Review Bob Murphy slowing down?

[BEaston]

It's Football opinion site save your virtuous indignant condescending pontification for church

Haha right. So you're entitled to your opinion but I'm not allowed to state my opinion that I think it's disgraceful. Who's the virtuous one spouting pontification again?? Shall we take your opinions as gospel then? Free from right of reply? What a joke.

 

[DognBones]

Acker, if you had simply stuck to your OP question and asked for responses regarding Murph's decline, probably most people would have acknowledged that he is slowing down due to age and may be nearing the end. It is your following comments we take exception to. Murph has great integrity and plenty of cred; I'm sure he is aware of his performances right now, but just playing safe and not doing the hard yards wouldn't even come into his head.

 

[_Mike_]

I changed the thread title to make it less hostile than what it needs to be, however Acker does have the right to post his concerns, and he has done so within the rules of BiGFooty.

The mods expect posters to show a little more consideration towards each other, regardless if you disagree with their views, however there is no chance in hell that we would let the board digress to the current standards of "other" social media outlets.

Play by the rules, that is all we ask

 

[paulveed]

Are you sure you've got the right incident? Rocca threw Murphy to the ground, rag dolled him in a sling tackle that deserved weeks then, would get weeks now. It was a shit act. We've never seen the best of Murphy as a strong marking forward since IMO.

My recollection of this incident is pretty much in accord with you SoS. I recall being extremely incensed at the time. It was the cowardly act of a bully of a very big man [physically anyway], to completely overdo the tackle on a much smaller player. I felt then, and still do now that Rocca should have been suspended for weeks for such a weak act. I would have felt the same way had the situation been reversed, and the offender had been a big Bulldog.

Re Murph's "decline", yeah at 32 he would be expected to be on a down slope. But I don't see it as a steep drop off yet. I too suspect he might be carrying a niggle of some kind.
I just hope we can find a replacement 2011 model Murph type to fill that troublesome HB role, so Bob could be moved back to the HFF for the balance of his career. We clearly require a general up front, and someone with Bob's exquisite skills, and footy smarts might well get our forward structure organised, in addition to what he would likely contribute in the way of direct goals.

 

[_Mike_]

My recollection of this incident is pretty much in accord with you SoS. I recall being extremely incensed at the time. It was the cowardly act of a bully of a very big man [physically anyway], to completely overdo the tackle on a much smaller player. I felt then, and still do now that Rocca should have been suspended for weeks for such a weak act. I would have felt the same way had the situation been reversed, and the offender had been a big Bulldog.

I'd say confidently had that have been Johnno who did that to Rocca and stuffed his arm, McGuire would have been in a fit of rage with the AFL and pushed for a suspension to which the AFL would have bent over for them.

Its all about protecting certain players and clubs

 

[Next Waiting]

My recollection of this incident is pretty much in accord with you SoS. I recall being extremely incensed at the time. It was the cowardly act of a bully of a very big man [physically anyway], to completely overdo the tackle on a much smaller player. I felt then, and still do now that Rocca should have been suspended for weeks for such a weak act. I would have felt the same way had the situation been reversed, and the offender had been a big Bulldog.

That is my recollection also. Happened right below where I was sitting(and then standing and yelling).

 

[Dav1d]

Re Murph's "decline", yeah at 32 he would be expected to be on a down slope. But I don't see it as a steep drop off yet. I too suspect he might be carrying a niggle of some kind.
I just hope we can find a replacement 2011 model Murph type to fill that troublesome HB role, so Bob could be moved back to the HFF for the balance of his career. We clearly require a general up front, and someone with Bob's exquisite skills, and footy smarts might well get our forward structure organised, in addition to what he would likely contribute in the way of direct goals.

I don't think you could find another Bob but skilled by foot and a smart ball user are just what we need more of
I think this is why Higgins has been put into defense, for when Murph sadly hangs up his boots

 

[paulveed]

I don't think you could find another Bob but skilled by foot and a smart ball user are just what we need more of
I think this is why Higgins has been put into defense, for when Murph sadly hangs up his boots

Unless someone like Darley comes on as hoped to fill that role, or we trade/draft one in at this season's end, I suspect your right dav1d.

 

[timtamWB]

While Murph is slowing down, his first two games this year were absolutely sublime. He can definitely still play well and offer us a bit, but where last year he looked almost superhuman with the way he evaded players and his pinpoint kicks, he seems to be more mortal and can mess up the occassional kick and can get caught. Still, the times I've actually gone to the games, I've watched Murphy for parts of the game. His evasiveness, his ability to find a target, and his positioning are still very good. He'll bounce back.

 

[Mattdougie]

What is it with the Murph bashing this week??

He the new whipping boy?? Why??

