Raph Clarke Half forward flank?

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Sorry to create another Raph thread but i think it's time we put him to the Half Forward line and leave him there for a good 4 weeks and let him develop into the roll.

To me Raph could do a "Robert Murphy" type rule perfectly.

Raph has the skills to become a genuine AFL standard player and i believe if we back him in and say Raph u've got 4 weeks to make this position ur own he would excell.

Currently he is being played in the wrong position the Back half is not the place to be for some1 who is out of form and makes silly decisions under pressure.

So lets send Raph forward and demand him to Tackle and pressure when the ball comes to ground and keep the opposition backs honest.

I guess our problem is we have far to many forward and he can't get a full crack at it.

I believe a fully fit Confident Raph could be a dangerous option on a half forward flank

[Shaggy]

I would like to see Raph on the HFF also but I do remember in the early days he was a shocker kicking at goals

[Solar]

as with what I said in other threads, the kid is a HFF. Problem is he is one of the few that can actually spoil and use his body down back and therefore is used there when our usual backs fall down with injury.

He and fergusson have had their careers destroyed so far by the fact that we refuse to play them forward in the AFL for a extended period of time.

[esaint66]

I would like to see Raph on the HFF also but I do remember in the early days he was a shocker kicking at goals

Yes i remember his first kick for goal about 20 meteres out on a 45 degree angle and they kept flashing to his family in the crowd and the ball rolled off his boo into the post for a boundary throw in and the look on his family's face was priceless.

But in all seriousness i wouldnt mind chucking Raph into the fowardline because IMO he cant be doing much worse in the seniors.

[plugger66]

I would love to know what he has showed to even slightly prove he should play forward. He seems to me to be a straight ahead player only suited to the backline IMO.

[JeffDunne]

I'm not convinced Raph is a forward in the making.

IMO he doesn't display enough awareness to indicate he'd be a good forward.

[esaint66]

I would love to know what he has showed to even slightly prove he should play forward. He seems to me to be a straight ahead player not suited to the backline IMO.

His form up foward for the scorpions has been pretty good with a BOG (i think) against tassie.

Maybe Greg Hutchison should hav a word in Ross Lyon's ear about him.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Ross would be fully aware how he's boy's are going in the 2's i guarantee that

[esaint66]

Ross would be fully aware how he's boy's are going in the 2's i guarantee that

I know mate but what i meant was that GH should explain to RL about why he should possibly play him up foward because it seems to be working.

Btw was RL at the scorp's game today? anyone?

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Ross would be fully aware how he's boy's are going in the 2's i guarantee that

I know mate but what i meant was that GH should explain to RL about why he should possibly play him up foward because it seems to be working.

Btw was RL at the scorp's game today? anyone?

Ross may have even asked for Raph to be played up forward in the 2's who no's

[esaint66]

Ross would be fully aware how he's boy's are going in the 2's i guarantee that

I know mate but what i meant was that GH should explain to RL about why he should possibly play him up foward because it seems to be working.

Btw was RL at the scorp's game today? anyone?

Ross may have even asked for Raph to be played up forward in the 2's who no's

Well yes maybe.

But normally it would be the 2's coach that would have the call so im just going by what happens normally, but yes you could have something.

[Solar]

I would love to know what he has showed to even slightly prove he should play forward. He seems to me to be a straight ahead player only suited to the backline IMO.

played there as well as midfield as a junior up at st mary's. Also has played on and off for the scorpions down forward. Set up three goals as a wing/HF on saturday night before the injuries struck and he was sent down back.

Good leading forward who has good body positioning and a decient leap. Just needs a chance to settle into a position.

[plugger66]

I would love to know what he has showed to even slightly prove he should play forward. He seems to me to be a straight ahead player only suited to the backline IMO.

played there as well as midfield as a junior up at st mary's. Also has played on and off for the scorpions down forward. Set up three goals as a wing/HF on saturday night before the injuries struck and he was sent down back.

Good leading forward who has good body positioning and a decient leap. Just needs a chance to settle into a position.

Not sure he was playing HFF or wing at all last week but maybe I didnt see the game very well. By the way I dont think it matters where they play as juniors it is what they do in the AFL and has really never showed anyting as a forward in the the big league.

