Carlton Supporters Club

....and Docherty can be exposed in the air by a resting ruckman. Nobody is perfect.

As for not being accountable, he had 11 tackles last week. When was the last time Doc or Murph had that many? FYI, never and 2014. Cripps has still had more tackles in a game than the other 2.

Murphy had eight tackles in his last game, Cripps had one in that game.  It's swings and roundabouts.

The more you play at the coalface the more tackles you will gather.

Let's not use tackling as a measure of accountability because some of the best defenders in the game never tackle.   For Docherty to be close says a lot.

Doc has less than half as much...so not exactly close...but i agree its unfair to use him as its apples with oranges.

It was more about Cripps being a 'step up' from Murphy playing a similar role.

Sure, its not about accountability exactly, but it can highlight accountability.

The only similarity in their role is that they are usually in the same part of the ground. 

It's probably also worth considering that Murphy is 180cm and 80kg and Cripps is 195cm and 93kg.  A midfielder of Cripps' size needs to be able to use his strength and size to hurt the opposition both physically and metaphorically.  Murphy, on the other hand, has to rely on his speed and footy smarts to hurt the opposition - and that's not implying that Cripps lacks footy smarts.

Another reason he'd be a step up on Murphy as captain.

Its a psychological advantage as much as a physical one.

Nobody looks across (and down) at Murphy and starts pooing their dacks. However, someone looking across (and up) at Cripps would be second guessing their life choices, even if for a fleeting moment.

The captain is a symbol. It is a window into the club, and team. It should be a representative of the team and how they play.

Selwood @ Geelong. Tough, uncompromising.
Ablett @ Gold Coast. Classy, but bruise free.
Kelly @ Swans. Honest battler, never say die attitude.
Voss @ Brisbane. Arrogant, classy, tough as nails.
Trengove/Grimes @ Melbourne. Young, inexperienced, pushover.
Jones/Viney @ Melbourne. Workmanlike, hardened, blue collar.
Maxwell @ Collingwood. Uncompromising, does their role.
Carey @ North. Consistent performer, loose off-field.
Murphy @ Carlton. Bruise free, needs ideal conditions to flourish.
Cripps @ Carlton? You've got a fight on your hands.

Another reason he'd be a step up on Murphy as captain.

Its a psychological advantage as much as a physical one.

Nobody looks across (and down) at Murphy and starts pooing their dacks. However, someone looking across (and up) at Cripps would be second guessing their life choices, even if for a fleeting moment.

The captain is a symbol. It is a window into the club, and team. It should be a representative of the team and how they play.

Selwood @ Geelong. Tough, uncompromising.
Ablett @ Gold Coast. Classy, but bruise free.
Kelly @ Swans. Honest battler, never say die attitude.
Voss @ Brisbane. Arrogant, classy, tough as nails.
Trengove/Grimes @ Melbourne. Young, inexperienced, pushover.
Jones/Viney @ Melbourne. Workmanlike, hardened, blue collar.
Maxwell @ Collingwood. Uncompromising, does their role.
Carey @ North. Consistent performer, loose off-field.
Murphy @ Carlton. Bruise free, needs ideal conditions to flourish.
Cripps @ Carlton? You've got a fight on your hands.

And that's where your analysis falls down.  Captaining a football club is a lot more complex than what supporters see from the stands.
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Generally agree. I suspect almost all of a captain's best work is unheard by the public at large, and a lesser but still significant amount of their best work is also unseen.

And that's where your analysis falls down.  Captaining a football club is a lot more complex than what supporters see from the stands.

The other Murphy is a prime example.  Even though he missed the season through injury, Bob Murphy was a huge factor in the Doggies' premiership.  To me, Bob Murphy is closer to Glenn Manton, or perhaps Tommy Alvin, than any other players we've had in the recent past.

What makes me think that Cripps will be our captain, in due course, is the role he has played in helping Zac Fisher to develop his ability to play in the midfield.  That to me is far more important than the physicality that Cripps is able to bring to bear on match day.

But the one thing they can't be is small and physically weak
Murphy just doesn't impose himself, in fact he often get's pushed around and knocked over and his answer, look for a free.
What sort of role model or image is that for all these kids coming through.

What successful side has ever had a captain that gets physically knocked around like Murphy does?

I think on the Staging For Frees Index, Murphy rates pretty low IMO, in an industry where such habits are not only encouraged, but dare I say also discussed and rehearsed.

Leaders come in different shapes and sizes. If I was playing alongside Murph, I would simply accept that he is one player out of 22 that has a job to do. He's being given the role of captain, he's not big or strong, and doesn't physically intimidate, but there's other players who are able do that, and they can do that, whether they are captain or not. He brings other qualities to the role, and I would pretty much leave it at that, and just get on with it.

I've said it before - much too much is made of the role of captain - one individual simply cannot make that much difference. Any player who has a bad day and blames the captain for not inspiring them, or not being big and tough enough, should be sacked on the spot. I realise for some people the captain has to be big and tough, intimidating etc., but I'm not from that school of thought. I think it disempowers team members when they believe that so and so should "inspire" them, or iron out some opponent. I think it's a sign of weakness to wait for others to do those things. Every player should be a leader as it were, and should be empowered to act as a captain acts in these circumstances.

Our plight in recent seasons would have been exactly the same irrespective of who our captain was, be it Sticks or anyone else.