Raph Clarke on the move

[bigcarl]

If he is picked up he will be delisted you would think.

Sorry, I don't understand what you are trying to say there Plugger.

Sorry isnt picked up. In other words he wont be with us next season.

The club seems split on this. Half the supporters reckon he goes okay, the other reckon he sucks.

His bro says St Kilda is still keen.

[plugger66]

Sorry, I don't understand what you are trying to say there Plugger.

Sorry isnt picked up. In other words he wont be with us next season.

The club seems split on this. Half the supporters reckon he goes okay, the other reckon he sucks.

His bro says St Kilda is still keen.

Doesnt matter what anyone thinks apart from list management. Im guessing he wont be with us next year.

[joffaboy]

Doesnt matter what anyone thinks apart from list management. Im guessing he wont be with us next year.

I am guessing that your guess is pretty close to the mark.

[bobmurray]

Premierships have never been a high priority at St Kilda so if he is staying then at least we are consistent...

So if Raph goes we will win the premiership? Can I have it in writing?

No..............you are trying to be a smart arse....

he won't help us to win a flag...he has been tried for 8...yes i said 8 years and has been found wanting...time to go...R. Clarke

[bigcarl]

Doesnt matter what anyone thinks apart from list management. Im guessing he wont be with us next year.

Here I was thinking that the club cared what its supporters thought.

[joffaboy]

[No..............you are trying to be a smart arse....

where you dont have to try

have another drink dopey.

[bobmurray]

[No..............you are trying to be a smart arse....

where you dont have to try

have another drink dopey.

Who asked you ya cabbage.....the sites resident lush

[Enrico_Misso]

Raph is a really nice guy.
I once asked him if he ever read any of the criticisms of him on the internet.
He said he didn't look at any of that stuff.

But he has had plenty of opportunities over 9 years to cement a spot and create a career.
But after 9 years he is still at best a fringe player.
And at his age it is unlikely he will suddenly go up a gear.

So that makes him a list clogger.
Time to replace him with a younger model with upside.

[The OtherThommo]

Raph is a really nice guy.
I once asked him if he ever read any of the criticisms of him on the internet.
He said he didn't look at any of that stuff.

But he has had plenty of opportunities over 9 years to cement a spot and create a career.
But after 9 years he is still at best a fringe player.
And at his age it is unlikely he will suddenly go up a gear.

So that makes him a list clogger.
Time to replace him with a younger model with upside.

Not too many "list cloggers" can claim their best football has been played in hot finals. He can (Pies '08 semi, Dogs '09 prelim).

Although the current heirachy don't owe him, as a club we do. Played him too much too early, forgetting the fact he'd played basically non-stop from 15+ to 18, because he was a gun junior berger, indigenous and from the NT (which meant he spent down time at the AIS in the ACT because NT footy was played when the AFL didn't). Instead of treating a young body as one that needed time, the great GT decided to treat him as just another resource. Twas bulls***, and exactly as they treated his brother, who at 69 Kgs was asked to play half back as if he'd been doing it for 5 seasons.

They stuffed Luke Ball's groin in exactly the same way (overuse) and tried to play Goose when he could hardly walk, so bad was his OP.

I hope if Raph doesn't find another home to play we treat him right and work out how to get the best out of a courageous and dedicated footballer. After all, getting the best out of what you have is the true measure of any management vehicle.

As for those who would condemn a bloke for getting run down about once every 12 games, s*** eh? And, why in the hell is there no collective responsibilty apportioned in what is a team game? The great, great, Rob Harvey used to hang onto the pill BECAUSE he knew the best result for the team was to be achieved by waiting for team mates to get into the right spots to receive the ball. Yep, he was much better at it than Raph, but by f***, the easiest thing to do is get it, take 2 steps and get rid of it to make it someone else's problem (hello Grammy in all bar about 1 of your seasons).

I just hope Raph gets the right result, for him.

[st.byron]

Not too many "list cloggers" can claim their best football has been played in hot finals. He can (Pies '08 semi, Dogs '09 prelim).

