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Hurricane wrote:
For me Raph played a much better game in defence than Gram and I thought that Gram was the lucky one this week..
He got "murdered" by O'Keefe last week and I don't care if some on here love him, he is the lucky one IMO
Again Raph played a better game than Gram so Raph deserves his spot IMO
The day that raph plays better than gram is the day i eat my hat!!!
How did r clarke survive? He didnt do anything on saturday and for his whole carrer. As for his 'adaptability' (maverick), he is too slow and scared to be a centre player (Notice against swans when running though the center, insead of sprinting forward, he was jogging and looking back at the player chasing him),
Not decicive and fast again to be a forward (kicking ti out of bounds on the ball in nab final when noone was near him..it was a perfect drop punt to anyone who thinks it came of the side of his boot), and is too weak to be backman (pushed undere the ball by goodes in the last quater). I would like to see anyone compare him to how he was better than gram
Gilbert=Legend wrote:
Not decicive and fast again to be a forward (kicking ti out of bounds on the ball in nab final when noone was near him..it was a perfect drop punt to anyone who thinks it came of the side of his boot), and is too weak to be backman (pushed undere the ball by goodes in the last quater). I would like to see anyone compare him to how he was better than gram
Perfect drop punt? Are you implying that he deliberately kicked it out of bounds on the full as part of some master plan known only to Raph?
Perhaps that was the play that tilted the game in our favour, only we all don't realise it because we're not as smart as Raphael "Chessmaster" Clarke...
Gram had a stinker. He's still miles ahead of Raph... I'd say Raph had a better game than Gram too, but it's pretty irrelivant; Gram's a walk up start, Raph, Jones, Fizz are borderliners... Had Charlie Gardiner had a better game than Riewoldt last saturday, it would still ahve been Charlie on the block on not Roo.
"Everything comes to he who hustles while he waits"
- Henry Ford
Gilbert=Legend wrote:It was ment to go to Gram, it missed him by more 10metres to his right, we were kicking to the left of screen, if you were watching it on tv
If it missed him by 10 metres, it doesn't sound like a perfect drop punt at all.
"Everything comes to he who hustles while he waits"
- Henry Ford
Raphs support work in the backline is unmatched, and for that reason alone, he must be picked every week.. He is a wondeful reader of the play, and helped out Max a number of times last week, dropping infront of Hall.. Raphs games need to be seen live to understand his full value, as he does heaps off the ball, and when he's not in possession..
Raph is way ahead of CJ IMO... plus, in this case its apples and oranges.. CJ is competing with Fizz, and pretty much noone else... This week, Fizz got the nod..
Sobraz wrote:Raphs support work in the backline is unmatched, and for that reason alone, he must be picked every week.. He is a wondeful reader of the play, and helped out Max a number of times last week, dropping infront of Hall.. Raphs games need to be seen live to understand his full value, as he does heaps off the ball, and when he's not in possession..
Raph is way ahead of CJ IMO... plus, in this case its apples and oranges.. CJ is competing with Fizz, and pretty much noone else... This week, Fizz got the nod..
Unfortunatly your truthful and correct assessment regarding Raph falls on ignorant ears. To many people who you can only assume have never played football dont see the team things Raph does. They simply check the stats at the end of the game and pass judgement. Raph peeling off his man and blocking Halls leads last week went a long way to us winning. Raphs contribution was double that of Geary and people are still all over Raph to be dropped while Geary is elevated to super stardom after getting loose ball gets across half back which is his job but hardly as valuable to the team as Raph.
Huzzad wrote:If his weaknesses were ironed out, we have one hell of a good player on our hands.
Can't that be said for every single player in the competition? If Michael Rix was a lot better at reading the play, more skilled, could take an overhead mark and had a better vertical leap he'd be a great ruckman.
agreed...
Silly comment IMO
if every players weakness were ironed out that would be a miracle ...
I could list plenty of players that had their weaknesses and most (if not all) were never "ironed out"...
