

Yes, when fit he is in our best 22.

Outstanding talent, so far on realised a few times.

X was my sons favourite player.

Raph could have been a premiership player and wasnt' responsible for our losses.

Outstanding guy when fit.

[plugger66]

To me Raph suffers because it cost us pick 8 and some also think we picked him because his brother was at the club. The problem is he is a pick 30 and if he was I doubt he would get either the love or hate he gets on here. I think Raph is a 18-25 player on our list and as such will play good games and some poor ones. And during games he will do some good things and make clangers. i never really seen him constantly look like being a star like people think unless the odd good game makes you a star and I have also never really seen him look like a player who should never pull on our jumper again because he does things that really ordinary players cant do

One thing i do know is he is a Saints player so I cant stand comments like hope he never plays for us again or no loss at all.

[SaintPav]

To me Raph suffers because it cost us pick 8 and some also think we picked him because his brother was at the club. The problem is he is a pick 30 and if he was I doubt he would get either the love or hate he gets on here. I think Raph is a 18-25 player on our list and as such will play good games and some poor ones. And during games he will do some good things and make clangers. i never really seen him constantly look like being a star like people think unless the odd good game makes you a star and I have also never really seen him look like a player who should never pull on our jumper again because he does things that really ordinary players cant do

One thing i do know is he is a Saints player so I cant stand comments like hope he never plays for us again or no loss at all.

so wise...good post.

[skeptic]

Raph is a player that we've badly mismanged in terms of his body/injury - He has consistently had soft tissue injuries since he got to the club and it's something that we've never really been able to address and too a degree as well, I think as a junior (at our club) he pbly didn't work hard enough himself at getting his body into the right shape.
It seems to be a consistent factor amongst the majority of indigenous player's we've recruited - all injury prone, rarely seem to meet their potential and have difficulty developing professionally. IMO clearly we need to develop our resources into that area.

Raph IMO suffered from being pushed a bit too hard too early and as time has gone on... he's been developed into a type of player he's not.

I was so rapt when we got him as the impression you got was of a prolofic fast, highly skilled, creative midfielder that could do freakish things on the field.
Was touted a definte top 3 but slid to 8 --- very big steal.

I always thought that his ideal position was to play as an attacking outside midfelder yet it seemed to be the mission of GT then RL after him to use him more as a tall defender that can run. The focus seemed to be in building up his body and having him use his aerial skills and marking to back into contests etc leading to a plethora of soft-tissue injuries and to a lesser degree impact injuries.

As a result, he now seems stuck in that position as he has lost the explosiveness out of his game.

Our failure as a club is highlighted by Raph's failure to develop into an attacking player. You watch all of his best games... every single one of them he cuts the opposition to bits with his run and skills yet we only see it at most 4-5 times a year. So often he's pushed into a role as 3rd man into a contest and guarding space.

My own concern for Raph is that he's missed the preseason, he miss another 6 weeks and he'll need another 4-5 weeks to get even remotely up to par. Given that he's a slow starter... has he run out of time?
I hope not because personally I really rate him. i'd like to see him play more as either a running attacking HBF or as an actual midfielder/HFF

and plugger... nice post

[SaintPav]

It was Raph and Roo who got us out of Gaol in the 09 prelim...If you don't believe me, watch the dvd. He had a good first final against the filth as well but he then had an average game in the gf and made a major clanger at the start of that. ...typical Raph.