Raph Clarke = Gun

Devilhead · Sun 17 Jul 2011 12:39am

Raph's best moment for me tonight was in the 3rd quarter when just after he came back on the ground after being crunched by Lynch in the marking contest (running with the flight of the ball mind you) he backed back into another contest and took the mark - courage personified!!!

georgie girl · Sun 17 Jul 2011 12:58am

Great to see Raph have a good game tonight! He is always terrific with effort and the 1 percenters but offensively he is a real confidence player. When his confidence is high his skills are great! Let's hope this game spurs him on! Certainly need him firing with Jimmy G out!

Winmar · Post: # 1106476Post **Winmar** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 1:20am

Raph was great tonight. He was both composed and courageous. That must have shut a lot of the boo boys up.

Junction Oval · Sun 17 Jul 2011 1:22am

Great to see Raph lift tonight. I get twitchy with how long he hangs onto the ball at times before kicking it.

With Jimmy gone for the year, we really need Raph to stand up each week now.

St Lenny · Post: # 1106555Post **St Lenny** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 2:29am

Give credit when credit is due and Raph played a good game tonight. Probably the most consistant game ever with us.

plugger66 · Post: # 1106558Post **plugger66** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 2:32am

Id sack and Grammy as well as Gamble and Dempster. Probably look at one or two thers as well. They are no good. Cant believe they get so many chances.

saintbrat · Post: # 1106563Post **saintbrat** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 2:38am

THERE it was, in a nutshell, on the Etihad Stadium scoreboard.

As the clock ticked past 19 minutes into the first term, the most unexpected stat of the season flashed up.

St Kilda fall guy Raphael Clarke was leading the contested possession count with four - double that of any other player on the ground.

When he was not winning the hard ball, Clark was finding space and delivering perfectly.

He even ran down from half-back and slotted a running goal from 45m, winning over the fans who have for so long bagged him.

Justin Koschitzke, the other whipping boy, kicked two goals in the first and led out like the goliath of old.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/s ... 6095904144

BigMart · Post: # 1106651Post **BigMart** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 10:48am

A person sitting next to me bagged him from the warm up to the bounce...

In the first quarter, i highlighted every posession......and mentioned at quarter time that raph was vying for BOG with Dal and Joey and Kosi....

Later in the game, when Raph was nearly caught with the ball, he referred to him as the slowest abbo in the game.....

Then when he dropped a marke at Hb he called hima stupid black c....

A poor human

The Fireman · Sun 17 Jul 2011 10:53am

I'll put my hand up as one of the usual suspects of bagging Raph for poor output but rapt to see him put in some confident and good footy.
He may have turned the corner last night, hope it lasts.

St. Luke · Post: # 1106666Post **St. Luke** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 10:59am

He looked tremendous last night! So did Dawson! Both lifted immensely. It was great to see. Raph was on fire!

ando051 · Post: # 1106672Post **ando051** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 11:05am

Well done Raph great game, that is the form he has showed at Sandy. I agree about playing him on the wing or loose man down back. Hope the form continues.

PJ · Post: # 1106722Post PJ » Sun 17 Jul 2011 12:16pm

A person sitting next to me bagged him from the warm up to the bounce...

In the first quarter, i highlighted every posession......and mentioned at quarter time that raph was vying for BOG with Dal and Joey and Kosi....

Later in the game, when Raph was nearly caught with the ball, he referred to him as the slowest abbo in the game.....

Then when he dropped a marke at Hb he called hima stupid black c....

A poor human

Can we delist fans? Love to see us trade a few of these supporters (so called?) to Collingwood seems a good fit.

On a serious note am I just imagining it or does Raph go better when the game is at intensity. He seems to make more mistakes when there's less pressure. Great game last night.

matrix · Post: # 1106725Post **matrix** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 12:21pm

BigMart wrote:A person sitting next to me bagged him from the warm up to the bounce...

In the first quarter, i highlighted every posession......and mentioned at quarter time that raph was vying for BOG with Dal and Joey and Kosi....

Later in the game, when Raph was nearly caught with the ball, he referred to him as the slowest abbo in the game.....

Then when he dropped a marke at Hb he called hima stupid black c....

A poor human

people like this need to be humiliated in front of everyone.
what a wanker

ChelseaGuy · Sun 17 Jul 2011 12:49pm

Loved Raph's game last night -- was great seeing him breaking the lines

ralphsmith · Sun 17 Jul 2011 1:22pm

He played great. I want to see more of that this year.

