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True Blue Sainter wrote:Would rather have seen Stanley in for Roo - closer to a like-for-like swap. However, Raph has been given an opportunity, and will most likely spend some time forward, so be interesting to see if he seizes it.
Kick a bag Raph
Like for like? Seems a common expression for those interested in pushing for Stanley.
Let's see:
Tall - check
Good leap - check
Fair hair - check
However:
Can run all day - yet to be proven
Can turn his opponent inside out - yet to be proven
Is an absolute freak - yet to be proven
So yes, if we want someone who looks like Rooey from a distance (of say 200 metres ) then Stanley may be your bloke (especially as poor Jarryd Allen had to retire)
But if you really want "like for like" then I reckon RL is on the money with Sam Fisher.
And if Sam is to play on the forward line then I think Raph is in fact the best "like for like" for him.
Well constructed post Dr Spaceman!
Granted, Rhys is nowhere near at Roo's level, but he has the capacity to play a tall forward role, and take a pack grab. As well as giving us an additional ruck option to counter Sandilands.
Will be very interesting to see the tactical side of RL's approach - whether or not he will be playing with a permanent forward-line, or rotating blokes like Raph, Chips, Gwilty & BJ up there...
anyone want to have a guess at what minute raph will be blamed for something? Not breaking the banner? missing a shot at goal in the warm up?
.......... ............i have made myself a promise this year.....i will get anyone i hear abuse raph removed from the ground.......and i'm deadly serious......i will do what it takes......so you raph abusers have been warned...
I applaud you... they are moronic and infuriating!
Last week it was the filth ferals we had to contend with, this week it will be the Raph bashing a-holes.
Any 'supporter' who screams at a Saints player to "get off the ground" needs to be told to STFU, IMO!
All well and good to encourage the scarf raising... but I think any Raph bashing within earshot should be met with a loud "S-T-F-U!!"
anyone want to have a guess at what minute raph will be blamed for something? Not breaking the banner? missing a shot at goal in the warm up?
.......... ............i have made myself a promise this year.....i will get anyone i hear abuse raph removed from the ground.......and i'm deadly serious......i will do what it takes......so you raph abusers have been warned...
You people are on drugs....he's a dud ...get over it
anyone want to have a guess at what minute raph will be blamed for something? Not breaking the banner? missing a shot at goal in the warm up?
.......... ............i have made myself a promise this year.....i will get anyone i hear abuse raph removed from the ground.......and i'm deadly serious......i will do what it takes......so you raph abusers have been warned...
You people are on drugs....he's a dud ...get over it
STFU
FQF
loyal in the good times and bad
In richo I trust
2013 trade/draft best ever?
Billings - future brownlow medallist Longer - future best ruck
Dunstan - future captain Eli - future cult hero
Acres - future norm smith
For all you stupid flogs who don't understand this you need to get a clue!
This is exactly what I predicted.
I am no genius or Einstein, I just know how RL works......he loves to stick with his tried and true (albiet with the failed Pattison experiment an exception!).
My mate Raph adds a lot of pace off half back which releases the great BJ upforward.
We should be greatful to have both BJ and Roo on our list and peaking at the same time.....it's a rare treat.
Without Roo, BJ is nearly as good, and will step up a notch or two!
anyone want to have a guess at what minute raph will be blamed for something? Not breaking the banner? missing a shot at goal in the warm up?
.......... ............i have made myself a promise this year.....i will get anyone i hear abuse raph removed from the ground.......and i'm deadly serious......i will do what it takes......so you raph abusers have been warned...
You people are on drugs....he's a dud ...get over it
STFU
+1... with !!!
Staggering how some people can call themselves supporters and espouse such half-witted garbage.
BS - nearly every post you have a crack at Dawson. Why don't you create a Subject on it and see how many people make it baron. How many goals has he allowed his opponent H&A? He did extremely well 2009 - where's the appreciation. Anway, how many goals?
millarsaint wrote:BS - nearly every post you have a crack at Dawson. Why don't you create a Subject on it and see how many people make it baron. How many goals has he allowed his opponent H&A? He did extremely well 2009 - where's the appreciation. Anway, how many goals?
