Final team in R Clarke

[saintsRrising]

i'm thinking that his flexibility has won the day. .

I thinking it is more that the Ctas may have up to 3 small in their forward line plus SJ.

Gwilt is NOT an option on small forwards.


baker is ...but there is onlu one of him.

So we need another option...that left basically just Rap ah and Miles.

Miles has not played.

raph played well in the big games in last years finals...though no so good this year.

So Ross will have looked him in the eye...said he has faith in him fora big test and selected him

Hopefully he will respond.

If not...then Miles or another can be tried. dempster when he is match fit.

Time to shape up Raph...you can do it..


The Cats, Pies and Dogs all have multiple small forwards...
These are our main rivals to a Flag. We need to have the right back structure to combat them.

[yipper]

sorry, with raph in the rear, we are as good as cooked .

You obviously didn't watch any of the finals series last season!! He was quite outstanding in all 3 games, Including the Cats game!!

It is a case of him getting his confidence up and playing like he did last year.

[perfectionist]

Don't worry! In Ross we trust.

[SaintDebi]

I WANT to be supportive of Raph, really I do, but I'm worried about him coming back in for this game. Yes, he can be effective WHEN he plays well, but against the cats is probably not the best time to bring in a "maybe" player.
Good luck for the game Raph. I really hope you prove all of us wrong and play at your best on Sunday. We know you have it in you, now is the time to prove it to us.

[Thinline]

Don't like the selection at all, but I have faith there's a reason for it.

Hope he goes well.

God help him on here if if he doesn't.

Personally, in a foot race between Raph's fickle dodginess vs Miles inexperience, I would have thought the latter proposition had more upside.

We shall see.

[iwantmeseats]

sorry, with raph in the rear, we are as good as cooked .

You obviously didn't watch any of the finals series last season!! He was quite outstanding in all 3 games, Including the Cats game!!

It is a case of him getting his confidence up and playing like he did last year.

couldnt agree more, but one prob, it was last year man!!

Seriously, Id love to have a thread dedicated to how wrong I was on this one, but Im very concerned. Even if the options may be thin on the ground.

[bigcarl]

We wouldnt really play him down back would we?

could be that he's getting a shot at the third tall forward role. that's where i'd try him, but i reckon he could also do okay as a tallish midfielder. has a bit of ball magnet ability when he's up and running.

[To the top]

You always look to have your class players on the park - so it is good to see R. Clarke back into the side after an excellent opening to the season and then interruption due to injury.

A 189cm player who brings good skills, run and carry to the side.

[plugger66]

To early to tell but the Cats may have caught us napping by naming Stokes. That would be a complete surprise. They would have Woo was a certainty. Can we match up. Probably no so it now comes back to our on ballers.

[JacksonsGirl]

I'd be more worried about Dal Santo beating his tagger than Raph's game. There are 22 players out there - its not just Raph that could put in a bad performance.

[bigcarl]

To early to tell but the Cats may have caught us napping by naming Stokes. That would be a complete surprise. They would have Woo was a certainty. Can we match up. Probably no so it now comes back to our on ballers.

is he in their best starting 22 do you reckon?

[plugger66]

To early to tell but the Cats may have caught us napping by naming Stokes. That would be a complete surprise. They would have Woo was a certainty. Can we match up. Probably no so it now comes back to our on ballers.

is he in their best starting 22 do you reckon?

I wouldnt have a clue but obviously for this weeks match ups they think it suits them to go small and looking from the outside that may be the best way of beating us but if they cant it does limit what they can do next time.

[PJ]

Well good luck Raph....I would have thought our most rugged hardest at it should play vs Geelong...your chance to show the football world you can cut it.

Actually Raph has been pretty hard at it, he's just been out of form. If you look at the replays he's gone in pretty hard at most contests. It's not for want of trying he's just got to get a bit of confidence going.

[saint75]

Raph's been quiet this year. Had a very poor game against North. I'll bet Ben Warren wished he had been omitted for that one.

Come on Raph... bring your '08 Semi Final game with you.

If Raph plays like he did in the finals last year, he will be an excellent addition. He was the obvious choice as who else was going to play in defense? Gwilt? Gwilt belongs in the forward line. If you put Gwilt in and Gwilt goes up forward, who do you move to defense?

Good luck Raph! Show us what you are made! In other words, KICK SOME A$%E!

[saintly_safes]

Predictable but I dont rate Raph as highly as alot of other posters & thats fair enough as everyone sees the game differently.Imo Raph is a liability against an agressive side like Geelong.We all know his decision making under pressure is terrible & he will be under extreme preessure from the moment he sets foot on the park & unless he can show something to prove all the doubters wrong I think hes trade bait at years end.He is a very good player when he has time to think & space to move but when its tight & the heat is on imo he doesnt have it .

