R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

[mjp]

A thread about everyone's (least) favourite player.

Roarke Smith simply KNOWS what his role is - and he knows EXACTLY how to play it.

All the stuffing around we have been doing on the wings/high forwards with other players simply proves what we (mostly) already knew. Roarke is the best option. The other players:

B Smith, Lipinski - they are INSIDE MIDS.
JJ is a half-back who can play the role when given a CLEAR defensive mandate.
Treloar is an inside mid who CAN do it...but he is more about flash and dash and finishing than simply getting in the right spot and holding the point.
Crozier is a half back.

If we want to have the 'RIGHT' defensive structure, EVERY time, play ROARKE on the wing opposite Hunter (or in the rotation). 8 of the last 11 times he has played, we have WON. That seems like a pretty darn good ratio to me. We can all say it is down to other factors - and he wasn't in the best half-dozen last night - but having guys who just KNOW what they are supposed to do and are able to set their egos aside (possessions etc) and PLAY IT are worth their weight in gold.

[EasternWest]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

A thread about everyone's (least) favourite player.

Roarke Smith simply KNOWS what his role is - and he knows EXACTLY how to play it.

All the stuffing around we have been doing on the wings/high forwards with other players simply proves what we (mostly) already knew. Roarke is the best option. The other players:

B Smith, Lipinski - they are INSIDE MIDS.
JJ is a half-back who can play the role when given a CLEAR defensive mandate.
Treloar is an inside mid who CAN do it...but he is more about flash and dash and finishing than simply getting in the right spot and holding the point.
Crozier is a half back.

If we want to have the 'RIGHT' defensive structure, EVERY time, play ROARKE on the wing opposite Hunter (or in the rotation). 8 of the last 11 times he has played, we have WON. That seems like a pretty darn good ratio to me. We can all say it is down to other factors - and he wasn't in the best half-dozen last night - but having guys who just KNOW what they are supposed to do and are able to set their egos aside (possessions etc) and PLAY IT are worth their weight in gold.

I like him. I always have. Shrug.

[SonofScray]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

The Raucous Caucous is growing.

He is a reliable player, good club man and offers us a real foot soldier type in a team where the talent is sky high.

[1eyedog]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

Roarke is a very good VFL player and a depth 22-25 AFL player. I'd rather persist with the Lipinski / Richards types, they have a far higher ceiling.

I don't mind Roarke. If he plays his role when he gets his chance that's a good result for us, but there is a reason why he has been kept on the list for so long, and why his biggest fan, the coach, has played him sparingly. It's because he has been and still is viewed as a 22-25 player.

When Ed gets back any chance Roarke has of playing will evaporate, and rightfully so.

[Smads57]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

The ultimate 'role player' - a position that cannot be underestimated in a football side coached by Bevo.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

Don’t mind it - he is a good role player.

Mitch Robinson has done similar at the Lions.

I’m definitely keeping him in next week - Brad Hill will chop us up if given licence and Roarke can quell him. If he keeps playing his role, he becomes harder to omit. Don’t have him in our best 22 (all fit, September edition) myself at this stage.

[Testekill]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

You need foot soldiers and Roarke is the definition of a foot soldier; not the most spectacular or most talented but they come into the team and do their role.

[Sedat]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

Roarke is a very good VFL player and a depth 22-25 AFL player. I'd rather persist with the Lipinski / Richards types, they have a far higher ceiling.

I don't mind Roarke. If he plays his role when he gets his chance that's a good result for us, but there is a reason why he has been kept on the list for so long, and why his biggest fan, the coach, has played him sparingly. It's because he has been and still is viewed as a 22-25 player.

When Ed gets back any chance Roarke has of playing will evaporate, and rightfully so.

I sit somewhere between yours and mjp's assessment, but there is no better "44th player selected on an AFL list" in the entire competition than Roarke. In an era of high injury rates, reliable depth players who can do a role when called up to senior level are worth a lot.

He did everything asked of him last night.

[Bornadog]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

I sit somewhere between yours and mjp's assessment, but there is no better "44th player selected on an AFL list" in the entire competition than Roarke. In an era of high injury rates, reliable depth players who can do a role when called up to senior level are worth a lot.

He did everything asked of him last night.

It is a shame he has had, I think 2 or maybe 3 ACLs

[Ozza]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

I like Roarke. Goes well. Was rock solid every time he played in 2020, and last night.

[Mofra]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

In 2017, Richmond abandoned the 'most talented player' selection methodology and simply selected players who perform their role best. That turned out well.

This year we're stuck with McNeill & Scott since round 1, and Roarke's game was a continuation of this new selection theme. Players who will just sacrifice, block, cover and play a role with a team-first attitude.

Sure, it's easily to get seduced by external perspectives of ceiling.... but as easy as it is to be seduced by what is effectively 'hope' our team seems to far better served right now by "predictability" (and given the amount of times our players have used that word in post match interviews, it seems the group has bought into this theme as well).

[ratsmac]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

Good thread.

I loved Roarke's game last night against Port. He by no means played a game of Bont and Libba proportions but as you say MJP, played his role. I thought he played a great wingman type game mainly the defensive side of things at getting down and helping out in defence. But he was also pretty good offensively at keeping shape working up and down the ground without being sucked to much into the contest. He set up JJ with a beautiful placed kick inside 50 at the end of the second to put us in front just before half-time. It was his width that gave us the the space to work into our f50 on the rebound.

His biggest flaw I suppose is that he hasn't been able to back up good games in a row too often in the past. He goes missing barely touching the ball

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

Interesting thoughts mike - i thought he was very good in the final versus the saints last year and had a good combination of size, running power and kicking ability - but so far they've preferred others

maybe Saturday is the reminder the match committee needed

Not all players will shine brightly for 150 games + but if you get enough blokes shining at the right time in the best window of their career then who knows what happens (yes, Im thinking of C.Smith, S.Biggs, J.Hamling, F.Roberts etc)

[FrediKanoute]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

Will admit I was sceptical about Rourke. I was pretty impressed with his game. He did a lot of hard stuff, off the ball stuff 1%'er stuff. A bit like Scott and McNeil, their role really is about harassing, pressuring and supporting guys like Bont/Libba/Macrae/Treloar.

[1eyedog]

Re: R. Smith is just a reliable player who should be IN every week.

Will admit I was sceptical about Rourke. I was pretty impressed with his game. He did a lot of hard stuff, off the ball stuff 1%'er stuff. A bit like Scott and McNeil, their role really is about harassing, pressuring and supporting guys like Bont/Libba/Macrae/Treloar.

Agreed he had a solid game. The smother saved a certain goal and 6 tackles implies he has great intensity. Based on his game I'd prefer Roarke over Scott, who needs a refresh, and something has to give when Hunter and Vandermeer come back in.