Cripps

[Teflon]

I'm not a massive wrap for Cripps but I must say he has goal sense and makes sides pay when he gets a shot... could be handy fwd next week

[vacuous space]

I'm not a massive wrap for Cripps...

Why not? He's quick, he's a good kick and so far I've seen none of this weak attack on the ball that he's been accused of.

Seemed a little lost up forward earlier in the year after being suddenly moved after playing the entire preseason in defence. He was really solid today. Hopefully he can back that up against better opposition.

[mr six o'clock]

He always seems to deliver !

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Thought Cripps did well today

[Beekay]

makes sides pay when he gets a shot...

and bingo was his name'o!

the reason we aren't top 4 is because we waste some terribly easy chances.

[Teflon]

I'm not a massive wrap for Cripps...

Why not? He's quick, he's a good kick and so far I've seen none of this weak attack on the ball that he's been accused of.

Seemed a little lost up forward earlier in the year after being suddenly moved after playing the entire preseason in defence. He was really solid today. Hopefully he can back that up against better opposition.

My questions are over his attack on the ball.

I like he takes his opportunities but he is very reliant on the soft ball spill out the back at present, that will come. I think Ledger attacksthe ball better......I think Cripps may have better skills but again thats off seeing only saints games/pre season games snippets.

[saintsRrising]

Not really a fair comparison between Cripps and Ledger.

Cripps is playing an outside role in the main.....whereas Ledger plays often as an inside mid or in and under type.

[vacuous space]

My questions are over his attack on the ball.

I don't see it. He's struggled to cope with the pace of the games at times, but I've never seen anything questionable in terms of his attack on the ball. Personally, I think he's copped some stuff around here for not being Jack Darling and being perceived to have taken games off Ledger.

I think today's game shows just how different Cripps and Ledger are viewed. Ledge is that in and under, base-of-the-pack type player where Cripps is more the 100m between-the-arcs type. I don't think Cripps will ever get more than spot on ball duty, where Ledge probably won't see much time outside the square. I think both will make the grade.

[Eastern]

A bit like Sippos in that he really knows what to do with the ball and how to do it. Also like Siposs, he needs to get it more often !!

[saint6709]

Not a fan - hope to be in the future

[Teflon]

A bit like Sippos in that he really knows what to do with the ball and how to do it. Also like Siposs, he needs to get it more often !!

Correct

I don't mean attack on the ball in that he's not hard enough I mean more like his ability to get to and influence a contest.
Outside player or not he needs to be able to do that

[gringo]

Why doesn't anyone like him, He looks like a kid on the up? I like the way he plays and think he'll be a very good player in a couple of years. maybe it was because some one spead rumours about him dogging contests.

[bergholt]

i liked his game, was thereabouts and looked like he was going in hard enough for mine. tends to use it pretty well, knows roughly how to find the ball and can kick a goal. not sure exactly what there is to not like. ahead of ledger at this stage.

[class of 2010]

I must admit I've never been his biggest fan, but I did really like his game yesterday. Like others I have noticed that he (in almost the same way gram sometimes annoys me) chooses not to get to a contest when he isn't in the best position to win the ball. Both he and gram it seemed were making a concerted effort to do so yesterday and I thought were amongst our better players. Has that fantastic ability to convert chances into goals and I was heartened by his post match interview on saints.com in which he mentioned on several occasions that his hardness on the contest was one of his main focusses as directed by the coaching staff. Obviously Cripps sees this slight weakness in his game as something he can improve on, and if he does so I think he will develop into a very damaging outside link player. His run and carry style and slight frame reminds me of a young joey. If he ends up anywhere near as good a player as him we've done really well, and joey's been able to put on a bit of bulk and become that inside/outside runner that are so valuable in games of footy, so hopefully Cripps can do something similar!

[gringo]

I must admit I've never been his biggest fan, but I did really like his game yesterday. Like others I have noticed that he (in almost the same way gram sometimes annoys me) chooses not to get to a contest when he isn't in the best position to win the ball. Both he and gram it seemed were making a concerted effort to do so yesterday and I thought were amongst our better players. Has that fantastic ability to convert chances into goals and I was heartened by his post match interview on saints.com in which he mentioned on several occasions that his hardness on the contest was one of his main focusses as directed by the coaching staff. Obviously Cripps sees this slight weakness in his game as something he can improve on, and if he does so I think he will develop into a very damaging outside link player. His run and carry style and slight frame reminds me of a young joey. If he ends up anywhere near as good a player as him we've done really well, and joey's been able to put on a bit of bulk and become that inside/outside runner that are so valuable in games of footy, so hopefully Cripps can do something similar!

Gram is unfairly judged in my opinion too. Gram would need to stand in front of plugger at full tilt with his head bent over the footy and he'd still not have taken like a man in most fans minds. People will be looking at a hospitalised Gram saying "well he went hard this week but he still dogs it". Cripps was an ideal sub last year coming off the bench and using pace and goal kicking skills to his advantage. A team of 22 Tony Locketts wouldn't win games of footy, you need a range of types -not every player needs to be at the bottom of every pack.