[PJ]

An interesting question might be - which player would Geelong least like us to have in playing?

[WinnersOnly]

This selection alone will cost us the game - Raph guaranteed to cost us at least two goals through turnovers which will be the difference.

The worst panel selection all year - who does he match up on - what does he offer - is a poor decision maker when not under pressure what is he going to be like against Geelong???

What were they thinking???

[saint75]

This selection alone will cost us the game - Raph guaranteed to cost us at least two goals through turnovers which will be the difference.

The worst panel selection all year - who does he match up on - what does he offer - is a poor decision maker when not under pressure what is he going to be like against Geelong???

What were they thinking???

These types of comments really P$#SS me off! Not only do I hope that Raph plays the game of his life, I hope you have the balls to apologise for your comments if he does play a brilliant game.

Ross has selected this player and I trust that he knows a little more than what you or I do. Give the guy a break (yes, I know his games were doubtful earlier this year) and try to get behind him instead of kicking the boots in before he has even had a chance to play on the weekend. Judge him after his performance, not before the game has even begun.

[To the top]

To the contrary, Clarke's work in tight is very, very good.

The appearance of better form referred to is an illusion.

He was actually in good form but the options he looked for to create maximum opportunity for the team were absent until Lyon settled on the back 6 he finally settled on and the supports were then where they needed to be.

That is why a settled back 6 is of such importance - and moreso now that you do not have the luxury of rushing a behind to relieve the pressure.

Clarke actually gives off the ball very, very well even when under extreme pressure because he knows exactly what he should be doing with it - but you always need the support and it was that support which was missing.

The support also includes creating the angles so delivery can be low and fast, not forced to be looped over an opponent because the angle has not been created by the support player.

It is a team game.

Clarke (and his brother) are going to be two central players in St Kilda's future.

You do not get rid of your class players because they do not grow on trees - even when they endure a rugged time with injury.

Clarke would have shown "on the track" what the Coaching and Selection panels have wanted to see.

And the opportunity has come with the injury to Max - although on a like for like basis Raph is not the replacement for Max who is a dogged and dour negating defender who sticks on the tail of his opponent.

Clarke will take his chances and run forward and create.

[stinger]

hey guys...get behind our players ffs......and f****** lay off raph......how long does he have to put up with this s*** for...even his mother has complained about this site and it's criticism of her sons..


...you make me want to sick up.....

[Solar]

This selection alone will cost us the game - Raph guaranteed to cost us at least two goals through turnovers which will be the difference.

The worst panel selection all year - who does he match up on - what does he offer - is a poor decision maker when not under pressure what is he going to be like against Geelong???

What were they thinking???

I am very suprised but sheesh any chance people can get behind the starting 22....

warning to anyone going on sunday. If you sit in the social club area around ailse 19 and spen the whole game bagging the players and especially raph I will go at you and hard. Sick to death of the s*** that comes out of some so called supporters!!

[iwantmeseats]

blah blah, raph has had more than enough chances, time to step up, or cop the wrath. Thats footy. Thats why they get the $$, suck it up.

[Solar]

blah blah, raph has had more than enough chances, time to step up, or cop the wrath. Thats footy. Thats why they get the $$, suck it up.

no worries but why do it as the game goes on or even before the siren starts. We all say that we hate the loser mentality of the saints but sheesh one player makes mistake and guess what the supporter has two choices

1) bitch and moan, bloody raph, your s***, your terrible....

2) yell encouragement for that player to get back in there and make up for the mistake.

This happened againt the tigers. A couple of old ladies behind me kept bitching about geary in that first quarter. "drag him, your craph geary yadda yadda...." Some of us on the other hand yelled out "get back in there and get that ball back geary"..... guess what he did, he went back in there and we roared whenhe mde that diference in the second quarter.....

and now people are even having a dig before the ball has bounced!!!!!

[iwantmeseats]

having a dig before the ball is bounced or you have done anything wrong singles you out as a d**khead, no doubt.

Its also fair to say raph in is a grave mistake as mentioned, as I happen to agree.

Im more talking about people who have a opinion after the fact even if its negative, thats fair.

[Solar]

having a dig before the ball is bounced or you have done anything wrong singles you out as a d**khead, no doubt.

Im more talking about people who have a opinion after the fact even if its negative, thats fair.

that fine, at the bar after the game you can say "did you see that turnover from raph, s***!" but some seem to have a obsession with blaming and being negative against certain players.

but people on here have already written the guy off before the bounce...