Great game Raph

To the top · Sun 04 Sep 2011 1:32am

They are still out there.

Had some clown in the row behind us screaming for him to be taken off when he went down in the last.

Asked the question when Clarke took a strong mark shortly after - and the response was that he turned it over 15 times in the first quarter and should not be in the side because he is a liability!

Really makes you wonder.

georgie girl · Sun 04 Sep 2011 1:38am

Raph has always been a confidence player! Love seeing him stringing some great games together.

doggerel · Post: # 1130884Post **doggerel** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 2:31am

I think we are dreaming as long as we have Raph and Gilbo running off half back. They are amongst the worst kicks in the AFL. We need some lasers there. Lots to like about Raph's game tonight; no shortage of courage and the good outweighed the bad. But that's a good night. How about a bad one? And there are more of those.

I reckon a fair % of Carlton's attacking opportunities/goals tonight could be traced back to Raph & Gilbo's poor kicking and other errors. Will have to watch the replay - but that was my impression at the ground.

I doubt that Raph will have much currency, but if there is the opportunity to trade Gilbert to GWS at the end of the season I will be all for it. We have to improve somehow and I see the use of the ball off half back being a pretty obvious one.

saint75 · Post: # 1130891Post **saint75** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 2:45am

Sainternist wrote: Where are all the Raph-bashers now?

They were sitting behind me in the members tonight. Fair dinkum, some people really have no idea and were told so with some very choice words.

Well done Raph! Hope the ankle is right for next week.

Little Dozer · Sun 04 Sep 2011 5:40am

ozrulestrace wrote:
Dr Spaceman wrote:
Sainternist wrote:10 minutes into that final quarter I was calling "well done, BOG" whenever he got a touch.

I vaguelly remember him spilling a mark, but to criticise him for that would be just plain nitpicking.

Where are all the Raph-bashers now?

*silence*

Yep, they have pulled their heads in now. And so they bloody should.
Don't worry, there'll always be someone to bash
Well yes we had the Zac Dawson knocker this evening and Zac became the whipping boy for the gentleman in M32, row GG for all of the first quarter.

So bad that the St Kilda barracking family in the row of this goose had to move because of his harping on about Zac Dawson and his general behaviour towards those in the area.

Sir, if you are going to knock Zac Dawson at least have an informed opinion about the player, and as for your general behaviour, don't turn up half soaked before the game and keep drinking and if people ask to temper the language then do so.

But then it got really good when Zac marked and kicked and then took another good mark in the third quarter by which time this idiot had disappeared to go and get some more liquid refreshments.

Dawson may have taken a few grabs and kicked 1 up forward but his defending is lamentable, clearly not AFL standard, O'hailpin tore him to shreads FFS.

skeptic · Post: # 1130993Post **skeptic** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 9:38am

doggerel wrote:I think we are dreaming as long as we have Raph and Gilbo running off half back. They are amongst the worst kicks in the AFL. We need some lasers there. Lots to like about Raph's game tonight; no shortage of courage and the good outweighed the bad. But that's a good night. How about a bad one? And there are more of those.

I reckon a fair % of Carlton's attacking opportunities/goals tonight could be traced back to Raph & Gilbo's poor kicking and other errors. Will have to watch the replay - but that was my impression at the ground.

I doubt that Raph will have much currency, but if there is the opportunity to trade Gilbert to GWS at the end of the season I will be all for it. We have to improve somehow and I see the use of the ball off half back being a pretty obvious one.

I always thought his disposal was very good - his decision making can be very poor

a kick to a saints player when you've not seen a nearby opponent is not an inaccurate but it does look poor

agree with Gilbert though

borderbarry · Sun 04 Sep 2011 10:31am

I knew that there would be some out there still not satisfied. How can you complain about Raph's kicking when we have Jones and Gram in the side?

DWOODROW · Post: # 1131060Post **DWOODROW** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 10:46am

Well this Sums up Raph for me.

At the gold Coast game where I was lucky enough to meet Raph with David while having a drink with the family, i asked if my kids could see dave after the game had finished on the boundary line.

Dave said sure I will give them a flag.

Raph seeing I had two kids jumped in straight away and said I will give you my flag so both kids can have one.

Now some people might say so what but to me that was a big thing coming from a family perspective. He didn't have to but tells me what sort of a person he is.

My kids were over the moon. So was I and is one of the selfless acts Raph doesn't think about doing on the field.

Good on ya Raph. The kids have the flags hanging high champ.

3rd generation saint · Sun 04 Sep 2011 10:59am

Yeah, it's Raph's fault we won.
Just hope the guy I heard on AW after the filth game who called up and said Saints can't win a flag with Raph has the courtesy to acknowledge last night's great game.
By the way he got the 3 votes on AW.
I hope people have noticed that when Raph does get the ball 8-9 times out of 10 he hits a target.

SainterK · Post: # 1131254Post **SainterK** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 3:19pm

You know what Raph does so well, he surges the ball forward.

Just watch him, his is feverish in his attempts to push through the press.

Very Collingwood like, just keeps applying pressure and handballing/kicking the ball forward.

It's not always going to look pretty, I don't reckon the Pies always do either, but somehow he always seems to make the ball spill free to a Saints player while being under pressure the entire time.

