Raph Clarke !!

[Eastern]

I noticed when Buff Head Hall gave Grammy one to the guts the first in to remonstrate with the big oaff was Raph !!

[stinger]

yep...followed by a couple of others.......tough guy bazza............not....

[meher baba]

Raph had a reasonable game tonight. Did some good stuff, made a few mistakes. He wasn't the worst. Those who think he was are prejudiced.....

[maverick]

Raph was good tonight for mine.
He was our second best defender behind Max (I know Sam plays down back but doesn't do much 1 on 1 defending.
Raph just needs to get some urgency in his disposal and he will be the real deal, he certainly is not soft, neither Clarke is....

[Otiman]

Raph had a reasonable game tonight. Did some good stuff, made a few mistakes. He wasn't the worst. Those who think he was are prejudiced.....

I'm always weary of starting on the usual "whipping boys" but Raph Clarke was probably worst on ground, Fiora not far behind.

[Huzzad]

I don't know about prejuced. Raph made some good plays in the last quater yes, but was average overall. He is slow, indecisive and lackluster. Don't trust him. Credit where he is due, took a very important mark and when he did manage to execute well, it was great, however several turnovers and indecision lead to alot of bad plays. Honesty thought the bad outweighed the good. Never been a massive fan of Raph I admit, but each time I see him I am still convinced he should not be in our 22.

[nicko016]

It was a typical Raph Clarke game for mine. Overall, I thought it was he played alright but we got the usual good and bad parts to his game. He just needs to get those bad errors out of his game and he will be a quite a good player. I liked his mark towards the end in a contested situation to stop a Sydney attack.

[Saintschampions08]

It was a typical Raph Clarke game for mine. Overall, I thought it was he played alright but we got the usual good and bad parts to his game. He just needs to get those bad errors out of his game and he will be a quite a good player. I liked his mark towards the end in a contested situation to stop a Sydney attack.

Exactly, every time i was about to say 'wow raph's done well' he'd go and do something stupid, or make a critical error. If he manages to get the errors out of his game, he'll be a great player

[Eastern]

I don't know about prejuced. Raph made some good plays in the last quater yes, but was average overall. He is slow, indecisive and lackluster. Don't trust him. Credit where he is due, took a very important mark and when he did manage to execute well, it was great, however several turnovers and indecision lead to alot of bad plays. Honesty thought the bad outweighed the good. Never been a massive fan of Raph I admit, but each time I see him I am still convinced he should not be in our 22.

I'll take you to task on your statement that he is slow. With those long strides that he take he might give a perception that he's slow but he definately ain't (watch how he can put space between he and the chaser when he has the ball). Admittedly, he looks terrible when he hesitates but that is a confidence thing that will get better !!

[matrix]

i actually dont think he's slow either
i too noticed that he has huge steps and actually it looked good to see him stride out and accelerate away when he did it.
it just seems that every time he is confronted with a player in front of him the indecision comes into his mind.
its 50/50 for me whether id have him in the side.

but no..he aint slow.

[Huzzad]

I don't know about prejuced. Raph made some good plays in the last quater yes, but was average overall. He is slow, indecisive and lackluster. Don't trust him. Credit where he is due, took a very important mark and when he did manage to execute well, it was great, however several turnovers and indecision lead to alot of bad plays. Honesty thought the bad outweighed the good. Never been a massive fan of Raph I admit, but each time I see him I am still convinced he should not be in our 22.

I'll take you to task on your statement that he is slow. With those long strides that he take he might give a perception that he's slow but he definately ain't (watch how he can put space between he and the chaser when he has the ball). Admittedly, he looks terrible when he hesitates but that is a confidence thing that will get better !!

Sorry, I meant slow in the head. Takes the strides, but is indecisive, hesitates. Fix this up and we have a good player.

[midas_touch]

Raph had an average game tonight. Did a couple of good things along with a couple of clangers. As for his pace, he is definitely not slow, its only his decision making which is.

[hotdish]

He played average, and Goddard will come into the team for him, which is a MASSIVE upgrade on Raph.

