Simpkin

[saintsRrising]

Simpkin showed how good he is when played in the right position, FB is beyod him.

He takes over from Blake as the "third tall" defender.

He played at full back on Ryder for the most part...

Ryder is not a true FF.

[WellardSaint]

I know I bag one or two players, but I like Raph even though he isnt perfect. Maybe he needs more support from the other backs. He gets run down because nobody nearby warns him! or run to space? Has big ticker.

[meher baba]

Raph and Simpkin are different sorts of players. As are Simpkin and Max. Simpkin's problem - as saintsRrising observed earlier - is he can't play tall on FFs. We saw that against Jack Riewoldt. This puts Simpkin in the same category as Dempster and Gwilt. How many players of this type do we need in our backline? Rarely 3 IMO.

Gwilt hasn't really cut it since coming back and Simpkin might take his spot for a while when BJ comes back. But Gwilt at his best is better than Simpkin at his best.

Raph at his best provides a great deal of impact down back, breaks lines and sets up forward thrusts. He wasn't at his best last week and got dropped. But he might be back. We'll see.

The idea that Simpkin should be in the side permanently is way premature.

[plugger66]

Raph and Simpkin are different sorts of players. As are Simpkin and Max. Simpkin's problem - as saintsRrising observed earlier - is he can't play tall on FFs. We saw that against Jack Riewoldt. This puts Simpkin in the same category as Dempster and Gwilt. How many players of this type do we need in our backline? Rarely 3 IMO.

Gwilt hasn't really cut it since coming back and Simpkin might take his spot for a while when BJ comes back. But Gwilt at his best is better than Simpkin at his best.

Raph at his best provides a great deal of impact down back, breaks lines and sets up forward thrusts. He wasn't at his best last week and got dropped. But he might be back. We'll see.

The idea that Simpkin should be in the side permanently is way premature.

Simpkin struggles on big guys due to his size however I believe he is clearly the best option for those type of players. We really dont have anyone else who can do the job. The other thing Simpkin provides that no other backman does is his hardness at the ball and player. Cares little for his himself. It is all about stopping his player at any cost. While he is not a certain regular yet, when he is out of the side we do ose something IMO. He is getting very close to being a regular.

[meher baba]

I certainly do agree that we are lacking in guys who can play on big blokes. I would suggest that, in top form, Gwilt is our best option: also relatively short, but much stronger than Simpkin and can stand his ground between the FF and the line of the ball.

Simpkin's kamikaze style is inspirational, but Jack Riewoldt showed how taller FFs can beat it consistently: basically to remain calm and rely on your natural advantage in terms of reach. Max H had amazing Go-Go-Gadget arms that could get to the ball. Simpkin doesn't. If we keep playing him on talls, someone will kick 12 against him fairly soon.

Like you, plugger66 (and seemingly unlike most on here), I consider Zac to have been a massive loss for us. Until we find a proper replacement, we will be improvising week in week out.

[Old Mate]

Strong overhead, reminds me of Lake the way he backs himself and takes the grab. Will have poor games but should be consistently played.

[paddy]

no-one is implying he is the fullback we are all dreaming of, but he is a jem of a defender... and i am never nervous when he has the ball in his hands...

same cant be said about raph.... sad to say...

[BringBackMadDog]

Just in front of raph at this stage

Ten light years ahead of Raph. Fortunately I think we've seen the last of that dud Clarke.

Oh just Stop with the Raph bashing, the guy makes mistakes but he would have more courage in his little finger than you, you Internet hero

[mad saint guy]

Raph and Simpkin are different sorts of players. As are Simpkin and Max. Simpkin's problem - as saintsRrising observed earlier - is he can't play tall on FFs. We saw that against Jack Riewoldt. This puts Simpkin in the same category as Dempster and Gwilt. How many players of this type do we need in our backline? Rarely 3 IMO.

Simpkin did brilliantly against Ryder and Hille last night, managing to get the spoil in time after time while giving away 10cm. I don't think there was much anyone could do to stop Jack Riewoldt, a Coleman medallist kicking goals while getting lace-out delivery.

Tom is now in competition with Blake for a spot; he'll stay in for sure until Blake is ready to return and then we'll see who is preferred. Simpkin is a better spoiler and better with the footy, but Blake provides valuable versatility.

[SideshowMilne]

Give him the number 8 Guernsey next year absolute quality... Really made our backline look good and very composed

This

[Teflon]

Crucial..

Should be a lock from now on...

Spot on - no more silly
Omissions

Blake , Clarke et al should not be played before this kid

[meher baba]

Raph and Simpkin are different sorts of players. As are Simpkin and Max. Simpkin's problem - as saintsRrising observed earlier - is he can't play tall on FFs. We saw that against Jack Riewoldt. This puts Simpkin in the same category as Dempster and Gwilt. How many players of this type do we need in our backline? Rarely 3 IMO.

Simpkin did brilliantly against Ryder and Hille last night, managing to get the spoil in time after time while giving away 10cm. I don't think there was much anyone could do to stop Jack Riewoldt, a Coleman medallist kicking goals while getting lace-out delivery.

Tom is now in competition with Blake for a spot; he'll stay in for sure until Blake is ready to return and then we'll see who is preferred. Simpkin is a better spoiler and better with the footy, but Blake provides valuable versatility.

Blake can play on talls much better than Simpkin. So I would always pick Blake first.

