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Why he continually lines up as a key back baffles me
have you not seen his field kicking?
60m onto someones chest...THATS why he is playing off half back..
at full back? Where he is more focused on stopping his oppenent? Waste of talent at FB. HB, yes I can agree with that but currently he is pulled back to the goal square a little too much.
Bev, look I agree that he doesn't seem to take the right option right now but he remind me of a player who has played less then 50 games. He is still being taught the game. Unfortunately because of injury and lack of preseasons in the past this teaching period is taking ALOT longer then we had hoped. Watching him run and create during periods of saturday night shows that he is starting to learn the game, thus there were less mistakes and better options made.
IMO he has a huge upside still be to seen. I am more worried about gram presently then raph, just need to play them in their best positions.
Exactly what i was thinking. Raph should be in the team ahead of gram at this stage. Gram has been terrible so far....won't go for the ball: i really hate those kicks off the ground that he does every week instead of putting his head over it.
He also refuses to leave his man for the sake of the team, twice on Saturday i went off my nut at him as the tigers streamed towards goal and he refused to put any doubt in the richmond attackers mind, and wandered off towards his man who was in a worse position than the attacking player.
maverick wrote:Totally agree on BJ, this is a big bug bear of mine.
He is the perfect flanker, who reads the ball well, a good mark for his size and the best kick in our side by a long way.
Why he continually lines up as a key back baffles me.
I would rather see Rix, Gwilt or even Ferguson at FB than BJ, it just hurts us more than it plugs a hole.
Raph, I think may be a bit different, I think the coaching panel is trying to teach a defensive side to his game as his career formulates, releasing him as a running back or wing/HF.
I think that he may have a very slow turning circle which is a problem on the forward line. As for Raph he is to slow and not smart enough to play on the forward line.
Not smart enough to play forward?
That scenario doesn't exist.
It's a strange one because I think that when he is able to be creative he is able to pinpoint and set up forward play very well. Have a look at a couple of goals he set up from the wing saturday night.
plus raph aint that slow, he also works harder then a good majority of our current forward line at present.
Exactly.
For everyone else.
1) Raph isn't slow.
2) Raph is a Forward/Winger
3) How easy do people think it is to spend a couple of weeks in the VFL and AUTOMATICALLY adjust to the pace of AFL?
4) Once he gets full strength within his body, builds up, gets full fitness, he will improve.
Why he continually lines up as a key back baffles me
have you not seen his field kicking?
60m onto someones chest...THATS why he is playing off half back..
at full back? Where he is more focused on stopping his oppenent? Waste of talent at FB. HB, yes I can agree with that but currently he is pulled back to the goal square a little too much.
Bev, look I agree that he doesn't seem to take the right option right now but he remind me of a player who has played less then 50 games. He is still being taught the game. Unfortunately because of injury and lack of preseasons in the past this teaching period is taking ALOT longer then we had hoped. Watching him run and create during periods of saturday night shows that he is starting to learn the game, thus there were less mistakes and better options made.
IMO he has a huge upside still be to seen. I am more worried about gram presently then raph, just need to play them in their best positions.
Exactly what i was thinking. Raph should be in the team ahead of gram at this stage. Gram has been terrible so far....won't go for the ball: i really hate those kicks off the ground that he does every week instead of putting his head over it.
He also refuses to leave his man for the sake of the team, twice on Saturday i went off my nut at him as the tigers streamed towards goal and he refused to put any doubt in the richmond attackers mind, and wandered off towards his man who was in a worse position than the attacking player.
dsreg1 wrote:
Exactly what i was thinking. Raph should be in the team ahead of gram at this stage. Gram has been terrible so far....won't go for the ball: i really hate those kicks off the ground that he does every week instead of putting his head over it.
He also refuses to leave his man for the sake of the team, twice on Saturday i went off my nut at him as the tigers streamed towards goal and he refused to put any doubt in the richmond attackers mind, and wandered off towards his man who was in a worse position than the attacking player.
Would love to see banger grab the kid and teach him to attack the ball, put your nose over. Would rather a player get caught holding it by attacking the pill then either kicking it or waiting for their oppoisition to grab it first then tackle.
Seems to be only in the team currently on past form and the fact that he has a little bit of pace.
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Raph is a work in progress !
he has too much to offer in terms of natural ability and other posative aspects to his game for some to just dismiss and sentence to a life of VFL
The continual baggers need to see this and join with a few of us who try and offer consructive criticism of his game and possable devolpments in this relatively inexperienced Sainter
I like the poster who compared him with the early developing BJ and the vitriol he generated!
I'm sticking with the belief that at present his often slow decisoin mking nd refusal to take the vitally important 1st option in the back half makes him a definite liability there at present, and would much rather see him be given a run down forward ....BUT with our present delemma if he's the best option down back for the last spoy then so be it!
I'm at present looking at the wide range of selection possabilities now we know we cant hve Roo Goose Max X & King for the Pies, and hope to come up with something for the tem thread which doesn't include him in the back half
Young blokes with his obvious talents we can't afford to dismiss so lightly as some would have it ! (imho)
I don't know what it is, but it seems to me that each time Raph has the ball he always seems to find himself in trouble leading to a poor decision.