I love what Zac did last year and want to see him continue in that vein. Unfortunately this year he is watching his man all the time instead of watching the ball. He's been dead lucky not to have had a bag kicked on him each week.
The sooner Zac starts playing the ball instead of the man, the sooner I'll get off his back. I hope it's this week.
millarsaint wrote:BS - nearly every post you have a crack at Dawson. Why don't you create a Subject on it and see how many people make it baron. How many goals has he allowed his opponent H&A? He did extremely well 2009 - where's the appreciation. Anway, how many goals?
I love what Zac did last year and want to see him continue in that vein. Unfortunately this year he is watching his man all the time instead of watching the ball. He's been dead lucky not to have had a bag kicked on him each week.
The sooner Zac starts playing the ball instead of the man, the sooner I'll get off his back. I hope it's this week.
Actually, you're pretty much a straight shooter Bern.
BTW, have you had a chance to see if Raph has bulked up a bit?
Hotel De Los Muertos: Your room is ready... Care to step inside?
millarsaint wrote:BS - nearly every post you have a crack at Dawson. Why don't you create a Subject on it and see how many people make it baron. How many goals has he allowed his opponent H&A? He did extremely well 2009 - where's the appreciation. Anway, how many goals?
I love what Zac did last year and want to see him continue in that vein. Unfortunately this year he is watching his man all the time instead of watching the ball. He's been dead lucky not to have had a bag kicked on him each week.
The sooner Zac starts playing the ball instead of the man, the sooner I'll get off his back. I hope it's this week.
Actually, you're pretty much a straight shooter Bern.
BTW, have you had a chance to see if Raph has bulked up a bit?
walked next to him last friday night after the game going to the carpark and he has put on a little in the arms but looks a lot thinner in the trunk
FQF
loyal in the good times and bad
In richo I trust
2013 trade/draft best ever?
Billings - future brownlow medallist Longer - future best ruck
Dunstan - future captain Eli - future cult hero
Acres - future norm smith
millarsaint wrote:BS - nearly every post you have a crack at Dawson. Why don't you create a Subject on it and see how many people make it baron. How many goals has he allowed his opponent H&A? He did extremely well 2009 - where's the appreciation. Anway, how many goals?
I love what Zac did last year and want to see him continue in that vein. Unfortunately this year he is watching his man all the time instead of watching the ball. He's been dead lucky not to have had a bag kicked on him each week.
The sooner Zac starts playing the ball instead of the man, the sooner I'll get off his back. I hope it's this week.
Actually, you're pretty much a straight shooter Bern.
BTW, have you had a chance to see if Raph has bulked up a bit?
From what I've seen at training and at Frankston last week he looks pretty much the same as last year.
Good luck to Raph, I hope he steps up but IMO (just an opinion) he is not up to the standard required of a starting player of a premiership team.
Now he may have more talent than the likes of CJ, Eddy and those sorts of players but IMO he is beaten by his opponent far more often than he comes out on top.
He has been sensational in some games I will give you that. But it is important to keep in mind the game that he took about 15 marks against Collingwood in the finals was most likely a once off. I believe the amount of uncontested marks he took was a result of the full ground press which was leading to more and more rushed kicks into Collingwood's forward line when we had all the numbers. I didn't think he was great in the prelim last year but he did step up a bit in the last quarter to his credit. He was well and truly beaten by Byrnes in the GF, but that was not his fault IMO. He is a shocking match up for Byrnes so either RL takes the blame for that one or the fact that we simply didn't have an appropriate match up.
IMO Gwilt at this stage is ahead of Raph (that could quickly change) so by my reckoning Raph is behind all of Gilbert, Fisher, Goddard, Gwilt, Blake, Dawson, Gram and Baker for a spot in our backline.
IMO if Roo was playing this week Raph would not. I don't think he would have come in for Dawson, Schneider, Geary or anybody else who has been suggested. I also think that if we were playing any team other than Freo or West Coast that Raph would have been far less likely to have come in.
It is clear that RL will be borrowing players from our backline to try and cover Roo, if we weren't playing a team with a dominant Ruckman I would suggest that we would have brought in Stanley/ McEvoy and rotated players between the ruck and full forward.