I like Jones, don't get me wrong, and he has a place in our side IMO...
He disposal is a big worry and last week his disposal was okay, ONLY because of the play...
Plenty of time to kick it, but not much options to kick it to...
Just wait when there is not much time to kick it and see what happens...
Anyway, I feel Ross has tasks for each and every player (when fit) and just maybe his turn is not this week...
Whether you think it is a silly comment or not, this is AFL. If a player does not "iron out" their weaknesses, they get dropped, delisted, traded or whatever. Otherwise, what is the point in training? Can you imagine the skills if players just turned up on saturday and gave it a crack? I'm not saying it is a simple matter; "ironing out" takes alot of training and game time, and not all players are able to put their discepancies to rest, but if no one was able to, we'd have no Robert Harvey. Bet he had quite a few areas to work on in his first two years too, no matter what metahpor you chose to use.
Gilbert=Legend wrote:
The day that raph plays better than gram is the day i eat my hat!!!
Start eating your hat IMO
Raph played a better game than Gram
I am not saying he is a better player overall, but last week he did play a better game
I think half this forum would start eating their hat too. Gram's game was not the best against the swans, but he still played better than Raph...which says something about Raph, don't you think?
It's amazing how many versions of the game people come up with on this site.
Otiman wrote:Aside from his mark, what exactly did he do last week? Sold Robert Harvey into trouble once, and that's about it.
Did more than Fiora though.
Jones has proven to be a pacey ball carrier similar to his previous namesake, the kid is a class act , I'll grant you he was quiet last game but would be willing to give him another shot before the 2 I mentioned.
Lyon may be looking at some sort of balance, that is the only reason I can think of.
wooha there tiger. A jones was all australian and an excellent kick.
C Jones is a long way off that. his disposal is a big concern.
Otiman wrote:Aside from his mark, what exactly did he do last week? Sold Robert Harvey into trouble once, and that's about it.
Did more than Fiora though.
Jones has proven to be a pacey ball carrier similar to his previous namesake, the kid is a class act , I'll grant you he was quiet last game but would be willing to give him another shot before the 2 I mentioned.
Lyon may be looking at some sort of balance, that is the only reason I can think of.
wooha there tiger. A jones was all australian and an excellent kick.
C Jones is a long way off that. his disposal is a big concern.
As is said in a later post that I may have gone a bit overboard, the similarities are his speed , second efforts and manages to be where the ball is.
that it was always a toss up between Jones and Fiora and am a little surprised that BJ didnt come in and both of them go out. No point arguing about Raphs game as we did not bring back a defender we bought back a utility in Blake and he had to replace someone similar.
Raph will be under preassure when Goose is ready to play, so will Gilbert, unfotunately for Fiora and Jones they will still be under preassure as Raph may also be seen as an option for that utility role when the 3 tall backs are all in the side.
Hurricane wrote:
For me Raph played a much better game in defence than Gram and I thought that Gram was the lucky one this week..
He got "murdered" by O'Keefe last week and I don't care if some on here love him, he is the lucky one IMO
Again Raph played a better game than Gram so Raph deserves his spot IMO
The day that raph plays better than gram is the day i eat my hat!!!
How did r clarke survive? He didnt do anything on saturday and for his whole carrer. As for his 'adaptability' (maverick), he is too slow and scared to be a centre player (Notice against swans when running though the center, insead of sprinting forward, he was jogging and looking back at the player chasing him),
Not decicive and fast again to be a forward (kicking ti out of bounds on the ball in nab final when noone was near him..it was a perfect drop punt to anyone who thinks it came of the side of his boot), and is too weak to be backman (pushed undere the ball by goodes in the last quater). I would like to see anyone compare him to how he was better than gram
Well I can remember 2005 when I used to Cringe every time Gram got near the ball. I am stoked that he has turned around but it took him at least 20 games before he had the believe to play to his potential. So I would let Raph string 10 games together before we make a judgement on him.