[Shaggy]

I would love to know what he has showed to even slightly prove he should play forward. He seems to me to be a straight ahead player only suited to the backline IMO.

played there as well as midfield as a junior up at st mary's. Also has played on and off for the scorpions down forward. Set up three goals as a wing/HF on saturday night before the injuries struck and he was sent down back.

Good leading forward who has good body positioning and a decient leap. Just needs a chance to settle into a position.

Not sure he was playing HFF or wing at all last week but maybe I didnt see the game very well. By the way I dont think it matters where they play as juniors it is what they do in the AFL and has really never showed anyting as a forward in the the big league.

In AFL Raph has only really been played in the back line. GT believed it is the easiest and best place for youngsters to learn which I agree with (the ball comes to you ... you do not have to make the play).

Raph now picks up a lot of possessions (and mistakes). Raph is now mature and confident enough to be given a job up forward IMO. He will make mistakes but in the clinches I think Raph is excellent. He tends to only panic when he has space ... in the forward line he wont have space

[The_Dud]

if he has to be in the team, might as well play him where his mistakes are gonna cost us the least

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

With modern day footy u make a mistake in the back half and turn it over the ball will be raced down the other end and a goal will result anyway can't afford to make mistakes anywhere on the ground especially with the pace of the game.

[bigcarl]

i though raph was much improved against the tigers and apparently played a terrific game for casey in the forward line.

he's the creative type, rather than the dour, defensive, close-checking type so i think giving him a run forward is worth a shot.

[The_Dud]

i would still rather turn the ball over in our forward 50 not theirs

[esaint66]

if he has to be in the team, might as well play him where his mistakes are gonna cost us the least

Hahahahaha true that

[The Fireman]

the fact that there are so many Raph threads pretty much speaks for itself.

[Shaggy]

the fact that there are so many Raph threads pretty much speaks for itself.

Considering Raph just got 19 possessions in his 34th game I think it says more about the posters who are expecting/hoping so much more from Raph at this stage (to make their own life more fulfilled).

[Solar]

I would love to know what he has showed to even slightly prove he should play forward. He seems to me to be a straight ahead player only suited to the backline IMO.

played there as well as midfield as a junior up at st mary's. Also has played on and off for the scorpions down forward. Set up three goals as a wing/HF on saturday night before the injuries struck and he was sent down back.

Good leading forward who has good body positioning and a decient leap. Just needs a chance to settle into a position.

Not sure he was playing HFF or wing at all last week but maybe I didnt see the game very well. By the way I dont think it matters where they play as juniors it is what they do in the AFL and has really never showed anyting as a forward in the the big league.

thats because he has never been given a long enough run at it in the big league. He is such a good size as a utility that he has been thrown around a little bit more then most.

Anyway it's hard to argue that he needs a go forward when you put forward that he shouldn't be because he has never shown anything as a forward. You never know till you give him an actual go in that position for an extended period. So far in the short flashes at AFL and VFL level he has shown that he is a very clever wing/hff who has good vision when given space and options.

[saintjake]

im sick of everyone going with the same old same old.
raph clarke has proven he is a dud, so has fiora,
i hope they come good in the future, ala leon davis, who took AGES to develop.
my thought is why dont we go with fergo on the hff, give him a decent go.
same with gwilt, they could be solid players, if given a decent enough go.

thoughts..

[Huzzad]

im sick of everyone going with the same old same old.
raph clarke has proven he is a dud, so has fiora,
i hope they come good in the future, ala leon davis, who took AGES to develop.
my thought is why dont we go with fergo on the hff, give him a decent go.
same with gwilt, they could be solid players, if given a decent enough go.

thoughts..

id like to see Gwilt given another shot. We've seen what he is capable of, then sadly dropping away. Not sure what it is going to take for him to get a spot but with Goose out, who knows. This might be his last chance. But I would be happy to see him given another shot. You never know what might happen. How is his form in Casey though?

[WinnersOnly]

raph clarke has proven he is a dud, so has fiora,

There is one major difference between these two - Raph has a big heart and puts his body on the line and you can envisage him improving - Fiora is soft no heart no hope of improvement...