Raph Clarke supporters thread

saintspremiers · Tue 07 Jul 2009 9:27pm

+1,000,000!

Go the Raphmeister!

Ignore all the bullshyte crap bulldust that those imbeciles are saying about you on here, facebook, SEN, whatever/where ever.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Go hard, stay focused and we will see Raph Clarke back as a regular starting 22 team member, not a fill in.

Stephen Theodore · Tue 07 Jul 2009 9:42pm

+ 12.

Ignore the crap on here Raph, from my observations theres a large percentage of contributors on here that know very little about football.

Solar · Post: # 771292Post **Solar** » Tue 07 Jul 2009 9:48pm

as marto suggested on monday the only thing missing is the confidence to attack the ball 100%. This is his strength and the coach and selectors need to not only keep selecting him but place him in match ups that suit his play.

Would love to see him given the third tall role for the next few weeks. Will love the open spaces of subi.

He gives his all and I have never seen him physically take a backwards step. If only he was given the time other players got when they struggled (see geary, CJ, blake, gram, gardiner, etc.)

snoopygirl · Tue 07 Jul 2009 10:12pm

Adding my support.

PJ · Post: # 771321Post PJ » Tue 07 Jul 2009 10:20pm

+ 12

Do it for the ones you love

Do it for your family

SainterK · Post: # 771325Post **SainterK** » Tue 07 Jul 2009 10:25pm

bigcarl · Post: # 771354Post **bigcarl** » Tue 07 Jul 2009 11:13pm

i've always been a fan and hope he can realise his undoubted potential.

Scoop · Post: # 771364Post **Scoop** » Tue 07 Jul 2009 11:22pm

Great thread. About time there was some positive stuff about Raph. Some of the garbage on here and especially the Facebook site is a disgrace.

I would suggest those Raph knockers have a look at his game on Sunday and some of the hard stuff he does in packs, his quick hands and his reading of the play.

Sure he made a couple of mistakes, but who didn't? All he needs is a boost in confidence and a belief in his ability and he will be back to his stellar 2008 finals form.

Go Raph, show these armchair numbskulls what you are capable of.

Enrico_Misso · Wed 08 Jul 2009 12:18am

I'm slowly coming round.

Yes his skills have never been in doubt.
But it is his decision making that has always concerned me.

For most of his career he has won the ball, not taken the first option, hesitated, ran himself into trouble and then under pressure turned it over.

He certainly played well on Sunday but my heart is still in my mouth whenever he has the ball.

Beej · Post: # 771416Post **Beej** » Wed 08 Jul 2009 12:29am

+1

Yes, continue doing exactly what you've been doing Raph.

The footy world is at your feet.

Wow.

skeptic · Post: # 771428Post **skeptic** » Wed 08 Jul 2009 12:46am

always been there

Raph's problem has always been the same. He struggles more than most to adapt to the pace of the modern game.

As we saw in September last year, once he does adapt, you realise that he actually does have all the attributes of a good player. He skills are a lot better than you initially think but his decision making is very suspect when he first comes into the team hence he tries sometimes to be too cute or do those helicopter kicks.

Give him regular hit outs and watch him adapt. He's a tall running player who is excellent in the air with superb ground skills.

Worth persisting with

SaintWodonga · Wed 08 Jul 2009 1:41am

Surley Border Barry is the biggest Raph supporter..

yipper · Post: # 771507Post **yipper** » Wed 08 Jul 2009 10:31am

He has my total support. He was outstanding in last years finals. He can play, and will be good for us going forward over the last 8 rounds and finals.

White Winmar · Wed 08 Jul 2009 5:38pm

Unfortunately, like Stinger, I too heard Raph get racially abused on Sunday. I can't say for certain who made the comments, or whether or not it was one of ours who made them. I do think that if the perpetrator is identified then a ban from all venues for the rest of the season is justified (possibly longer). I sincerely hope it wasn't a sainter, but the fact this sort of s**t still gets said is very disappointing to say the least.

evertonfc · Post: # 771814Post **evertonfc** » Wed 08 Jul 2009 5:45pm

+1

I would run to St Marys and back to see Raph Clarke fulfill his potential.

He certainly has the ability to be a fine player. I hope he realises this and does all he can to make good on his physical attributes.

Go for it, Raph

matrix · Post: # 774582Post **matrix** » Mon 13 Jul 2009 12:38pm

bump.

