Raph Clarke

saintsareprettygoodhey · Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:11pm

Got his act together for the game

Played very well.. Made a few clangers but got back up and kept going. Looked decisive today

desertsaint · Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:13pm

Did his job - well done raph!

Russman · Post: # 768729Post **Russman** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:14pm

yep , thought he held his own today.
Hopefully h can back it up for the rest of the season.

claystreet · Post: # 768741Post **claystreet** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:17pm

was better than Gram who needs to toughen up and get in and under

BigMart · Post: # 768748Post **BigMart** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:20pm

Too nervous......Raph has lost confidence....not wanting to take possesion in the last quarter (Rooke goal) is a sign that he is worried about making errors......and the fact he had 1 kick over 15m....he nurses every possesion and takes the safest option...

He was not disgraceful......not good either..

saintjake · Post: # 768754Post **saintjake** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:24pm

disagree, everytime he went near the ball
my heart was in my mouth
never know what he will produce,
skilled player,
but damn i can't stand watching him

saintDal · Post: # 768756Post **saintDal** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:25pm

I thought he was solid. Probably holds the ball a bit too long but thats understandable when he hasn't been in the team for a while.

Jewellzy · Post: # 768784Post **Jewellzy** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:31pm

I definitely get nervous when the onus is on him to make the correct decision. Lacks confidence. Needs to talk to Tambling and just back himself. For the most part he did his job today.

python · Post: # 768785Post **python** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:32pm

im one of the guys that some might call a 'raph basher'. Im usually nervous and concerned whenever he is on the field. However, he was bloody good today, and we cannot ask for any more than that. He may have missed a few targets, but every player out there was guilty of that. He's attack on the ball could not be questioned after today

James · Post: # 768788Post **James** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:33pm

I was worried. Raph is a bit of a Jeckyll and Hyde type - not even his fans can deny that on a bad day he's an absolute turnover merchant.

But he was good today. Sigh of relief.

CaptainRiewoldt · Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:38pm

Raph was good. He did fine. he just needs time in the seniors. After today he will get it.

I apologise Blake is a gun. Maguire doesnt fit in this team unless dawson goes down. Simple and dawson right now is the better player... sorry goose but keep it up only one injury away from a possible premiership medal.

What a game. reiwoldt was amazing and gardiner too. Our structures are better than geelongs we can improve and we will too. geelong were on their game they didnt exactly have a bad day and WE WON BABY!

VietNam_Saint · Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:39pm

claystreet wrote:was better than Gram who needs to toughen up and get in and under

Gee , really ??

For mine I am not convinced he should have been there today. \

Didn't play that bad though.

mad saint guy · Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:56pm

I thought Raph was a bit ordinary. I like him but he needs to (and can) play much better than that to hold his spot. Patricularly with Dempster getting some match fitness and playing well for Sandy.

Skinny · Post: # 768847Post **Skinny** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:56pm

I thought he was very respectable, agree he looked nervous at times but his hands were clean and his kicking was precise even though they were not long kicks.

arthur08 · Post: # 768848Post **arthur08** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 7:57pm

I think I might go against everyone, I think he is finished, I have been prepared to make excuse after excuse for him, but he is slow with his decision process, there were a few times in defence when he was the one who let the bloke free, i think he wont be there if we play far in the finals which i think we will

claystreet · Post: # 768852Post **claystreet** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:00pm

VietNam_Saint wrote:
claystreet wrote:was better than Gram who needs to toughen up and get in and under
Gee , really ??

For mine I am not convinced he should have been there today. \

Didn't play that bad though.

Gram was Shyt on a stick he is gutless

SaintBot · Post: # 768854Post **SaintBot** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:02pm

arthur08 wrote:I think I might go against everyone, I think he is finished, I have been prepared to make excuse after excuse for him, but he is slow with his decision process, there were a few times in defence when he was the one who let the bloke free, i think he wont be there if we play far in the finals which i think we will

Agree, easily the worst checking player in the team - constantly it was his man who got away for an uncontested mark. In terms of a running defender I'd much rather Dempster.

InkerSaint · Post: # 768856Post **InkerSaint** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:03pm

CaptainReiwoldt wrote:What a game. reiwoldt was amazing and gardiner too. Our structures are better than geelongs we can improve and we will too. geelong were on their game they didnt exactly have a bad day and WE WON BABY!

My thoughts EXACTLY.

Geelong's ball use was sublime. However the Saints' structures are superior.

The Cats really took it to us today... the best team won. Hopefully Raph takes some confidence away from a team win like that.

Eastern · Post: # 768858Post **Eastern** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:04pm

1st game back. He did more than emough to hold his spot !!

bergholt · Post: # 768867Post **bergholt** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:09pm

claystreet wrote:was better than Gram who needs to toughen up and get in and under

complete bulls***.

but raph was surprisingly good.

claystreet · Post: # 768869Post **claystreet** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:10pm

Gram is a pussy around the packs

end of story

saintspremiers · Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:14pm

mad saint guy wrote:I thought Raph was a bit ordinary. I like him but he needs to (and can) play much better than that to hold his spot. Patricularly with Dempster getting some match fitness and playing well for Sandy.

Rubbish you like him.

You are just another one of the filthy, gutless tribe of Raph-haters that are out to bag him, like some turd in Row G of the Moorabbin Wing today
that I had to call a disgrace in the final term.

You lot are ready to lynch him unless he is 100% perfect.

FFS nearly ALL players make errors - especially in a pressure cooker today.

Raph was very solid - not in our best - but certainly worthy of selection based on an unbiased neither pro or against Raph viewpoint.

Open your eyes.

bigcarl · Post: # 768897Post **bigcarl** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:25pm

i thought raph was pretty solid. i'd like to see him given a run on a hff for a couple of weeks as i feel that could be the making of him.

he has the talent. it's just a matter of confidence with him.

sendmehomehappy · Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:44pm

Raph comes back in for the pressure cooker game of the season to date...game of the year..perhaps the game of many years.

Geelong( and the umps) threw everything at us...

I thought Raph stood up admirably under the pressure, considering it was his first game back...so the pressure would have been double on him...

I think after this showing, Lyon will give him a run into the finals where his class will be a huge plus for us...back or forward, on the ground

NoMore · Post: # 768942Post **NoMore** » Sun 05 Jul 2009 8:45pm

The reason Ralph gets in can be summed up in one peice of play in the middle of the second quarter.

He took possession of the ball running out of the centre square towards the docklands wing with 2 geelong players in front of him and Joey on his outside. Now if he released the ball quickly Joey would have been closed down and forced to break a tackle.

He took the risk and moved back inside drawing the 2 geelong players into tackling him and keeping the ball free he gave it off to joey who should have hit the target but was free.

This is why he is in the team and not gwilt or eddy. He is a smart footballer.

Also i thought that he should have taken possession of that ball in the last quarter. Sometimes it is a case of Take the ball Take the hit. He will learn this but he has not played enough senior football. I think it is only this year that a few players in our side who have been playing 3 years longer than him have learnt this.

So you lot can tee off on Ralph all you like but it seems lately the bigger the stage the better he plays. And i will take big game players every day of the week.

By the way I LOVE SAM GILBERT and GO THE MIGHTY SAINTS