Xavier CLARKE ? !!

[Eastern]

If the club are going to de-list X lets hope they do it this week. That way we can invite him to play for the forum team next Sunday. That is if HD will pick him !!

[groupie1]

CJ deserved his spot yes, which is why I rated his performance as admirable.....he was in the side due to

X.Clarke's injury
Baker's injury
Armo's lack of development
Birss's lack of leg speed
Fiora's lack of form

yes he deserved his spot.....

If you were an observant of our set-up, you would understand that CJ played as a High Half Forward, often in a defensive/accountable role on a running back. He played a couple of games further up the ground when Ball/Dempster went down later and Rob Eddy took his role.

A tool.......maybe...a realist, definitely

Birss's lack of leg speed? (totally wrong)
Fiora's lack of form? (never had form)

I agree with your basic point, CJ possibly not in a side that wins a premiership - but give him a bit more time - his disposal improved massively at the second half. He has leg, and he has spirit, and he can do a job. Of the Eddy/Fiora/McQualter/Harvey/Gilbert/Gwilt/Raph/CJ crowd - the borderliners, in other words; we replace with Cousins/Ball/Ray/Baker, we hope Raph/Gilbert go on imprioving, and even with pressure from X and possibly Maguire, I think the last to consider dropping are CJ and Gwilt - which would require big strides from Birss and Armitage.

Keep CJ in the 22 unless compelling reason not to.
Bob Skilton said the footballer's greatest gift was his ticker.

[bigcarl]

He is not the "in and under" type Thomas tried to make him into.

Go when it is your turn, and X should learn that.

He has nothing to prove in regards courage, and should return to his natural game as a skilful, running player with good leaping skills.

Needs licence, and Thomas took that from him.

i would have thought he played his best football under grant, but what you say about giving players licence is applicable to our current coach and certain players with attacking flair. dal santo is one.

[CeilidhSaint]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

[saintbrat]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

why do things never happen yesterday
always tomorrow

makes it so much easier when news is old rather than expected

[Eastern]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

If true, is very good news !!

[Con Gorozidis]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

If true, is very good news !!

why is it good news? he cant get in our top 22. makes no difference. is an average player.

[Eastern]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

If true, is very good news !!

why is it good news? he cant get in our top 22. makes no difference. is an average player.

Difference of opinion. I think he is in our best 22. You think he isn't. We move on. Simple, really !!

[Saints Premiers 2008]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

If true, is very good news !!

why is it good news? he cant get in our top 22. makes no difference. is an average player.

Difference of opinion. I think he is in our best 22. You think he isn't. We move on. Simple, really !!

if he does well good'o lets hope he comes good but if he doesn't well...bye..

one sainter i don't feel a connection to

[crackers35]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

If true, is very good news !!

why is it good news? he cant get in our top 22. makes no difference. is an average player.

Difference of opinion. I think he is in our best 22. You think he isn't. We move on. Simple, really !!

if he does well good'o lets hope he comes good but if he doesn't well...bye..

one sainter i don't feel a connection to

Same with me. Give him 1 year and if he's good keep him, if not get rid of him

[Con Gorozidis]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

If true, is very good news !!

why is it good news? he cant get in our top 22. makes no difference. is an average player.

Difference of opinion. I think he is in our best 22. You think he isn't. We move on. Simple, really !!

well its not my opinion. its not entirely subjective. it is the opinion of the selection panel - and thats whose opinion counts.

in the final against the hawks he was available and not selected. so by definition was not in our best 22 on that occassion. of course he may well be shown to be in our best 22 when he puts some games together and gets some form.

but as at this point in team (the last game is all that counts) - he is not in our best 22. i hope he improves.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

what does x really offer to the team???

im really unsure even when fit what he does consistently...

[Teflon]

I think X has a role in the 22 - he can tackle (yes he had a shocker after so many weeks out and coming back in against a rampant Cats) but he will put his body in, has some run to break lines (again we dont have an abundance of this) and can kick a goal.

Is easily ahead of Fiora should be fighting with the likes of Ray next season but does have a place....just needs some consistency...

[Con Gorozidis]

I think X has a role in the 22 - he can tackle (yes he had a shocker after so many weeks out and coming back in against a rampant Cats) but he will put his body in, has some run to break lines (again we dont have an abundance of this) and can kick a goal.

Is easily ahead of Fiora should be fighting with the likes of Ray next season but does have a place....just needs some consistency...

fair call. but also needs some body strength/core stability. gets pushed off the ball or brushed aside in contested ball situations way too easily. also goes to ground too eaily. needs to work on that over the summer.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

I think X has a role in the 22 - he can tackle (yes he had a shocker after so many weeks out and coming back in against a rampant Cats) but he will put his body in, has some run to break lines (again we dont have an abundance of this) and can kick a goal.

Is easily ahead of Fiora should be fighting with the likes of Ray next season but does have a place....just needs some consistency...

fair call. but also needs some body strength/core stability. gets pushed off the ball or brushed aside in contested ball situations way too easily. also goes to ground too eaily. needs to work on that over the summer.

his kicking for goal is terrible...i have seen him miss so many mostly on the run...

great another one of those

[sainteronline]

X has a one year contract in front of him and has pen poised above paper, just needs to sign it. Is away currently.

