Toast Much Maligned Murphy Magnificent & Marvelous today

[Cynic]

Chill everyone. Good on Murph for getting 24 touches. Must be a career high for the man.

Facts-
Thomas was spare man in backline. Eade had told his players to leave him alone and zone off on him. We couldnt belive what we were seeing. Dogs players actually running away from him.

The one thing Thomas does that shiiiits me up the wall more than anything is everytime he gets the pill he looks for the safe option by kicking it backwards or sideways and this stalls the play and is a win for the opposition.

Murph when you are playing the spare man role mate you need to actually set play up rather than stall it.

Credit to him in the second quarter when he got it in the middle and looked forward and hit Buddy with a lace out pass.

I like Thomas when he has a man to play on and shuts him down. I dont like it when I see Thomas as our spare man.

It's an unusual role for Murphy but with Gilham out he's taken it over and honestly is doing it well.

Yes he plays loose but in nearly every contest he was involved in he won it, even when he was man on man.

As for the posters having a go at him for 'taking the safe' option the fact of the matter is Murphy is a good kick BUT when your backline contains Suckling, Guerra and Birchall I imagine if you can get it to them you'd be foolish not to.

 

[kirbatron]

Murph played very well. I am now comfortable with him in the team as he is getting the right matchup....

He is an underated mark - good to great in contested situations. His decision making has improved no end & I dont mind the chip sideways to a Birch, Guerra or Gibson who can hit up targets forward of play.... a key cog in the defense.

Well done Tom.

High Ball Spoiling - Have you noticed also how our back 6 are now much more effective & efficient with high ball spoiling... it has been great to see & much improved from last few years where the high ball killed us. Tom has been getting his fair share of them as well, along with Gibbo who swats them away precision & force.

 

[Mighty P]

Not sure about whether he was "magnificent" or "marvelous", but he had a very good game and showed composure.

The truth is that he should be doing this EVERY week, and what he did last night is basically what you would expect out of a defender.

All in all, been impressed with Murphy this year (and at times last year), it is great to see him grow into a better player.

Well done, Murphy, keep it up son!

 

[PottSie2]

Played a good game today. Definitely improving and seems more sure of himself in defence!

His disposal by foot is actually quite silky and nice (apart from that 1 clanger yesterday), so I would like to see him hit up targets more forward, rather than automatically looking sideways and back.

When he gathered the ball in the midfield and found Buddy, very impressive, and hopefully with confidence he'll start doing it more .. he has the disposal to do it!

 

[Roddy]

His time has now come. Much maligned in the past, he should be set to step up and really cement his place in the side. He no longer has to take the big gorilla forward, he's obviously a hard worker and great clubman, now he needs to start repaying the faith that Clarko has put in him constantly for the best part of 3 years. I think he's STARTING to do this, let's see if he's going to carry that through. It's up to him now. I personally hope he proves his many doubters wrong.

 

[illnino]

Footiscray were rubbish up forward so that helps.

The emergence of Gibson has helped the entire backline. All seem more confident. Schoey, Murphy and even Birch took overhead contested marks. We have not done this for a while.

The key to any backline is stablity and allowing them to form a unit. I hope we stick with this six or seven for as long as we can.

Then dump Murphy and play Sirra.

Chill everyone. Good on Murph for getting 24 touches. Must be a career high for the man.

Facts-
Thomas was spare man in backline. Eade had told his players to leave him alone and zone off on him. We couldnt belive what we were seeing. Dogs players actually running away from him.

The one thing Thomas does that shiiiits me up the wall more than anything is everytime he gets the pill he looks for the safe option by kicking it backwards or sideways and this stalls the play and is a win for the opposition.

Murph when you are playing the spare man role mate you need to actually set play up rather than stall it.

Credit to him in the second quarter when he got it in the middle and looked forward and hit Buddy with a lace out pass.

I like Thomas when he has a man to play on and shuts him down. I dont like it when I see Thomas as our spare man.

Couldn't disagree more guys. Opinions are just that, but these 2 are so far off the mark it is actually quite funny.

I hope you also have the chance to do a really good job for your employer, enhancing his business and making it lots of money and great success.

And then may you be heavily criticised for no good reason.

And then may you get sacked.
(And limerocks with you)

Well said.

Murph's game was great last night. Anyone who says otherwise is dead set kidding themselves and needs to take the Murphy hating glasses off.

Kip? Where are ya mate?

 

[Cynic]

Kip? Where are ya mate?

Baby steps illnino. Kipster posted in the changes for next week thread and didn't include Murphy as an out. For a neutral supporter that's the equivalent of carving a marble bust of Murphy or renaming your first born .

 

[Brishawk]

Murph played his best game for the year today.