There could be many reasons in play as to why he finds himself in this position but I do have my heart in my mouth every time he finds himself with the ball.
The point on BJ is fair, we need to work harder to ensure that he is not kept to deep by his opponent, however I believe his best position for the team is off the back flank. His disposal just seems to be getting better and better along with his decision making.
BJ - HB
RAPH - HF
Would be big improvement to side.
Am sick of Raph copping it from fans - Gram's only good game this year was the NAB Cup GF - has been a liability ever since.
me too. there's a real whipping boy mentality to it and to my mind he's far from our worst.
raph makes mistakes but at least takes a few chances.
the ones i worry about are the ones who are so afraid of making a mistake that they don't do anything.[/quote]
So very true!
How many times do we get frustrated at players who do not want to take the risks, yet when a player does and it doesn't come off they are hounded for not doing the right thing! Players who take risks are the one's who get things done fo the team when no one else can be bothered!
me too. there's a real whipping boy mentality to it and to my mind he's far from our worst.
raph makes mistakes but at least takes a few chances.
the ones i worry about are the ones who are so afraid of making a mistake that they don't do anything.[/quote]
So very true!
How many times do we get frustrated at players who do not want to take the risks, yet when a player does and it doesn't come off they are hounded for not doing the right thing! Players who take risks are the one's who get things done fo the team when no one else can be bothered!
I want Raph to succeed more than anyone, I just think that at present he appears hesitant, prone to be caught and making the wrong decision.
All these things can be improved upon, early 2005, even late 2005 these criticism's were still being levelled at Brendan Goddard, however Raph would want to improve some if he is to reach his potential.
I agree Raph is played out of position. He is not a natural backman. I have always felt that in time he could become a very dangerous forward, in a similar mold to Michael O'Loughlin. He does turn the ball over, however is creativity in the forward line would balance this out as he would be creating goals rather than conceding them.
BJ is an awesome player who is often asked to play out of position because he is flexible and can fill a hole
there too many $64 questions about the saints list.
I dont think Goodard is being played out of position in the backline and two different coaches have used him consistently in the sweeping role to back that up. The problem he has is accountablity, and stupid free kicks against. If you watch his game game he gives away a lot of push in the back frees. (and loves to give the ump a spray for getting caught out) He is a great kick and if he gets the ball on the wing you know its going to land in the hands of a forward 30-40mt out.
Raph on the other hand plays a tighter game in defense, has a pretty good leap, and would love him to develop into a Patty Ryder type. I am pretty sure he started as a forward at the saints, & it is his kicking for goal stats the main reason he is playing in the backline.
The BIG problem with both of them is that they only have one speed.
LOPE
And on a more cruel personal note, I think they both might not be the sharpest tools in the shed, you can almost see the wheels clicking over over when they get the ball.
Opposition teams must love seeing Goddard line up in the back:
BJ is a poor defender, often beaten by smaller players one on one....would love to see him on the wing and pushing to the 50m line to kick the goals, ditto Gram on the other wing, and Raph (if he has to be there)in a fwd pocket like O'Loughlin.
Trouble is who plays back?....Max, 2 Fishers, Dempster , Gilbert (when right) and Geary....not very creative but better defensively.
I would expect that they will both finish up in the mid-field.
With Goddard, if Ling can do what he does, why not Goddard?
And how much better should Goddard be?
R. Clarke is currently being used to plug DEFENSIVE gaps, but his skills and his creative flair will see him as the Coach described him last year - "a 6 foot 3 running mid-fielder".
This description was also availed on Gilbert by the Coach, but I see Gilbert, with his added height at 194cm, being required in defence.
However it would be great if we could uncover a couple of key defenders, and given Maguire and Hudgden are currently having their problems I would trust there are guys putting their hands up to have a real crack.
So we may just find out what is in the cupboard over the remainder of this season.
I do discount the likes of Ferguson and Gwilt (just too short) and Rix.
So you are looking at 192cm and taller on our list, which narrows the options!
Raph is the mobile forward we are lacking, if he gets games there he will improve rapidly, Charlie Gardner looks quite lost there at the moment when Rooey is in the side but may be ok witout Roo
BJ is good where he is because of our backline missing talls with good kicking skills, but willl eventaully be the tall center ruck rover type ala Kouta.....
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A team posted just above has L.Fisher and Dempster both in the team with Raph as an emergency. Gees. How often have either of those had 19 possessions and laid 6 tackles in a match for the Saints, like Raph did against the Tigers, and he is still getting crucified for his game. Come on. Be fair and open both eyes you Raph haters.
A team posted just above has L.Fisher and Dempster both in the team with Raph as an emergency. Gees. How often have either of those had 19 possessions and laid 6 tackles in a match for the Saints, like Raph did against the Tigers, and he is still getting crucified for his game. Come on. Be fair and open both eyes you Raph haters.
the team in question also has X on hff ...so there you go !....thats Raphs spot for mine, where he's not such a liability , and could be just the ticket
