Aristeas wrote:
Thanks for the 2 or 3 rational assessments (you know who you are). For the rest, I can't believe how negative, spiteful and prejudiced some of the comments are. I've been barracking for the Blues for over thirty years and if this is an assessment of our fan base we need real help. Grow the **** up. Hating him becasue he wont run through the banner? How old are you? 12?
My own view of Cloke is that like most big men he'll take a few years to develop, Mark Mclure was a premiership player (ask yer Grandad), and he was dreadful for months at a a time. So were a lot of players, Setanta for one, yet we persevere with him. Cloke was never going to be a ruckman even though we brought him in as one, barring shoulder injuries hecould provide a good forward target. Blasting him because he was in ordinary form a few months back is ridiculous. That was then, now he looks to have improved, sometimes people do. God knows we've been patient with a lot of people who in the end went nowhere. We've had plenty of less than average players getting more opportunities.
We need forward targets. He looks like one. Play him. See what happens. He couldn't possibly be worse than Fisher, who gets game after game, and can't kick a goal (how many games for how many goals?) or even a decent pass.
Aristeas
You seem to have a good memory or selective memory. Doesn't matter, you have memory.
Last year in many of our losses, the opposition started their attacks from the backline (that's modern footy...ref: see Saints in 2009). We had Cloke and Fisher as our tall targets and Fev as the main target at FF. The tactic of the opposition was to play through Cloke and Fisher. Why?
Well....if they could be spoilled and the ball hit the deck (most of the time), then the oposition knew thay were a liability because they could not chase. They cost us a bomb.
Forward to preseason 2009.
Cloke shed many kilos to help him with his pace deficiency and was given first shot at CHF. He played at CHF for the first 6 rounds...and what did he do to impress you so much?
Did his pace improve? Did his marking improve? What?
He failed and it wasn't till Waite was injured when Setanta (who deserved a game after being in the best week in week out in the VFL) was given the CHF duties. Not Cloke, because he had already failed. Cloke was never going to improve his pace. Setanta has pace to burn and takes contested marks. Setanta applies forwardline pressure.
Now you want him back. Why?
Because he's got a big heart?
Because he's a trier?
Because he kicked 5 goals against the short full back of the bottom team in the VFL when he was the target?
Why?
There's no point in comparing Cloke with Houla or Bentley or Garlett or Setanta. They are all different to Cloke. The first 3 are small medium players and play a different role to Cloke and the fourth has pace and defensive attributes very important in the modern game.
Why Cloke? He's gawn....the football world knows that and why. The Cloke fans and family can cry as much as they like, Cam will not get any faster and is too slow for the AFL.
Mate, it's round 18 next weekend, and we all knew Cloke was gawn after round 6. I think you missed something.
Is that a fair and mature explanation?
Please don't bring back my nightmares.
He's gawn, and Fish is next; watch this space.