Turned it over a few times, but so did Rioli, Hodge and others. Tom has improved significantly over the last 18 months.

Not giving away silly frees and isn't going to ground all the time anymore.

He's a good, reliable defender and after today I have no doubt that he's in our best back 6.

Was great how he pushed up the ground, found space in the middle and hit Buddy on the chest. Did some impressive things defensively too.

I haven't seen this weeks game but that was a blight on his game and I have noticed this year he has been more assured on his feet. I have actually wondered if he has done some work to increase his leg strength over summer or as part of his ankle injury rehab. Can't wait to watch the game!

 

[Hawks1994]

Absolutely Brilliant....................Enough said


Oh and the rest of the team weren't to bad either!!!!!

 

[Flying Scotsman]

I dont think he has had a bad game since last year, does what he has to do for the team.
the reason his turnovers stand out more is because he is a defender and the other team is attacking goal! we dont say buddy costs us 3-4 goals a game with all the frees he gives away.

also a to the hawks supporters standing infront of me bagging Savage saying he's soft you obviously dont watch many games.

I'm one happy hawk!!!!

 

[lickmerocks]

Couldn't disagree more guys. Opinions are just that, but these 2 are so far off the mark it is actually quite funny.



Well said.

Murph's game was great last night. Anyone who says otherwise is dead set kidding themselves and needs to take the Murphy hating glasses off.

Kip? Where are ya mate?

Were you at the game or watching on tv?

 

[SSSSSS]

Had 93% efficiency and was the highest of the team (? dont quote me on this). Must have solved his percieved 'disposal woes'.

 

[illnino]

Were you at the game or watching on tv?

Ah, the old "you weren't there so you don't know". Bit hard to get there from QLD mate, but others who did go are disagreeing with you also.

Have watched the replay this morning, paying particular attention to Murph, and he was every bit as good as I thought he was when I first watched it.

It is blatant Murphy-bashing, especially after this weeks game. The kid was simply great. Just has a horrid stigma attached to his name in the eyes of many Hawks fans that I'm afraid he will never shake. Luckily he couldn't give two shits from what I've heard, he knows who to listen to and who's just talking out their ass.

 

[Henry Jr]

Clarko said in his press conference, that we have the LOWEST marks inside our defensive 50!

 

[illnino]

Baby steps illnino. Kipster posted in the changes for next week thread and didn't include Murphy as an out. For a neutral supporter that's the equivalent of carving a marble bust of Murphy or renaming your first born .

Not having a go, Kip knows I love him

 

[illnino]

Clarko said in his press conference, that we have the LOWEST marks inside our defensive 50!

Yes we do, but don't tell that to our backline critics

A very underrated and solid unit are our back 6. Gibbo holds it all together IMO.

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

I hope you also have the chance to do a really good job for your employer, enhancing his business and making it lots of money and great success.

And then may you be heavily criticised for no good reason.

And then may you get sacked.
(And limerocks with you)



Then come back here and tell us all about it


.

Well I hope you have a very long and successful life.

 

[SNAITHY]

Do not like Murphy in the team, never have, never will. I find it amazing that people need to race onto here, falling over one another to speak glowingly of a player, any player, when they manage to take a mark and keep their feet more times than they don't.

His turn overs last night were horrendous, and every time he had the ball in free play I imagined he would do the same. I look at how the kids have come in, eg Savage, so sure footed and composed, yet Murphy after so long in the system still reminds me of Bambi.

This is my own opinion and obviously out of favour but i don't care too much. I have always pondered how he gets a game, and simply because we are winning, will not change that view. I am not a flavour of the month supporter. This is not a knock against him personally, I don't even know him. I simply do not think he is a good footballer and think he will cost us big time in some big matches.

Yes i watched the game, yes i saw the stats yes he had a better than average game by his standards but like i stated earlier, blowing a guys tyres up because one week he did what is expected of him every week, i think is, well, cringeworthy.

 

[illnino]

Do not like Murphy in the team, never have, never will. I find it amazing that people need to race onto here, falling over one another to speak glowingly of a player, any player, when they manage to take a mark and keep their feet more times than they don't.

We find it equally amazing that people need to race onto here to let us know about his one or two clangers even when he has one of the highest disposal efficiency percentages for the game, such as yesterday.

His turn overs last night were horrendous, and every time he had the ball in free play I imagined he would do the same.

You imagined, yet he didn't.

This is my own opinion and obviously out of favour but i don't care too much. I have always pondered how he gets a game, and simply because we are winning, will not change that view. I am not a flavour of the month supporter. This is not a knock against him personally, I don't even know him. I simply do not think he is a good footballer and think he will cost us big time in some big matches.

As you said, that's your opinion. Doesn't matter if you're wrong I guess.