[Teflon]

I must admit I've never been his biggest fan, but I did really like his game yesterday. Like others I have noticed that he (in almost the same way gram sometimes annoys me) chooses not to get to a contest when he isn't in the best position to win the ball. Both he and gram it seemed were making a concerted effort to do so yesterday and I thought were amongst our better players. Has that fantastic ability to convert chances into goals and I was heartened by his post match interview on saints.com in which he mentioned on several occasions that his hardness on the contest was one of his main focusses as directed by the coaching staff. Obviously Cripps sees this slight weakness in his game as something he can improve on, and if he does so I think he will develop into a very damaging outside link player. His run and carry style and slight frame reminds me of a young joey. If he ends up anywhere near as good a player as him we've done really well, and joey's been able to put on a bit of bulk and become that inside/outside runner that are so valuable in games of footy, so hopefully Cripps can do something similar!

I thought that was what i was saying?

Again, wasnt having a crack or saying "i dont like him" FFS - the same as Im sure the coaching staff arent thinking that when they point out weaknesses in his game. He does need to influence the contest more for mine and get the ball more to maintain his spot - the good news from what I see is that IF he can do that he will make opposition sides pay when hes fwd as he finishes well. But right now, getting on the end of some sloppy defensive efforts from a cr@p side like Melbourne wont sustain him........he'll need to influence that contest far greater against a smart Cats defence or any of the better sides. Im sure it will come.

Comparison to Ledger is probably unfair cause IMHO Leger hasnt had (for whatever reason) the same opportunities to develop at top level Cripps has had. But I can see Leger already does influence a contest when he attacks it - he might just struggle to get to as many for a while and will definately need to work on his defensive game.

[mad saint guy]

Yesterday was probably the best game I've seen from Cripps, mainly because he did go for the ball and tackled harder than he has previously. I feel like his goals do make his stats seem more impressive than they are since he's usually just the last link in the chain. Good on him for getting loose and running to the right spot, but most of his goals are certainly 'cheapies'

I've been a bit concerned over Cripps' ability and where he fits into an AFL side, but if he can continue to improve his intensity and strength while learning to make better decisions with the footy then he has a future.

[gringo]

Yesterday was probably the best game I've seen from Cripps, mainly because he did go for the ball and tackled harder than he has previously. I feel like his goals do make his stats seem more impressive than they are since he's usually just the last link in the chain. Good on him for getting loose and running to the right spot, but most of his goals are certainly 'cheapies'

I've been a bit concerned over Cripps' ability and where he fits into an AFL side, but if he can continue to improve his intensity and strength while learning to make better decisions with the footy then he has a future.

He's an enigma in that he was recruited for that running backline rebounder role that I think now Newnes seems to be in line for also. He can kick goals and is quick so may get his chances elsewhere. He could be anything from a Wojak type speedster to a Jetta type. To me he's get on the cheapies because he has a beautiful touch on the ball like Milera. Just scoops up the footy and gets moving fluidly, that's why he is already balanced when kicking before he's back upright. I never get too impatient in the kids because you don't see the best of them until they have about 50 games into them and that's still in a developing phase.

[The Redeemer]

I'm not a massive wrap for Cripps but I must say he has goal sense and makes sides pay when he gets a shot... could be handy fwd next week

Agreed. He is barely out there most of the time however he finds ways to kick goals.

[vacuous space]

... [Cripps] was recruited for that running backline rebounder role that I think now Newnes seems to be in line for also.

Most of us had Cripps playing that role out of preseason. He led the club in rebounds during the NAB cup. Geary's the one who seemed to squeeze him out - and I don't think you could question that choice. Cripps never looked as comfortable up forward as he did in defence during the preseason.

I think he's got to look at Jetta as a model. I'm not suggesting Cripps will be able to kick 40+ goals out of the midfield, just the style of player, bursting away from packs with speed. He's small, slight and quick so he's much better suited to that than midfield grunt duty.

Newnes looks like a distributor type so it wouldn't shock to see him a kick behind play. You'd love to have that kind of class in the middle though.

[Dr Spaceman]

Cripps, Ledger, Siposs....

All young kids who have been at the club for less than 2 years. None of them particularly high picks in a compromised draft.

I'm not sure why some people expect them to come into side this early into their careers and rip games apart. Do we just get carried away by some of the things some kids are doing at opposition clubs? Don't get me wrong, we all (including me) hope they will, but we shouldn't get disheartened when the reality kicks in. They're still growing into their bodies and have had various health (Cripps) and injury issues.

The kids are doing fine IMO. Nothing to indicate they'll be super stars but nothing to indicate they won't make it either.

Give them time.

[joffaboy]

When do we next play Sydney?

Would love to see Cripps v the Bloods.

[Dr Spaceman]

When do we next play Sydney?

Would love to see Cripps v the Bloods.

Maybe you should change your name to Joff Doggy Dogg

[gringo]

When do we next play Sydney?

Would love to see Cripps v the Bloods.

Maybe you should change your name to Joff Doggy Dogg

we need to bring in Fiddy Shent for that one too.

[Con Gorozidis]

When do we next play Sydney?

Would love to see Cripps v the Bloods.

Maybe you should change your name to Joff Doggy Dogg

we need to bring in Fiddy Shent for that one too.