Run the lines, back yourself.

Seems to have drawn a line in the sand.

joffaboy · Post: # 1106773Post **joffaboy** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 1:23pm

PJ wrote:
A person sitting next to me bagged him from the warm up to the bounce...

In the first quarter, i highlighted every posession......and mentioned at quarter time that raph was vying for BOG with Dal and Joey and Kosi....

Later in the game, when Raph was nearly caught with the ball, he referred to him as the slowest abbo in the game.....

Then when he dropped a marke at Hb he called hima stupid black c....

A poor human
Can we delist fans? Love to see us trade a few of these supporters (so called?) to Collingwood seems a good fit.

On a serious note am I just imagining it or does Raph go better when the game is at intensity. He seems to make more mistakes when there's less pressure. Great game last night.

Well there are morons and racists everywhere. What a terrible thing to say about someone playing football.

Clarke has deserved to be critisised in the past, absolutely no doubt about that, but this just reinforces that some of the vitriol and hate towards players like Raph Clarke is about more than just their footballing ability.

I am not point fingers at anyone here specifically, as Ii said Raph has deserved critisism, but the relentless hate towards him leads me to believe that there is a racial element behind some of the things I have heard and read.

No doubt the person above is an out and out racist, same as the St.Kilda supporter behind me at the Blues game calling Eddie Betts and Yarram "petrol sniffers".

the sooner these people are kicked out of our game the better.

borderbarry · Sun 17 Jul 2011 1:50pm

I had Raph as our third best, so did Nathan Brown on the Sunday Footy Show.

matrix · Post: # 1106856Post **matrix** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 4:17pm

i had him as second
which is not the same as brown from the footy show

saint6709 · Post: # 1106866Post **saint6709** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 4:34pm

Raph is a West coast specialist - played his best ever game against them - think it was last year - he was awesome that day - if he can start playing like that against other teams as well I will get 8 on my kids jumper - I hope he does..
Dempster had a role on Embley last night and took the honours - I haven't been a fan but this yearghe seems to be playing a really good stopping roll - Agree with the guy who wrote about Zac - thought he looked good last night - was great to see him actually playing the ball

saint tash · Sun 17 Jul 2011 4:36pm

Solid game, but gun????? crikeys.

Sorry if I sound plugger like but the voice of reason needs to speak out.

Again, would like to see some consistency.

And a shite load of it.

evertonfc · Post: # 1106945Post **evertonfc** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 6:47pm

One swallow doesn't make a summer, but it was a good game.

Well done, Raph.

Beekay · Post: # 1106994Post **Beekay** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 7:47pm

joffaboy wrote: I am not point fingers at anyone here specifically, as Ii said Raph has deserved critisism, but the relentless hate towards him leads me to believe that there is a racial element behind some of the things I have heard and read.

Do Gram and Kosi supporters play the race card?

It's 2011 ffs... sure, ignorance and stupidity will always exist

if people think that supporters - even just hypothetical - who bag raph and even called him "the slowest abo" in the AFL, wouldn't be wearing his jumper if he was kicking 5 goals a game and taking hangers... well, you're out of touch with reality

i think alcohol is a far bigger problem than racism

BigMart · Post: # 1106999Post **BigMart** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 8:01pm

Doesnt make the comment at all approprite does it???

It doesnt help his cause in some people's eyes......

He annoys me, because i think he underachieves.......because of two reasons

He is physically courageou, but mentally a bit soft and relies on confidence for performance

He has never got his body to afl standards, therefore he struggles to cope with afl demands onthe body....it takes hard work in the off season....not aure he does it. Has he ever looked in ripping condition???

Middo · Post: # 1107010Post **Middo** » Sun 17 Jul 2011 8:33pm

BigMart wrote:A person sitting next to me bagged him from the warm up to the bounce...

In the first quarter, i highlighted every posession......and mentioned at quarter time that raph was vying for BOG with Dal and Joey and Kosi....

Later in the game, when Raph was nearly caught with the ball, he referred to him as the slowest abbo in the game.....

Then when he dropped a marke at Hb he called hima stupid black c....

A poor human

Surely you said something to him as your not shy having a crack on here ...?
Or are you just a keyboard warrier ... ....

Zac Attack · Sun 17 Jul 2011 9:54pm

Please do it more Raph. Otherwise the offices of Mr. Attack will be unhappy.