Rather watch him limp around for another ten years than Higgins run at half pace and involve himself in the game when he feels like it.

He is slowing down is he?? Well DUH

Most guys in his position should be floating around the forward line helping the kids not holding the backline together.

 

[_Mike_]

IMO, we could put Murphy at CHF for the next few weeks. He can lead and mark

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

What is it with the Murph bashing this week??

He the new whipping boy?? Why??

Rather watch him limp around for another ten years than Higgins run at half pace and involve himself in the game when he feels like it.

He is slowing down is he?? Well DUH

Most guys in his position should be floating around the forward line helping the kids not holding the backline together.

In a stronger team Murph would indeed be in the forward line - I think he was set for that from the start of 2013 but went back out of necessity.
I think Higgins has been playing reasonably well off the HBF, so with Johannisen in I'd rather see Murph reprise the leading CHF role he played so often in 2008 to great effect.

 

[Mattdougie]

In a stronger team Murph would indeed be in the forward line - I think he was set for that from the start of 2013 but went back out of necessity.
I think Higgins has been playing reasonably well off the HBF, so with Johannisen in I'd rather see Murph reprise the leading CHF role he played so often in 2008 to great effect.

In a stronger team that is competing for the bottom of the 8 this makes sense but where we are I believe we should be gettin games into the younger kids across half back to help increase the rate of their improvement, I know this is risky but short term pain for long term gain NOW

The reality is we will probably have same result with Murph across half back as we woukd with Darley JJ Wood etc

 

[black pup]

I have just about read everything on BF. MURPHY. Well boys what day does the rubbish bin go out.
The trash is getting worse.

 

[beaser]

Bruise Free

Occasional Highlight

Fortnightly Article in "The Age"

Cruising Robbie weekly on Fox Footy

Cruising through our Game Day's with an occasional highlight when it suits him and mostly bruise and tackle free for the rest of the Match

I was shot down once when I criticized him. he has often gone missing at times and in big games. Seem like a great bloke but I want to win games not provide the media with a panelist or read stupid collums in the age.

 

[Snake Livermore]

Re: the injury - it was Brian Harris who gave him a lazy pass to put him under the pump. He felt shit about it for years. Unfortunately for murph he'd been mouthing off at Rocca all game (he had a pretty sharp tongue on him) and Rocca definitely went into the tackle trying to cause maximum pain. Probably didn't mean to snap his knee though.

Re: Murphs form - he's been defensively very good. He's copping a hard tag when we've got it and yes doesn't seem to burst free and break it as easily as he used to. Still one of our best players and leaders.

Re: Suggestions he's playing bruise free footy - give us an example from last night's game, tell us what time in which quarter, or GTFO.

 

[fred cook]

stupid collums

I think it might read collums in the Herald Scum but in the the thinking persons newspaper THE AGE it is actually named a column

Love your work Bobby and good luck coaching the 3 RRR megahertz again this year, and at my times watching this club you have been one of the greatest to watch and still love seeing you play

 

[Cudi]

Can we all just remember Murph had an interrupted preseason with an injury at the time that seemed pretty serious. He did remarkably well to come up for round 1, he hasn't had as good as season as previous but he is still one of our most important players.

Plus what does his Columns and work on Fox Footy the OP brought up have to do with anything?? When he was All-Australian he was doing them both, just a cheap shot really.

 

[VL3OJ]

Extremely disappointing in the way you wrote the OP acker as Bob is a magnificent asset to the club and I really don't know what you want him to do out there. The way he reads the ball allows him to be a little bit more laconic, so I ask you, who would you replace Bob with?

One of the most disappointing threads I've read on the Bulldogs forum.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

I haven't posted for ages, just like to read what everyone has been thinking during our protracted rebuild. However, this thread needs to be knocked on the head straight away.
Bob Murphy is our best player... Full stop.
He is the quickest, the most elusive and by far the most skilful player on our list. He plays 'bruise free' footy because no one can touch him. When he has the ball you can relax for a second as he always hits a target. I'm not stretching the truth one bit here, it's fact.
If we could afford to move him forward from the back line that would go along way to solving our scoring problems.

 

[Bazza Bulldog]

I haven't posted for ages, just like to read what everyone has been thinking during our protracted rebuild. However, this thread needs to be knocked on the head straight away.
Bob Murphy is our best player... Full stop.
He is the quickest, the most elusive and by far the most skilful player on our list. He plays 'bruise free' footy because no one can touch him. When he has the ball you can relax for a second as he always hits a target. I'm not stretching the truth one bit here, it's fact.
If we could afford to move him forward from the back line that would go along way to solving our scoring problems.

This sums it up for me. The last time I'll be checking into this thread. Great to have you back RW&B ... please keep posting!