Matthew Clarke: Addressing the critics

[Bockchoy67]

After watching tonight's game, I really feel that Clarkey has turned his game on and is giving 110%.

He's been taking overhead marks, dishing off low - ground handballs, and been kicking very well.

His ruck - work has been as good as ever. Unfortunately, Clarkey still tends to hit it to the oppositions.

However, a great return to form for Clarkey and it's great to see him working around the ground for a change. He's addressed the critics and one player who can hold his head up high for his efforts tonight.

Do you agree?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Maybe I'm missing something? Why do we dominate the hitouts, yet lack midfield clearances...

 

[bluecrow]

I must have watched a different game tonight!

Every single ruck contest, my family & I had to look away. We couldn't bear to watch him swing his arms 5 seconds too early/late, and just jump at the ball!

Frustrating Retire already.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
Maybe I'm missing something? Why do we dominate the hitouts, yet lack midfield clearances...

We actually won the clearences tonight accodring to the stat sheet.


I must admit that I thought Clarke played a very good game tonight. Yes he doesn't take enough marks around the ground but he played a pretty good game and DID take an overhead mark.

Mind you the opposition ruckmen weren't anything to write home about.

 

[macca23]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
We actually won the clearences tonight accodring to the stat sheet.


I must admit that I thought Clarke played a very good game tonight. Yes he doesn't take enough marks around the ground but he played a pretty good game and DID take an overhead mark.

Mind you the opposition ruckmen weren't anything to write home about.

I think that last point is relevant Stiffy!!

He was rucking against nothing of any note, so you would expect him to get his hand on the ball a lot there.

As for his marks, it was A mark wasn't it??

His field play is sh*thouse. Remember down the northern end when he got the ball in the FP for one of his rare kicks, and chose to kick a high bomb to James Gallagher wedged at navel height in between 2 Saints giants. Putrid stuff, and very costly.

He disappoints me constantly.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
Mind you the opposition ruckmen weren't anything to write home about.

We should have dominated the rucks tonight - I mean they were playing Szhwarze in the ruck!

 

[DaveW]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
We actually won the clearences tonight accodring to the stat sheet.

Yeah I thought we won the clearances but the problem was we broke down at half forward.

St Kilda by contrast got the ball forward with far slicker movement, and generated more goals. Often starting with their rebound off half back.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Also, how about Clarke's 2nd qtr tap in their forward 50m where he placed it towards the Saints goals (& they kicked a goal), rather than defensively hitting it towards the boundary line...

 

[DaveW]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
Also, how about Clarke's 2nd qtr tap in their forward 50m where he placed it towards the Saints goals (& they kicked a goal), rather than defensively hitting it towards the boundary line...

The other ruckman didn't go with him so Clarke should have just grabbed it and got a disposal away. Pushing it towards goal/to the ground was just poor.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by DaveW
The other ruckman didn't go with him so Clarke should have just grabbed it and got a disposal away. Pushing it towards goal/to the ground was just poor.

Clarke isn't alone unfortunately in the amount of dumb football we are playing at the moment. It is costing us plenty of goals, which can be the difference between winning & losing.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by DaveW
Yeah I thought we won the clearances but the problem was we broke down at half forward.

St Kilda by contrast got the ball forward with far slicker movement, and generated more goals. Often starting with their rebound off half back.

Excellent point. St. Kilda's movement from defence to forward line was fantastic. We just allowed them to run it out way too easily.

 

[maccas_no1]

Originally posted by DaveW
Yeah I thought we won the clearances but the problem was we broke down at half forward.

St Kilda by contrast got the ball forward with far slicker movement, and generated more goals. Often starting with their rebound off half back.

St Kilda were far more effctive with there forward 50 entries, I think we nearly doubled their F50 entries yet we burnt the ball everytime we went in, MacGuire killed us last night he stood tall in the St Kilda defence as did Brett Voss.

 

[bLuEMoOsE]

I'm an Essendon supporter, but after wtching CLarkes awsome display of tap ruckwork tonight i must say i was very impressed not only did he win all the taps but he gave them straight to your team. You would be the only side this year to beat saintkilda in clearences and id say it is directly related to how brilliantly Clarke rucked.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Originally posted by Bockchoy67
After watching tonight's game, I really feel that Clarkey has turned his game on and is giving 110%.