DWOODROW · Post: # 774644Post **DWOODROW** » Mon 13 Jul 2009 2:11pm

While his football frustrates me, at the end of he does play for St Kilda and if his coaches and team mates want him there( with him Obviously being included into the side) then the Raph haters have only opinions. I have bagged him. Not ashamed to say it either but this post is to throw support behind him and the Saints. Not hard considering where we are at in the season. You can only get better and experience from [playing football with the best. I pray he will get better and more confident.

AnythingsPossibleSaints · Tue 14 Jul 2009 2:53am

Like Leon Davis has at Collingwood, he may take a lot of time to realise his potential. The difference between his best (like last year's finals, where he played some terrific footy) and his worst (most of his games this year) is enormous.
Unless he doesn't work hard enough, or do the best things between games, it seems like it's a confidence thing. He plays his best when he's taking the game on, but it seems like he can lose his confidence very easily.
Milney went through a similar thing a few years ago, though, where he didn't seem to know how to play anymore and was getting caught holding the ball 3-4 times a week. He's totally turned things around and hopefully Raph will too. He has a lot of talent and ability, which may be why so many are so hard on him.

kaos theory · Tue 14 Jul 2009 9:27am

He has the talent, he needs to build his confidence and trust his natural abilities & instincts...

He can make.

asiu · Post: # 775117Post **asiu** » Tue 14 Jul 2009 9:51am

instinctual .....bit like x , had the natural way 'trained and programmed ' out of em

we are not machines.....instinctual equates not seamlessly to 'team role'

saintly · Post: # 775130Post **saintly** » Tue 14 Jul 2009 10:24am

this sounds like the post for Rix a year ago (or 2 years ago)

GrumpyOne · Post: # 775136Post **GrumpyOne** » Tue 14 Jul 2009 10:34am

gazrat wrote:instinctual .....bit like x , had the natural way 'trained and programmed ' out of em

we are not machines.....instinctual equates not seamlessly to 'team role'

Very true Gaz.

We might be top of the ladder with 15 wins straight, but a certain part of me misses the unpredictable flair that some of our players possess.

Hey Ross, move him forward and give him a licence to run, carry and create. You won't be disappointed.

joffaboy · Post: # 775137Post **joffaboy** » Tue 14 Jul 2009 10:35am

saintly wrote:this sounds like the post for Rix a year ago (or 2 years ago)

Rubbish.

If you are trying to equate Raph to Rix, you haven't a clue.

This is a support thread - plenty of other anti Raph threads for you to vent you spleen.

joffaboy · Post: # 775140Post **joffaboy** » Tue 14 Jul 2009 10:39am

GrumpyOne wrote:
gazrat wrote:instinctual .....bit like x , had the natural way 'trained and programmed ' out of em

we are not machines.....instinctual equates not seamlessly to 'team role'
Very true Gaz.

We might be top of the ladder with 15 wins straight, but a certain part of me misses the unpredictable flair that some of our players possess.

Hey Ross, move him forward and give him a licence to run, carry and create. You won't be disappointed.

Unpredictability leads to unpredictable conclusions. Like the coach this years results have been pretty boring, I mean 15-0 is pretty predictable.

Understand about flair, but if it means sacrificing flair for the team and a winning result, well thats what it is all about.

the Saints may look a bit robotic, but if it means a flag, I will put up with it every time, as opposed to scatty flair that leads may lead to some spectacular play but can also cost the team wins.

GrumpyOne · Post: # 775143Post **GrumpyOne** » Tue 14 Jul 2009 10:41am

joffaboy wrote:
GrumpyOne wrote:
gazrat wrote:instinctual .....bit like x , had the natural way 'trained and programmed ' out of em

we are not machines.....instinctual equates not seamlessly to 'team role'
Very true Gaz.

We might be top of the ladder with 15 wins straight, but a certain part of me misses the unpredictable flair that some of our players possess.

Hey Ross, move him forward and give him a licence to run, carry and create. You won't be disappointed.
Unpredictability leads to unpredictable conclusions. Like the coach this years results have been pretty boring, I mean 15-0 is pretty predictable.

Understand about flair, but if it means sacrificing flair for the team and a winning result, well thats what it is all about.

the Saints may look a bit robotic, but if it means a flag, I will put up with it every time, as opposed to scatty flair that leads may lead to some spectacular play but can also cost the team wins.

I'll put up with the robotic stuff if it gets us a premiership, however I might not be too tolerant of it after we win the next three in a row.