ianh wrote:
Agree with the fact that Murphy's output isn't up to scratch, but think he cops a lot of criticism for not doing things his body won't let him do, such as tackling and confronting the much bigger units that populate the midfield nowadays compared to when he started. That is not to say you overlook these deficiencies, just the level of vitriol directed at a guy who can't tackle because he busted his shoulders playing for our club is I think digraceful. Still, at the end of the day his contribution is either good enough or it isn't and at best it is borderline. The situation with Eddie I think is different, he clearly isn't the player of years past but he still has that element of magic and plays a position and role where his deficincies can be better covered, particularly when one factors in his leadership in the forward line and the stuff he does off the ball that our other forwards simply don't. In a nutshell I think our forward line functions much better with Eddie there.
The key issue is who is ready to come in. there are a couple especially Stocker who ought to be called up now but beyond that with our injury list and current form I don't know there is a lot of improvement from the players we could bring in.
Good post.
I admire your loyalty to one of our stalwarts. We all love what Murphy did up to a few years back. I think you're missing that. We would also like Simmo still playing too, and he offered and probably still offers more than Murphy. Life's tough. AFL is brutal with salary caps, media scrutiny, forced player turnover...
Do you like a player with busted shoulders selected in the best 22? I don't think so. Neither does anyone else.
As you stated, the key issue is who is ready to come in [to replace him]. This we all agree with; the cupboard is bare. What the statement implies is that he's not up to it. We are all saying the same thing. Some like to back their reasoning with data/ facts circa 2021: that's all.
Despite not being able to play as a mid because of this busted shoulders, and that he can't lay the forward pressure Teague's game plan, he is selected because the cupboard is bare and/or he and maybe Liddle and co would like to get him to 300 games.
I'm ok with that, but I also agree with many posters and supporters that its a selfish decision by him to continue to play when his shoulders don't allow him to do the things required inan AFL team; any AFL team, and it shouldn't be the club's preference to get him to 300 when the team and he is not playing well.
Stocker and Cuningham will likely replace the last 2 in: Williamson and Kennedy, maybe Cottrell...maybe Murphy and Betts. But when Newman comes back for defensive cover, and Stocker is playing better than those playing, including Murphy and Betts, Newman will push Stocker further down field as a mid/ forward perhaps; he's tough and a good kick, both sides.
The vitriol will really get heated if he is still not playing well and he's reached his 300 and players like Martin, Fisher return and some younger players like Dow, Kemp, Carroll, Philp, Setterfield, Durdin get fit and find form. Some are, lets face it.
I hope you see the logic. It's not turning on Murphy. Murphy has put himself in this position fully well knowing it could go either way in his attempt to get to 300. He doesn't want to get injured before that, does he? It looks that way to me.
My main point in defence of Murphy is NOT about whether he deserves a place in the team - he is borderline at best and then only because of our injury situation. I too look forward to him being pushed out by others when form and fitness and development warrant it - but I don't think he deserves the vitriol because I see his limitations being beyond his control, due to injury, age and the trend to bigger mids. It's not like he is not trying, flaky, lazy or the like, albeit that he has always tended to be a bit of a downhill skier who runs hard offensively but not so much the other way, and whilst I see what you are saying about trying not to get injured I see that as being realistic about what he can and can't physically do rather than softness. We all love the Kenny Hunter bravery but sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.
We DO NOT owe Mark Murphy the honour of reaching 300 games and whilst I hope he makes it I only support it if he warrants his selection week by week. at the moment I think he is, as I say, borderline. I doubt he is going to be able to give more and so he is there to be overtaken as others deserve the run more. He is not a forward. He is not a defender - unless given the complete loose man role. He is no longer able to play as an inside mid. So he needs to be an outside mid or out of the team. But at the moment how many are ahead of him for that role, given form , fitness and roles being assigned?