Although the current heirachy don't owe him, as a club we do. Played him too much too early, forgetting the fact he'd played basically non-stop from 15+ to 18, because he was a gun junior berger, indigenous and from the NT (which meant he spent down time at the AIS in the ACT because NT footy was played when the AFL didn't). Instead of treating a young body as one that needed time, the great GT decided to treat him as just another resource. Twas bulls***, and exactly as they treated his brother, who at 69 Kgs was asked to play half back as if he'd been doing it for 5 seasons.

They stuffed Luke Ball's groin in exactly the same way (overuse) and tried to play Goose when he could hardly walk, so bad was his OP.

I hope if Raph doesn't find another home to play we treat him right and work out how to get the best out of a courageous and dedicated footballer. After all, getting the best out of what you have is the true measure of any management vehicle.

As for those who would condemn a bloke for getting run down about once every 12 games, s*** eh? And, why in the hell is there no collective responsibilty apportioned in what is a team game? The great, great, Rob Harvey used to hang onto the pill BECAUSE he knew the best result for the team was to be achieved by waiting for team mates to get into the right spots to receive the ball. Yep, he was much better at it than Raph, but by f***, the easiest thing to do is get it, take 2 steps and get rid of it to make it someone else's problem (hello Grammy in all bar about 1 of your seasons).

I just hope Raph gets the right result, for him.

Nice sentiments, but IMO the club do not owe him. To drag up his management, what 8 years ago, as a reason that the club owes him something is, I reckon, bullshyte. He's had ample opportunity and then some to show his long term value and he hasn't done so. He's had plenty of chances and just doesn't consistently demand a spot in the team.
And to refer to a couple of games, finals or not, as other reasons that he should stay sounds the same as people who reckon Kosi's a superstar just about to 'regain his touch' on the basis of 4 BOG's in a row in 2004.
Time for Raph to go and clear some space on the list.

[The OtherThommo]

It's got bugger all to do with sentiment. That's his history. Why is it that during that period we stuffed a number of top line juniors? Was that a fluke? Bad luck? It was s*** management, no more, no less.
Why was it, that during that period, first under GT, then under Lyon, they were all so vociferous about Raph's talent? I heard GT talk about his extraordinary ability to read the game unfolding in front of him before anyone else (and so went the '09 prelim). Lyon was similarly complimentary. Christ, it took our wizard medicos years to work out a bloke who seemed to need way more sleep than anyone else might actually be epileptic. Well, stuff me, that's a hard analysis.
Yeah, we do owe him. We overdid him young and couldn't work him out a bit older. Gone are the days when they are all just items on a list. That s*** works for no business, sporting or otherwise.
And, if I ever have to sit next to shiny pommie immigrants behind the goals at another final (Jolimont End, '09 prelim), as they bag a St.Kilda footballer for being a "black useless bas****", I'm going to make sure I take a f****** tazer to the football, for dad, mum and the poxy kids.
And, that's not sentiment either. It's experience defining a plan.

[st.byron]

It's got bugger all to do with sentiment. That's his history. Why is it that during that period we stuffed a number of top line juniors? Was that a fluke? Bad luck? It was s*** management, no more, no less.
Why was it, that during that period, first under GT, then under Lyon, they were all so vociferous about Raph's talent? I heard GT talk about his extraordinary ability to read the game unfolding in front of him before anyone else (and so went the '09 prelim). Lyon was similarly complimentary. Christ, it took our wizard medicos years to work out a bloke who seemed to need way more sleep than anyone else might actually be epileptic. Well, stuff me, that's a hard analysis.
Yeah, we do owe him. We overdid him young and couldn't work him out a bit older. Gone are the days when they are all just items on a list. That s*** works for no business, sporting or otherwise.
And, if I ever have to sit next to shiny pommie immigrants behind the goals at another final (Jolimont End, '09 prelim), as they bag a St.Kilda footballer for being a "black useless bas****", I'm going to make sure I take a f****** tazer to the football, for dad, mum and the poxy kids.
And, that's not sentiment either. It's experience defining a plan.