Yes i watched the game, yes i saw the stats yes he had a better than average game by his standards but like i stated earlier, blowing a guys tyres up because one week he did what is expected of him every week, i think is, well, cringeworthy.

We blow the guys tires up because he has done what is expected of him (and more than that yesterday) for weeks and weeks now, dating back to late last year.

He may get pushed out of the side eventually, in fact I think he will, but the way he is going about his footy these days is a credit to him after all the unwarranted crap the guy has taken over the last couple of years. Reliable shut-down player who adds great depth to the club and is always pushing for selection.

Your post, although just an opinion, is a prime example of what I said before - Murph has a stigma attached to his name where no matter how well he plays, he will forever be the whipping boy until the end of his playing days. Again, thank god he's smart enough to ignore it all and only listen to the people who matter (who obviously rate him or he wouldn't be playing).

 

[TAITA]

Do not like Murphy in the team, never have, never will. I find it amazing that people need to race onto here, falling over one another to speak glowingly of a player, any player, when they manage to take a mark and keep their feet more times than they don't.

His turn overs last night were horrendous, and every time he had the ball in free play I imagined he would do the same. I look at how the kids have come in, eg Savage, so sure footed and composed, yet Murphy after so long in the system still reminds me of Bambi.

This is my own opinion and obviously out of favour but i don't care too much. I have always pondered how he gets a game, and simply because we are winning, will not change that view. I am not a flavour of the month supporter. This is not a knock against him personally, I don't even know him. I simply do not think he is a good footballer and think he will cost us big time in some big matches.

Yes i watched the game, yes i saw the stats yes he had a better than average game by his standards but like i stated earlier, blowing a guys tyres up because one week he did what is expected of him every week, i think is, well, cringeworthy.

This is your problem, not anyone else's - and certainly not Murphys.

If someone has felt the need to come on here and start a thread giving a bit of praise where praise is due (seems to be okay if the player is Hodge, Franklin or Rioli) there is no need to feel so threatened because you are wrong.

It's not like it happens every week, and believe me, will never square the ledger which is firmly in the haters favour.

The kid doesn't give a flying **** what you think regardless, all that matters to him is the respect of his team mates and coaches, and he has it.

But a true supporter will put aside his personal opinions/grudges for the good of the team.

Talking of imagining things - did I imagine Campbell Brown getting his pants pulled down and being royally bent over by Stevie J on Saturday?

 

[Henry Jr]

Franklin averages 3 times the amount of clangers that Murphy does, yet only averages an extra 5 possessions per game.

Guess he will be the next on the chopping block.....

 

[illnino]

This is your problem, not anyone else's - and certainly not Murphys.

If someone has felt the need to come on here and start a thread giving a bit of praise where praise is due (seems to be okay if the player is Hodge, Franklin or Rioli) there is no need to feel so threatened because you are wrong.

It's not like it happens every week, and believe me, will never square the ledger which is firmly in the haters favour.

The kid doesn't give a flying **** what you think regardless, all that matters to him is the respect of his team mates and coaches, and he has it.

But a true supporter will put aside his personal opinions/grudges for the good of the team.

Talking of imagining things - did I imagine Campbell Brown getting his pants pulled down and being royally bent over by Stevie J on Saturday?

Good post.

As for Brownie, that wasn't your imagination TAITA. Still have a bit of man love for Brownie personally, he'll be alright

 

[TAITA]

Good post.

As for Brownie, that wasn't your imagination TAITA. Still have a bit of man love for Brownie personally, he'll be alright

Oh yeah, look mate I still want him to do well (not against us obviously) - just find it interesting that one considered the 'very fabric' of our club, the other a 'list clogger', and the 'lesser' player has always taken Stevie J to the cleaners.

Could you imagine the witch burnings if Murphy ever had 7 kicked on him?

 

[illnino]

Oh yeah, look mate I still want him to do well (not against us obviously) - just find it interesting that one considered the 'very fabric' of our club, the other a 'list clogger', and the 'lesser' player has always taken Stevie J to the cleaners.

Could you imagine the witch burnings if Murphy ever had 7 kicked on him?

Very good point. Flew right over my head with your first post

Murph normally keeps him very quiet indeed.

 

[Roby]

Oh yeah, look mate I still want him to do well (not against us obviously) - just find it interesting that one considered the 'very fabric' of our club, the other a 'list clogger', and the 'lesser' player has always taken Stevie J to the cleaners.

Could you imagine the witch burnings if Murphy ever had 7 kicked on him?

Actually he has had 7 kicked on him. He had 7 kicked on him in round... 7 or 8, last year? I'm not 100% sure. And then there was witch burning then too.

He also had the least clangers per disposals last year, when the witch burnings were on.

Fact is our defence, our whole defence, is underrated.