If true, is very good news !!

why is it good news? he cant get in our top 22. makes no difference. is an average player.

Difference of opinion. I think he is in our best 22. You think he isn't. We move on. Simple, really !!

well its not my opinion. its not entirely subjective. it is the opinion of the selection panel - and thats whose opinion counts.

in the final against the hawks he was available and not selected. so by definition was not in our best 22 on that occassion. of course he may well be shown to be in our best 22 when he puts some games together and gets some form.

but as at this point in team (the last game is all that counts) - he is not in our best 22. i hope he improves.

using this method, half our 22 from the last game, should not be getting a game next year

[BAM! (shhhh)]

X is one of the players who's reviews on this site constantly confound me.

For me, there are only two issues with Xavier Clarke:
1) Hes made of glass.
2) His shots at goal leave a lot to be desired.

If we're thinking of him as a running back, I'd add that I don't think he's an especially smart footballer - I've seen him beat one opponent only to run himself into trouble too many times... however when healthy in recent years, he's been played at HFF more than HBF, which is where I like him.

Quite simply, he goes in hard, he runs hard, he disposes well (when not shooting at goal) by hand and foot. He's an above average mark given his size... given his body, it may be that he actually has to reign in his ambition a bit and just focus on getting 22 games in, but I find it perplexing how many people don't see talent when watching X play - we all see different things, and no player embodies it more than X.

I just want to see him stay healthy. If he ever, ever does, the talent and approach will see him come good.

[spert]

X is a player who suffers from chronic injuries and every year older he gets, the harder it is for the body to recover. We need players who can stay on the track for a season, so whether that's good or bad for X who knows, but he is a risky proposition for that reason.

[SainterK]

So he is 25 now, played just the 8 games in total last year...is there still time for him to make it?

There seems to be a lot of posters with heavy expectations for other players in this age group, does the same rule apply here and should he have already met his "potential"

[evertonfc]

X......is he a better footballer than C.J.???????

By the length of the straight, and the fact that CJ was playing in his spot due to injury hurt us bad going fwd......CJ did an admirable job in a few player absence (should have been Birss) but was the reason why we are not top 2.

Players like CJ...in the side
mean that good side cannot beat great sides, but can be competative
and
Good side consistently beat poor sides, but not smash them

Exactly, exactly, exactly.

It's interesting what some people value in players. Some just love our 'tryers' because they give their all. Great, but you need an element of skill to go with it. We have too many blokes who try but have zero - and I mean ZERO polish.

I look at someone like X, who is a genuinely talented HFF, and think he can contribute a lot to our team going forward.

Yes, he needs a big year and to stay injury-free. But with so many plodders on the list who merely try hard, you need to stick fat with those who are capable of delivering more. There comes a point, but X is not at that point yet.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

x is fine even coming back for injury hae can fill holes in the starting 22 . he isnt a Star player and quiet possibly will never be one but he offers more to the team then ferg leigh fisher and rix so if we cut off the bottom three players in the club (ferg rix and leigh fisher) and replace them with kids all it does is move players like fizz x and gwilt down to our bottom three players so the trenght of our bottom three gets better

[Bernard Shakey]

So he is 25 now, played just the 8 games in total last year...is there still time for him to make it?

There seems to be a lot of posters with heavy expectations for other players in this age group, does the same rule apply here and should he have already met his "potential"

I'm tempted to say, like Kosi? But I won't.

[St DAC]

Good to see such restraint BS. Well done.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

X......is he a better footballer than C.J.???????

By the length of the straight, and the fact that CJ was playing in his spot due to injury hurt us bad going fwd......CJ did an admirable job in a few player absence (should have been Birss) but was the reason why we are not top 2.

Players like CJ...in the side
mean that good side cannot beat great sides, but can be competative
and
Good side consistently beat poor sides, but not smash them

Exactly, exactly, exactly.

It's interesting what some people value in players. Some just love our 'tryers' because they give their all. Great, but you need an element of skill to go with it. We have too many blokes who try but have zero - and I mean ZERO polish.

I look at someone like X, who is a genuinely talented HFF, and think he can contribute a lot to our team going forward.

Yes, he needs a big year and to stay injury-free. But with so many plodders on the list who merely try hard, you need to stick fat with those who are capable of delivering more. There comes a point, but X is not at that point yet.

What confuses me about folks writing off Xavier Clarke compared to the "tryers" is that X gets himself hurt because he is a tryer. He throws himself to the bottom of packs, goes for the mark, and generally gives all the efforts that would make him an inside mid if he were 20kg heavier.

Balance that against the skill, and all that's missing is the continuity... people said that about Raph for ages, and while I never wanted to give up on Raph, continuity didn't seem to be what was missing from his AFL level game.

If X can rack up 22 games in a season (or more properly, keep himself on the park for 10+) and he doesn't produce some "wow", by his age I'll be more than happy to write him off... but like I've said above, the boxes he hasn't ticked are staying healthy and goalkicking, if he can just tick the staying healthy, his results will follow.

[Mr Magic]

Interestingly that so many put goalkicking as one of X's major flaws.
I'm pretty sure that whwn he was drafted with pick #5 most of the pundits put his 'kicking' as one of his major 'pluses'.