He's been taking overhead marks, dishing off low - ground handballs, and been kicking very well.

His ruck - work has been as good as ever. Unfortunately, Clarkey still tends to hit it to the oppositions.

However, a great return to form for Clarkey and it's great to see him working around the ground for a change. He's addressed the critics and one player who can hold his head up high for his efforts tonight.

Do you agree?

Agree completely, not his fault our midfield cant catch the ball (Edwards grassed 2, Smart 1).
He's still an integral part of our side. Biglands on the other hand - trade him, while he has some value.(thought I would just throw that in )

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
We should have dominated the rucks tonight - I mean they were playing Szhwarze in the ruck!

Hang on didnt every time Szhwarze come on, so did Hudson?
Thought Hudsons ruckwork was very much improved, and he beat Szhwarze easily.
Problem was our midfield, could't clear the ball, with any effectiveness.
If my memory is correct, I think the centre clearances were 19 Crows, 10 saints. But i can assure you our clearances were largely ineffective ( get Stenglein out of the centre!)

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
Excellent point. St. Kilda's movement from defence to forward line was fantastic. We just allowed them to run it out way too easily.

Careys ability to chase is known, but a culprit last night was S. Stevens.
He has to learn not to put in a token chase, but actually chase them down, and tackle them.
Would love to know his tackle count in his first 3 games.

Should take a leaf out of Stiffys book, who with Macleod, ran down opponents with great tackles.

Our tackling in this game BTW was the best its been for 2004.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by Wayne's-World
Careys ability to chase is known, but a culprit last night was S. Stevens.
He has to learn not to put in a token chase, but actually chase them down, and tackle them.
Would love to know his tackle count in his first 3 games.

Should take a leaf out of Stiffys book, who with Macleod, ran down opponents with great tackles.

Our tackling in this game BTW was the best its been for 2004.

St Kilda, like the Brisbane game, moved the ball cleanly from defence to attack with ease - particularly after we had scored a goal & the needed to respond. Just looked more classy than us.

Carey is really restricted in his mobility. Would plonk him mainly in a forward pocket as his opponent will run off him if he plays further up the ground.

Stevens needs to go back to the SANFL & find some consistency.

Sarge must come into the side & play CHF. At least he will give us a mobile target & better structure.

Would start Welshy as the leading FF & rotate him with Jericho.

Must have crumbers around Carey - like Stiffy's 2nd goal last night, as the ball will come to ground, more often than not.

 

[tribey]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
Must have crumbers around Carey - like Stiffy's 2nd goal last night, as the ball will come to ground, more often than not.

Yep. Despite our apparent abundance of talent in that area - ie Bode, Ladhams, Welsh, Johncock, Edwards - we never seem to regularly adhere to the stonewall law that you must get front and square at forward contests.

Remember all those games against North/Kangaroos in the nineties when they'd regularly beat us by a kick or less (with the one notable exception )? They'd always have the likes of Peter Bell, Winny Abraham, Brett Allison and Shannon Grant feeding off Carey, Longmire and McKernan and getting simple goals as a result.

As you've more or less said, it doesn't matter if Carey can't take pack grabs anymore - more often than not he'll bring it to ground to give our mosquito-fleet a chance to finish the job. With Wayne being our only tall avenue to goal we can't afford to spurn these chances, allowing opposition defenders to rebound out of our 50 with impunity.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
St Kilda, like the Brisbane game, moved the ball cleanly from defence to attack with ease - particularly after we had scored a goal & the needed to respond. Just looked more classy than us.

Carey is really restricted in his mobility. Would plonk him mainly in a forward pocket as his opponent will run off him if he plays further up the ground.

Stevens needs to go back to the SANFL & find some consistency.

Sarge must come into the side & play CHF. At least he will give us a mobile target & better structure.

Would start Welshy as the leading FF & rotate him with Jericho.

Must have crumbers around Carey - like Stiffy's 2nd goal last night, as the ball will come to ground, more often than not.

Having Stevens and Carey in the forward line helped the St Kilda Defense
Stiffy is the only player so far, who has demonstrated an ability to crumb off, and read Carey.