Nothin against the guy, but when he has the ball I cannot relax. There are some players, that when they get the ball, like Dal, S Fisher, Goddard, you just know they'll hit a target.

Raph is completely the opposite.

[Eastern]

Raph had an average game tonight. Did a couple of good things along with a couple of clangers. As for his pace, he is definitely not slow, its only his decision making which is.

I would suggest that when he takes the 1st option his decision making is fine. It's when he is confronted with more than one option that he sometimes gets confused !!

[Seaford_Saint]

Whilst not fantastic, it was one of Raph's better recent games.... if you drop him on that performance, you will only serve to reinforce a lack of confidence in him, which will lead to more indecisiveness...

It's time to either persist for 8+ weeks, or cut him out of the picture..... there's too much potential upside to do the latter.

I think he needs to find himself in a "Clint Jones" moment and pass the courage test with flying colours.... that's the sort of shot-in-the-arm his confidence needs.

Keep plugging away Raph.

[Saint Bev]

Raph had a reasonable game tonight. Did some good stuff, made a few mistakes. He wasn't the worst. Those who think he was are prejudiced.....

I'm always weary of starting on the usual "whipping boys" but Raph Clarke was probably worst on ground, Fiora not far behind.

You speak my language Otiman, Raph was shocking, he is so frustrating as is Fiona. Oh, and pls don't bring in McQualter to replace one of them

[matrix]

or birss

[Otiman]

Obviously all you guys touting Raph's pace blinked and missed him getting run down from behind and get pinged for holding the ball.

[iwantmeseats]

I thought it was obvious before tonights game. Raph OUT, armitage IN

[matrix]

no i saw that, but he wasnt at full speed....he was actually in that decision making process and seemed to just slow a tad, (even tho he was running)...besides, someone shoulda been yelling he was hot.

[saintbrat]

Raph did some good some not so good
BUT he was not alone-

I realise others may have credits in the bank But there were some "SENIOR" players who turned it over, got run down, kicked out on the full or into the posts, kicked it to the opposition, handballed it to the opposition,
I'm guessing all that were out there can find at least one 'oops' moment amongst last nights game that they will be hoping ' wasn;t as obvious as others.
I could name a few But wont.

I repeat HE was NOT alone in the mistakes

[Sobraz]

That run down let Raphs game down tonight, and has given strength to the anti-raph movement.. For mine, he was good, to very good tonight.. Aside from the obvious error, he was cool under pressure, and provided enormous assistance to the other defenders.. Numorous times he peeled off to spoil Hall, et al, and did many great team things..

He will get better...

His last quater mark was outstanding, and was a defining moment in the game..

Unfairly criticised for mine, and is clearly in best 22, probably 18..

[avid]

I just posted this on another thread, but should have put it here:

Raph is a terrible worry. Just cannot kick or handball with any urgency. His soft, ballooning passes put teammates under the hammer almost every time. Rievoldt almost broke his back stretching for one Raph pass floating languidly over his head which should have been a tight snap to the chest. Surely we have coaches to teach him how to handball, and to kick flat. It's infuriating + frustrating -- I love him, but I wish he was doing better by now.

[Megamaguire]

Raph did well and even very well @ times. I agree with the 'urgency' comments especially when he has the ball in his hands. Raph is good enough to spoil the ball - win the ball in play and needs to keep working at quick and accurate delivery. I was very pleased with his aerial work and defensive presence generally. Because he can run and cover ground easily we all know that if he doesn't finish off his good work consistently he will have left his genuine talent in the locker.

Great to see him chastise Bazza for his cheap shot @ Grammy.

K E E P @ I T R A P H A E L !
K E E P @ I T S A I N T S !

[CURLY]

Raph was very good last night clearly beat his opponent and was more than willing to play in front of Hall to help Max. While the run down from behind looked bad wre was the voice telling him he was hot or the block for that matter. Raphs defencive work over head is fantastic and getting better. Those with little football knowledge are the ones that say he was worst last night.