Good luck Raph, I hope you all the best, I would love it if you could do a Clinton Jones/ Sam Gilbert/ Hopefully James Gwilt type of transformation.
It is just my opinion that Raphael Clarke is not worth pursuing with, I will gladly admit if I am wrong (which I hope I am) and I accept that RL is in a far better position to be making the decisions, I just don't agree with this particular one.
I am in strong support of the S-T-F-U movement however...
ROBERT HARVEY A.K.A The Great Man, Banger, Harves, Ol' Man River...
384 games, 4 B&F's, 3 EJ Whitten Medals, St.Kilda Captain, 2 Time Brownlow Medalist, 8 Time All Australian, 2nd Highest Brownlow votes poller.... The greatest of ALL TIME!!
Armoooo wrote:Good luck to Raph, I hope he steps up but IMO (just an opinion) he is not up to the standard required of a starting player of a premiership team.
Now he may have more talent than the likes of CJ, Eddy and those sorts of players but IMO he is beaten by his opponent far more often than he comes out on top.
He has been sensational in some games I will give you that. But it is important to keep in mind the game that he took about 15 marks against Collingwood in the finals was most likely a once off. I believe the amount of uncontested marks he took was a result of the full ground press which was leading to more and more rushed kicks into Collingwood's forward line when we had all the numbers. I didn't think he was great in the prelim last year but he did step up a bit in the last quarter to his credit. He was well and truly beaten by Byrnes in the GF, but that was not his fault IMO. He is a shocking match up for Byrnes so either RL takes the blame for that one or the fact that we simply didn't have an appropriate match up.
IMO Gwilt at this stage is ahead of Raph (that could quickly change) so by my reckoning Raph is behind all of Gilbert, Fisher, Goddard, Gwilt, Blake, Dawson, Gram and Baker for a spot in our backline.
IMO if Roo was playing this week Raph would not. I don't think he would have come in for Dawson, Schneider, Geary or anybody else who has been suggested. I also think that if we were playing any team other than Freo or West Coast that Raph would have been far less likely to have come in.
It is clear that RL will be borrowing players from our backline to try and cover Roo, if we weren't playing a team with a dominant Ruckman I would suggest that we would have brought in Stanley/ McEvoy and rotated players between the ruck and full forward.
Good luck Raph, I hope you all the best, I would love it if you could do a Clinton Jones/ Sam Gilbert/ Hopefully James Gwilt type of transformation.
It is just my opinion that Raphael Clarke is not worth pursuing with, I will gladly admit if I am wrong (which I hope I am) and I accept that RL is in a far better position to be making the decisions, I just don't agree with this particular one.
I am in strong support of the S-T-F-U movement however...
Armoooo, I am a very strong, long time supporter of Raph and I congratulate you for your post.
Everyone has different opinions of players but if those people who don't particularly rate a certain player expressed themselves as you have, then there would be very little comeback from that players supporters.
You have displayed that you can be unimpressed by a player but refrain from the bile and abuse. Well done.
Dr Spaceman wrote:Armoooo, I am a very strong, long time supporter of Raph and I congratulate you for your post.
Everyone has different opinions of players but if those people who don't particularly rate a certain player expressed themselves as you have, then there would be very little comeback from that players supporters.
You have displayed that you can be unimpressed by a player but refrain from the bile and abuse. Well done.
Thanks mate, tried to choose my words very carefully
I gotta say, I hate the crap on Facebook as much as anyone, thankfully 90% of them are trolls, the other 10% though
ROBERT HARVEY A.K.A The Great Man, Banger, Harves, Ol' Man River...
384 games, 4 B&F's, 3 EJ Whitten Medals, St.Kilda Captain, 2 Time Brownlow Medalist, 8 Time All Australian, 2nd Highest Brownlow votes poller.... The greatest of ALL TIME!!
Well I guess it's do or die for Raph this year. He has the skills. Just needs the assertiveness.
Needs to harden TFU in my opinion.
He paid a visit to my sons school and was extremely quiet. Even the teacher noticed that he mumbled and didn't say much.
AND... that's not to say that he plays the same way. Truth is I have no idea.
We'll just have to wait and see.
As everyone has pointed out, JG has been the surprise packet this year, and frankly, I currently prefer to see him down back. Not withstanding that we haven't seen Raph circa 2010 yet.
