Marc Murphy

[Shatterpoint]

Doubt Carazzo will play this week, no match fitness.

 

[The Real Deal]

Been watching Murphy closely the last few weeks, Saints game in particular. Geary wore him like a glove, went on and off the ground whenever Murph did, held him off the ball at stoppages, blocked him, harassed. No assistance from the umpires that day, but you can't rely on the umps. Maybe he's carrying an injury, but sides have decided they don't see Judd as the biggest threat and put their best tagger on Murphy. If he could somehow learn to cope with tags better and maybe his teammates go across and help him then his output might improve. He also just looks a fraction fumbly at times, perhaps that's the perceived pressure from being tagged relentlessly. When he got out in the open playing forward against Port he looked as damaging as ever, so I don't think he's that far off, and he's still accumulating possessions, but they're not quite as damaging. Hoping he can have a bigger impact in the next 4 matches because we're going to need his class.

 

[pjhad1]

I agree which is why we have been beaten against better sides and lost to saints. Our stars need to lift. We have no one in brownlow contention although walker has been exceptional.

Murphy and Judd haven't been damaging and that's the major issue. When we play hawks for example we will get smacked if our stars don't play well.

Not sure injury is excuse. I think he needs to work harder, run into space with more conviction. He has defended better this year

The season is 22 rounds long... I would not be surprised at all to see both Murphy and Judd hit form in the last quarter of the season. Something tells me they are under orders to leave some in reserve.

Watched Murph closely yesterday, he was just cruising...

 

[fizzkakz]

I think he's fine. A few contributing factors:

- Now the number one tagging target
- Increased responsibility of leadership
- Played a game up forward when Betts and Yarran was out which will bring his disposals down
- Injury to Carrots who is a great at helping out those around him in the midfield

I am confident that (touch wood to no major injury concerns) he will still have a solid season by his standards.

 

[toomuchsparetime]

Saw curnow lay a block at a stoppage against GWS.

There is a segment on one of the shows that highlights the worst shepherds.

If they started one on blocks, then I'm sure Curnow's would be right up there with the worst of the worst at the end of the year.

Since Jeffy and Denis showed the way with their shepherding against the Eagles the team has been very dilligent with their shepherding. They are starting to really play for each other, but they have a long way to go with their blocking for whoever's getting tagged.

 

[gbatman]

A number of things. He takes the number one tag and he plays a lot more forward.

The other thing is that we are finally playing a game where we don't rely one one or two midfielder to star. I always felt in the past we were always to individual centered. Fev has to kick a bag, Nick Stevens has to dominate, Judd has to dominate, Betts has to kick 4+. This sort of thing. No one is regularly getting around the 30 disposals in the midfield which is fine. What makes me happy is the ammount of players getting 20-25+ touches in our team and the way we are doing things and winning games more as a team, rather than from the good work from a number of individuals. I also don't think our ruckmen are looking to direct the ball to the tagged super star like we used to either.

You can't take a lot of notice against Murphy's game against GWS. He was heavily tagged by a guy doing a good job and the rest of his team mates were doing the job and Murphy was clearly in second gear. He will be up and about against Essendon.

Last week against GWS we had 8 (nearly 9) players who had over 20 disposals which is tremendous seeing we play a lower possession game style to some other teams. 9 (nearly 11) players had it more than 20 times against the lions. 7 players (nearly 9) had it more than 20 times against port.

We have made slight improvements with our ball winners. I don't think our guns are left on the field or on the ball as much too, I think rotations are higher. Sure I wouldn't mind seeing those stats a bit higher but if we are winning and getting a more even possession spread then that's great.

We will see how far we have come in the next month.