Saintsational Fan Forum - A passionate community of St Kilda Football Club fans discussing news, history, players, trade rumours, results, AFL stats and more.
Really enjoyed Raph's work as a third forward in the last quarter on Sunday... Whether he was specifically moved in front of the ball, or just ended up there due to the flooding, it worked.
What did everyone else think? He looked more confident, obviously given more of an attacking role than the defensive one he has had all this year (he is playing more as a stopper than a creater off half back).
I have even been thinking that he could move to the forward line (taking Eddy's role) as a player able to play some creative footy and lay a hard tackle (toughest shoulders going round! ). It could then allow Max back into the side as a pure stopper who can play small...
Sounds feasible. Raph could offer as much as Eddy and then Max and Zac can play and we have the flexibility of using Raph up forward or swinging Zac up there even.
I think the side is stronger with this option than what we had on Sunday.
Robert Harvey's last home game. 24 Aug 2008
StKilda 13.17 def Adelaide 6.11
It could work quite well. His shot at goal wasnt the best but as a HFF (remember those?) he could take a defender away from Kosi and Roo as a decoy and help with the foward pressure.
Id support it
BANG BANG
Mitsuharu Misawa 1962 - 2009.
I am vengeance....I am the night...I....AM.....BATMAN
I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass and im all out of bubblegum
He moves well enough but I have two concerns. One is his goal kicking has never been good and two is he tends to double grab every mark he takes overhead and doesn't take a lot of contested marks. But he is very creative and knows how to find space
It has merit as the 3rd marking forward that we have been searching for generally will get the ball uncontested as clubs dropped that extra player back onto Roo & Kosi.
I recall Raph playing an outstanding game last year on the wing & many on here commented that the freedom made him more assured and let his skills comes to the fore. His performance in the backline during the finals made me forget about that til now.
Raph's pace & athleticism would be a very attractive mix to add to the mix up forward & as other's have mentioned, would allow Max to come back in possibly.
BringBackMadDog wrote:He moves well enough but I have two concerns. One is his goal kicking has never been good and two is he tends to double grab every mark he takes overhead and doesn't take a lot of contested marks. But he is very creative and knows how to find space
anyone seen eddy kick and try and get his hands on a mark
much better option than eddy and anything that gets max in the side, im worried the day we dont have a genuine stopper to put on someone who is running a muck, max can play tall and small, granted he is not a runner like raph so would need to work that out down back.
BringBackMadDog wrote:He moves well enough but I have two concerns. One is his goal kicking has never been good and two is he tends to double grab every mark he takes overhead and doesn't take a lot of contested marks. But he is very creative and knows how to find space
anyone seen eddy kick and try and get his hands on a mark
much better option than eddy and anything that gets max in the side, im worried the day we dont have a genuine stopper to put on someone who is running a muck, max can play tall and small, granted he is not a runner like raph so would need to work that out down back.
That is the only draw-back - Max's creativity isn't fantastic. Although, Raph hasn't played a very attacking brand of footy this year (it has rather been shared by Gilbo and Fisher), therefore, we would not be missing out on a great deal of run. Also, Max would surely concede less goals than Raph (not that Raph has been at all leaky... but lets be honest - he's no Max!)
ohwhenthesaints! wrote:I think it's a great suggestion, but do you think Ross will make any significant changes like that at this late stage?
He did on Sunday. Being adaptable is a pretty important quality.
Remember at the start of the season he'd planned to play Gilbo in the forward line and then Max got injured so Gilbo went back. The rest is history. Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention.
depends on the actual blueprint of Eddys role, that we would then possibly forgo. and it may well come down to who we play and horses for courses
I rather think it was one that saw him and Dempster in competition for in the 22
and would doubt it ...but you never know
Incidently Raffs sojourn forward looked more like a replacement for Kozi who went down back as with under 10 mins to go the only chance Pies had by then was to bomb it in hope
BonoRocks wrote:
anyone seen eddy kick and try and get his hands on a mark
much better option than eddy and anything that gets max in the side, im worried the day we dont have a genuine stopper to put on someone who is running a muck, max can play tall and small, granted he is not a runner like raph so would need to work that out down back.
Let's never forget 97 and Jamie Shanahan. we had no other option then at it hurt us big time.
Max gives us another option other than Zac on the big stage.
I reckon give Max a go in the prelim and then both in the GF with Raph up forward and Eddy out.
Raph was composed enough to put the ball in front of nick for that last goal !
Robert Harvey's last home game. 24 Aug 2008
StKilda 13.17 def Adelaide 6.11
I think this idea has merit. Raph has better skills than Eddy, but it all depends on what Eddy's role is. While Raph be able to provide more frontal pressure (tackling, etc) than Eddy?
Was thinking exactly the same thing as the OP. Thought not only his mark in the last 1/4 but his attack on the ball in the air at other contests was great. Just what we need. His fwd pressure would want to improve though, as highlighted on 'On the couch' last night. No token chases. This will no doubt be highlighted to him during the week.
battye wrote:I think this idea has merit. Raph has better skills than Eddy, but it all depends on what Eddy's role is. While Raph be able to provide more frontal pressure (tackling, etc) than Eddy?
yep...and would make a lot of us incredibly happy......max and the team included...but he has missed a lot of weeks now...and the chances of max playing are getting less and less all the time.....
.everybody still loves lenny....and we always will
"Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of a free society,"
However, freedom of expression is not encouraged in certain forums.
Hmm, don't think Raph and Eddy are battling for the same role in Rossy's mind. I know we all want Max in but I think it's been made clear this will only happen at Zac or Blakey's expense.
was one reason we kicked goals in that final quarter, was clever enough to find space (schneider and roo were the only forwards to present all day) and his handpassed showed the ability he has. Perhaps bring in dempster for eddy and you have two players with the ability to play shut down back, rebounding back or 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
Raph is the type of player I could see kicking 3 or 4 in a Grand Final.
Like a Shane Ellen type. The type of player who could get under the guard of the opposition.
He is a backman. One average quarter as a forward doesnt make you a forward. May be used there again but will mainly play back especially against the Dogs.
). It could then allow Max back into the side as a pure stopper who can play small...