One thing is for sure... competiton for spots will be hot this year.
A true novelty for some of us "oldie" supporters.
Hotel De Los Muertos: Your room is ready... Care to step inside?
Armoooo wrote:Good luck to Raph, I hope he steps up but IMO (just an opinion) he is not up to the standard required of a starting player of a premiership team.
Now he may have more talent than the likes of CJ, Eddy and those sorts of players but IMO he is beaten by his opponent far more often than he comes out on top.
He has been sensational in some games I will give you that. But it is important to keep in mind the game that he took about 15 marks against Collingwood in the finals was most likely a once off. I believe the amount of uncontested marks he took was a result of the full ground press which was leading to more and more rushed kicks into Collingwood's forward line when we had all the numbers. I didn't think he was great in the prelim last year but he did step up a bit in the last quarter to his credit. He was well and truly beaten by Byrnes in the GF, but that was not his fault IMO. He is a shocking match up for Byrnes so either RL takes the blame for that one or the fact that we simply didn't have an appropriate match up.
IMO Gwilt at this stage is ahead of Raph (that could quickly change) so by my reckoning Raph is behind all of Gilbert, Fisher, Goddard, Gwilt, Blake, Dawson, Gram and Baker for a spot in our backline.
IMO if Roo was playing this week Raph would not. I don't think he would have come in for Dawson, Schneider, Geary or anybody else who has been suggested. I also think that if we were playing any team other than Freo or West Coast that Raph would have been far less likely to have come in.
It is clear that RL will be borrowing players from our backline to try and cover Roo, if we weren't playing a team with a dominant Ruckman I would suggest that we would have brought in Stanley/ McEvoy and rotated players between the ruck and full forward.
Good luck Raph, I hope you all the best, I would love it if you could do a Clinton Jones/ Sam Gilbert/ Hopefully James Gwilt type of transformation.
It is just my opinion that Raphael Clarke is not worth pursuing with, I will gladly admit if I am wrong (which I hope I am) and I accept that RL is in a far better position to be making the decisions, I just don't agree with this particular one.
I am in strong support of the S-T-F-U movement however...
Armoooo, I am a very strong, long time supporter of Raph and I congratulate you for your post.
Everyone has different opinions of players but if those people who don't particularly rate a certain player expressed themselves as you have, then there would be very little comeback from that players supporters.
You have displayed that you can be unimpressed by a player but refrain from the bile and abuse. Well done.
totally agree, I once wrote off blake when he was playing for springy but never abused him. Top post and it will be interesting to see how he goes. Those who play well in finals are hard to find and I would still like to see him go forward.
FQF
loyal in the good times and bad
In richo I trust
2013 trade/draft best ever?
Billings - future brownlow medallist Longer - future best ruck
Dunstan - future captain Eli - future cult hero
Acres - future norm smith
I'm happy to see Raph back in the team. Add a little bit of unpredictability. I would think that Goddard and / or Fisher will go forward. Goddard is my pick.
I also thinkj Mini needs a good game, or Steven may be in the following week.
I'm not happy to have Raph in the team. Having him slot in the backline at the expense of say Fisher going forward gives more responsibility to Raph that I am unsure he can handle.
To be truthful the tackle in the first quarter of the gf from Rooke resulting in the goal was the final straw with me and Raph Clarke. I am not a Raph basher however I do not think he has the awareness and his laconic attitude is not quality.
When has he last kicked a set shot on goal too? Long before I can remember.
People are either quick to write him off or quick to point out that he played a good last quarter in the prelim against the dogs. Both are not good reasons for liking/disliking him. Fact is he has played more bad games in comparison to good games and surely that is the tale of the tape.
It's about your expectations saintsfan, just don't expect Raph to be Sam Fisher.
Just look at the defence as a unit, and that he is simply filling a role. If you watch the game and individualise him, you probably will get annoyed....much like some have with Dawson in recent weeks. Actually if you make any one of our players your focus, you will notice shortcomings in their game.
Ross needs to release someone like a Fisher to go forward, I am glad that we have the depth to do so.
) then Stanley may be your bloke (especially as poor Jarryd Allen had to retire)