One of the hardest jobs in modern footy, we desperately need him.

AnythingsPossibleSaints · Sun 04 Sep 2011 3:30pm

Sainternist wrote:10 minutes into that final quarter I was calling "well done, BOG" whenever he got a touch.

I vaguelly remember him spilling a mark, but to criticise him for that would be just plain nitpicking.

Where are all the Raph-bashers now?

*silence*

Yep, they have pulled their heads in now. And so they bloody should.

Are you a Raph-basher basher?

Fantastic game, Raph, great to see you back to your best!

Eastern · Post: # 1131278Post **Eastern** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 4:13pm

Raph=SAINTSATIONAL Player of the Round !!

stkfc1 · Post: # 1131285Post **stkfc1** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 4:33pm

To me he looks like he's moulding his game on Harry O,except where Harry just bombs it in hope,Raph is actually quite effective in hitting up a target.Which is exactly what we need him to do.Loved the last line of defence, touched ball.Great courage. Great game

ralphsmith · Sun 04 Sep 2011 6:43pm

Yep my best on ground as well.

Fatal of carlton to show him absolutely zero respect.his run off the backline was crucial.

bobmurray · Post: # 1131328Post **bobmurray** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 6:45pm

ralphsmith wrote:Yep my best on ground as well.

maybe you can modify your name to raphsmith......

saintbrat · Post: # 1131335Post **saintbrat** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 6:56pm

mbogo · Post: # 1131357Post **mbogo** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 7:45pm

It is fantastic to see Raph at his best at this time - much needed grunt just at the right time. It is embarassing to be a parent at some St Kilda games when the anti-Milne chants go up - let alone the thinly guised racism about Raph from out own troglodyte supporters.
Go Raph, brilliant game!

plugger66 · Post: # 1131358Post **plugger66** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 7:47pm

mbogo wrote:It is fantastic to see Raph at his best at this time - much needed grunt just at the right time. It is embarassing to be a parent at some St Kilda games when the anti-Milne chants go up - let alone the thinly guised racism about Raph.
Go Raph, brilliant game!

I had heaps around mainly knocking Zac. Must be that recism against redheads or maybe some people reckon certain players cant play

Winmar7Fan · Sun 04 Sep 2011 8:25pm

The Fireman wrote:congrats to Raph ...he has come of age.
Was one of his detractors but so pleased to witness his improvement, good on him and let's %$^%%$ go.

Same here but last night he was unbelievable. Hardly made a mistake and didn't look his usual clumsy self and even looken quite fast....

Ok what have they done with the real Raph and who's this stand in?

Only kidding well done Raph to stay strong through all the bagging out their and rise above it is truly Inspiring and are becoming a valuable and solid defender.

To the top · Sun 04 Sep 2011 9:04pm

"all the bagging out their".

From a self confessed Raph basher.

The uneducated telling their fellow uneducated what they do not know.

A product of the Murdoch school of education?

ThomasR · Post: # 1131407Post **ThomasR** » Sun 04 Sep 2011 9:30pm

Always been a fan since his first kick for goal. Raph shows a lot of leadership down back and works hard to organise the structures. He was excellent again last night, love watching him lope out of the backline in the knowledge that he will use it to advantage.

His contested work is much improved and his kicking has always been technically sound - it has always just been a confidence and decision-making thing - no doubt hindered by the short sighted judgments of certain "supporters"

Only criticism is the missed tackle on Tuohy.. gotta stick them in the next few weeks... otherwise a near flawless performance.. great to see him getting the overdue plaudits

Winmar7Fan · Sun 04 Sep 2011 11:17pm

To the top wrote:"all the bagging out their".

From a self confessed Raph basher.

The uneducated telling their fellow uneducated what they do not know.

A product of the Murdoch school of education?

"Raph basher"? I simply said I didn't rate him much as a player and he has grown and Improved his game over time despite copping a lot of flack whether I was one of them or not. Why is that so hard to get your head around?

Just because I didn't rate him doesn't mean I publicly canned the hell out him or booed and heckled him at games I don't approve that behaviour at all.

But that's ok I know your unprovoked shot was only trying to look Impressive with your "Murdoch school of education" crap.

Bernard Shakey · Sun 04 Sep 2011 11:39pm

Raph has a very cool head and doesn't panic as most seem to think. He doesn't always make the right decision but he always knows what he's doing and what he and his teammates are supposed to do.
He's a great team man.

wasoncestkil58 · Sun 04 Sep 2011 11:56pm

Please don't ever judge one of our players against that front runner in Harry O'Brien.

Solar · Post: # 1131568Post **Solar** » Mon 05 Sep 2011 10:13am

ThomasR wrote:Always been a fan since his first kick for goal. Raph shows a lot of leadership down back and works hard to organise the structures. He was excellent again last night, love watching him lope out of the backline in the knowledge that he will use it to advantage.

His contested work is much improved and his kicking has always been technically sound - it has always just been a confidence and decision-making thing - no doubt hindered by the short sighted judgments of certain "supporters"

Only criticism is the missed tackle on Tuohy.. gotta stick them in the next few weeks... otherwise a near flawless performance.. great to see him getting the overdue plaudits

this