If Simpkin starts to do more with the ball, he could get ahead of Gwilt and maybe Dempster and shut Raph out

ATM, my ideal back 6 for us is - in no paticular order- Fisher, Gilbert, Geary, Dempster, Blake and Gwilt. Ray, Simpkin, Raph are on the fringe.. Of those three, Ray and Raph can play as extra men down back and Simpkin can't really: he's a stopper, not a creator (so far: he's good, so he'll surely expand his game over time).

But, for next week, I'd have him just ahead of Gwilt. But I'm afraid to say he's no certainty to keep his spot for much longer. If he doesn't, no doubt all hell will break out on here. But the fact is that defenders can be brave, steady, reliable and all that, but they also need to have a matchup.

[Sobraz]

He is by far our most physical and brutal defender... Our backline version of Armitage...

Jack Riewoldt had a day out and beat him in a few contests, no doubt, but not all 8 of his goals were on Simpkin... It was poor team defence that night (as well as our midfield getting beaten and giving Jack great opportunity), and Simpkin has actually improved since then...

Will develop into a key defender, certainly FB, and the Gwilt, Raph, Dempster comparisons are off IMO...

It's between him and Blake at the moment, and I cant see it turning back in Blake's favor (once back from injury) as the season progresses...

[Sobraz]

Blake can play on talls much better than Simpkin. So I would always pick Blake first.

Completely disagree...

Blakes been slayed this year by the big forwards, worse than Jack allegedly beat Simpkin v the Tigers... Tippet the most recent example... Not 100% sure who the match up was, but pretty sure Cox got hold of him too...

Perhaps in years past, but Blake now is a liability at key back and is pointless being played ahead of Simpkin.. He just zones off and hopes he catches the right possie... Simpkin spoils hard in contests and makes smart decisions, the major thing Blake lets himself down with...

We'll no longer see Blake's weekly silly free kick directly in front of goal which always stings... Just never missed with a brain fade...

[Legendary]

Jack Riewoldt showed how taller FFs can beat it consistently: basically to remain calm and rely on your natural advantage in terms of reach.

The misleading part about constantly quoting Jack Riewoldt's performance against Simpkin is that Riewoldt only kicked 2 goals from marks when he was opposed to Simpkin.

I have watched the replay of that match with a Richmond supporting friend.

Only twice did Riewoldt actually "beat" Simpkin in a contested situation that led to a goal.

Riewoldt kicked 2 from free kicks and 2 cheapies "over the back" when Simpkin had moved to help cover a contest.

He also took a screamer where he jumped over 16 other players.


Simpkin effected some spoils and plenty of body-on-body, but it was our poor defensive effort from the midfield and the rest of the backline that caused Jack to kick 8 that night, not Simpkin's performance.

I don't rate his 1 match against Jack Riewoldt as a fair indicator of his ability to play against key forwards.

[saintsRrising]

Simpkin struggles on big guys due to his size however I believe he is clearly the best option for those type of players. We really dont have anyone else who can do the job. T He is getting very close to being a regular.

I agree that he is very close to being a regular. I really see it as him vs Blake.

Neither are true FB's and I do not think Simpkin will ever be. But this season we have to make do.

So Simpkin as a make-do is an ok option...but if there are several key forwards having back up from Ben is looking to be very important.

I see Simpkin as long-term defender..."third-tall".... but that the club will recruit/draft a FB.

[Junction Oval]

The more ground time that he gets, the better he will get. However, he is still very lightly framed and the backline is a tough gig. It may depend on match-ups as to whether he or Blake get the job each week.

[8856brother]

That must have been one big roll of tape.

[Devilhead]

If we keep playing him on talls, someone will kick 12 against him fairly soon.

This is the most ridiculously deluded piece of crap I have heard on here for a long time

[plugger66]

If we keep playing him on talls, someone will kick 12 against him fairly soon.

This is the most ridiculously deluded piece of crap I have heard on here for a long time

Havent you been reading my posts? Am I on your foe list?

[Devilhead]

If we keep playing him on talls, someone will kick 12 against him fairly soon.

This is the most ridiculously deluded piece of crap I have heard on here for a long time

Havent you been reading my posts? Am I on your foe list?

You need to be more than just irrelevant to get on my foe list - keep trying though!!

[Teflon]

If we keep playing him on talls, someone will kick 12 against him fairly soon.

This is the most ridiculously deluded piece of crap I have heard on here for a long time

Ahhhhh....... MB dribble.... You do get used to it

[SainterK]

Not while Ben pushes back, he won't

[Moods]

Simpkin's game on Saturday night was fantastic. However I feel sorry for him. He won't ever be a permanent FB in my opinion - (unless he grows about 3 inches this week) He would, however, make a fantastic 3rd defensive tall option. He has some terrific attributes, which I have to say, weren't immediately obvious to me in the pre-season.

Fisher is obviously our release player down back - but he's our biggest player down there and never seems to play on anyone. Maybe they wait to see if one of the fwds is getting hold of us and then move Fish onto them. I saw him line up as the spare man on Sat night and was a bit worried when Hurley and Hille came down back as well. As it turned out we had them covered.

[samoht]

I'm not worried about Simpkin, he looks to have the right attitude (we could do with more like him).
He goes in head first as we saw on the weekend.
If he sets his mind to becoming our regular FB - he will make it.
(I'm more concerned with players that do selfish undisciplined things, on and off the field, that bring the club down and have risked our chances of making the finals).