Yep you're right. It's history. That being the critical point. Whatever happened happened not last year, not the year before but maybe 10 years ago. Can't remember when he was drafted exactly. Even if the medicos stuffed it up at first, it was a long time ago. And he's had plenty of opportunity since then to cement a spot for himself. Last season being a perfect opportunity. New coach. Fit. So Watters gives him a fair run and then drops him for the rest of the season. Gave him a chance and saw that he wasn't up to it. Some reckon he should stay, others not. I'm in the not camp. Had his chances, plenty of them. I hope he doesn't stay.

[ralphsmith]

This is what Raph Clarke will always be remembered for.



Another great Raph memory.

Miles in the clear and gets destroyed by Brent Harvey.



How he ever got to AFL level...

[borderbarry]

Round 14 2012 against North, in the same game Firitto ran down Saad in our goal square.I dont recall you whinging about that one.

[borderbarry]

Goddard is gone. Now if we trade out one of Gilbert, Gwilt, Dempster, Gram or another half back, we are going to need Raph and his run.

[plugger66]

Goddard is gone. Now if we trade out one of Gilbert, Gwilt, Dempster, Gram or another half back, we are going to need Raph and his run.

But why are we trading out them to keep a player who cant get a game? That makes no sense.

[whiskers3614]

A six page thread (the 102nd in the series) on a player like Raph says something about our list.
the fact that I'm sitting here adding to it tells me I need to get a life!

[st.byron]

Goddard is gone. Now if we trade out one of Gilbert, Gwilt, Dempster, Gram or another half back, we are going to need Raph and his run.

Raph isn't up to it. Simple. Why keep him? Doesn't matter who else we have or don't have, if he's not able to consistent deliver AFL standard games, then off he goes.

[St Lenny]

Raph is a really nice guy.
I once asked him if he ever read any of the criticisms of him on the internet.
He said he didn't look at any of that stuff.

But he has had plenty of opportunities over 9 years to cement a spot and create a career.
But after 9 years he is still at best a fringe player.
And at his age it is unlikely he will suddenly go up a gear.

So that makes him a list clogger.
Time to replace him with a younger model with upside.

Common sense at last.

[bobmurray]

Goddard is gone. Now if we trade out one of Gilbert, Gwilt, Dempster, Gram or another half back, we are going to need Raph and his run.

Raph isn't up to it. Simple. Why keep him? Doesn't matter who else we have or don't have, if he's not able to consistent deliver AFL standard games, then off he goes.

Correct...it's a shame for Raph but it's how it is...if Melbourne don't want him then i don't know where he goes from here.....we may even keep him......flags aren't our priority, according to history...

[andrewg]

This was Raph Clarks Capuano moment, he pretty much turned the game (in the negative direction) against the roos and that loss sealed the deal as far as finals in 2012

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=wyoLs2Vl ... yoLs2Vl8eo

Just not good enough. Bye Raph

[desertsaint]

As commented on the video - 'Harvey's a legend because he chased down the worst player in the afl?'

Now he ain't quite that, but I struggle to think of any one given so long a career for so little impact.
Some of you are being very nice about raph simply to balance the over the top criticism he has put up with over the years.
But the fact remains, to be afl standard you need to perform consistently. Raph never did.

[Dave McNamara]

As commented on the video - 'Harvey's a legend because he chased down the worst player in the afl?'

Luckily for Luke Hodge, LRT missed from only 30m out straight infront.
Kick it, and all the Dawks 1st quarter dominance would have amounted to nought.
LRT missed, two last gasp Dawk goals... they turn at quarter time in control of a GF.
Hodge's being run down right infront of goal... is forgotten.

It can be a cruel and fickle game for some...

[CURLY]

As commented on the video - 'Harvey's a legend because he chased down the worst player in the afl?'

Now he ain't quite that, but I struggle to think of any one given so long a career for so little impact.
Some of you are being very nice about raph simply to balance the over the top criticism he has put up with over the years.
But the fact remains, to be afl standard you need to perform consistently. Raph never did.

Nick Maxwell is worse than Raphh.

[Con Gorozidis]

I like Raph because he is great spoiler but the idea he is fast is utter nonsense.