Sydney's Big Spend on Gun Forward

[Melbournehammer]

I wonder how many lone hand ruckmen are going to suffer injuries because of the increased workload? Mummy and Jolly so far.

I wonder how much damage, being used in the ruck as a pinch hitter is having on young talls. Jesse for certain.

Roos once noted that the vast majority of premiership teams fielded two ruckmen. It's amazing how a slight change to the interchange rule (and it is, when you think about it, a slight change) and all of a sudden some (not all) teams feel unable to "waste" a spot on a second ruckman.

So the big question is whether our coaching panel will ever go with two ruckman again?

I reckon they will. but the second ruckman has to be multidimensional. self-evidently the weagles are managing to do it, because their second rucks are more than capable of playing on the ball as ruck rovers. Few other teams are not playing someone who can assist the number 1 ruck but whose primary position is somewhere else. we just need to find whether pyke can play somewhere else semi permanently. Seaby can certainly take a mark forwards and is a pretty good set shot kicker so we do have some capacity there.

[magic.merkin]

I just have this itch, that they may feel it may be time for a Fevolution.

[rb4x]

I might be showing my age but I played in the era when we only had two substitutes. They were called 19th and 20th man. We always played two ruckmen then and the resting ruckman was usually deployed in the forward pocket. Ruck is probably the hardest position to play as you need to cover as much ground as a mid and get to ball ups and throw ins as well as taking the high contested mark. You need to be big to do the tap work and so your body is probably the least athletic on the oval yet you are asked to the most work and the toughest work at that. I know the game has got faster but does not that just make it tougher for the poor ruckman. He needs a rest which he gets by going to the pine which is fair enough as it is easier than the forward pocket. We then give away the ruck advantage by using a makeshift player in the ruck and stuff up his career development as well if it is a young guy like for instance Jesse or damage his confidence if it is LRT who is pretty clueless in the ruck. In my humble opinion we are crazy going with just one genuine ruckman and even more crazy if that one ruckman is Seaby who is not fit enough or fast enough to do the job for more than three quarters. If Seaby gets injured early on we are really going to be up the creek without a paddle. Rant over.

[ROK Lobster]

Fevola

He's a "chin" forward, surely.

[dimelb]

I might be showing my age but I played in the era when we only had two substitutes. They were called 19th and 20th man. We always played two ruckmen then and the resting ruckman was usually deployed in the forward pocket. Ruck is probably the hardest position to play as you need to cover as much ground as a mid and get to ball ups and throw ins as well as taking the high contested mark. You need to be big to do the tap work and so your body is probably the least athletic on the oval yet you are asked to the most work and the toughest work at that. I know the game has got faster but does not that just make it tougher for the poor ruckman. He needs a rest which he gets by going to the pine which is fair enough as it is easier than the forward pocket. We then give away the ruck advantage by using a makeshift player in the ruck and stuff up his career development as well if it is a young guy like for instance Jesse or damage his confidence if it is LRT who is pretty clueless in the ruck. In my humble opinion we are crazy going with just one genuine ruckman and even more crazy if that one ruckman is Seaby who is not fit enough or fast enough to do the job for more than three quarters. If Seaby gets injured early on we are really going to be up the creek without a paddle. Rant over.

I've never played the game, so I'm glad to see someone who has and who shares my opinion. For the life of me I cannot see the disadvantage in going into a game with two versatile ruckmen, especially when they are as good as Mummy and Pyke. Big Mike especially is worth getting more game time into as he is such a fast learner and applies himself to the task so determinedly. This one step would lay the foundation for a structured forward line. Leave Sammy Reid at CHF, use Johnston or Everitt as the third tall (I prefer Lewis II at present) and watch the crumbs turn to bread off the boots of McGlynn and TDL.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Few other teams are not playing someone who can assist the number 1 ruck but whose primary position is somewhere else.

Multidimensional ruckmen?
Haha, next thing you'll be telling me they can be taught to speak!!!

But in all seriousness the dimension ruckmen have to themselves is height. While grass burners get slower as the game goes on, ruckmen don't shrink.

I would prefer to see us try the radical experiment of playing two real ruckmen a second time (it worked against the dogs) than for us to play "someone who can assist."

Nor do I think ruckmen should be positioned on the forward line on a semi permanent basis, it just doesn't seem to work.
Most ruckmen can make a menace of themselves up forward these days. Like migrating whales they should be regular spectacular visits to the forward line.
They seem to have more effect like that, scoring goals in bursts. Probably the result of the confusion caused in the short term by the replacement of a 6ft forward by a 6ft8in ruckman.

[msb]

I just have this itch, that they may feel it may be time for a Fevolution.

So do I, like braddy, we would get him for nothing (draft pick/trade wise) as well.

[Cheer_Cheer]

In a word White..Another word - physicality.. He is the great White hope.. He just needs to know his strengths and limitations. I like him best when he presents a big physical presence at the contest.. He should be there splitting packs and bringing the ball to ground if he can't mark it.. Guys like TDL and Gopher will do the rest. Tie the ball into our forward line. Don't let it come out so easily as has been the case this season. I want every defender that plays on him to know that they are going to have to earn it.. Sure he will give away some frees. I would rather see Scarlett picking himself off the turf spitting out grass and running back to take a free kick rather than marking and playing on quickly. We aren't giving away as many frees this season because we have gone soft IMO. Frees are the by-product of being hard at the contest. Not ideal but sometimes a professional free is a good thing. White is a big unit and needs to scare the crap out of defenders. All forwards have their own style. Plugger was great in a pack mark.. Hally on a lead. White needs to find or be shown his style.. Then the team can mould around that style.

[Red]

So a potential key forward Mitch Clark is out of contract this year, and his manager is currently negotiating a new one. So of course the Swans are suddenly interested and willing to throw silly money at him .

I'd be happy if we went after a #2 key forward who wanted to be #1 -- which I suppose Clark is. My pick in this category would be Roughhead from Hawthorn.

[ugg]

Mitch Clark is actually quite disappointing as a key forward. His best games have been when he's played in the ruck, such as in 2009 when the Lions lost Leuenberger and Charman for most of the year, or when he's given a licence to roam around the ground like he did last week against the Crows.

[WolfGang]

Just draft the 3 best "Big" forwards in the Under 18 draft - hopefully 1 will make it !!

If they are local NSW kid's - all the better - save the ""go Home" pull of Victorian, WA or SA 18 year olds.

[jono2707]

Just draft the 3 best "Big" forwards in the Under 18 draft - hopefully 1 will make it !!

If they are local NSW kid's - all the better - save the ""go Home" pull of Victorian, WA or SA 18 year olds.

The draft idea has merit - however I like many others continue to hope that Jesse can make it - as a forward and left well alone from rucking duties.

If we go out and buy a 'gun' player I would rather see us picking up a silky smooth and fast midfielder as I think we're still a bit lacking in that area as well.

I'd also add that I don't think the 'go home' pull has really affected us in recent years so I wouldnt let that influence draft picks. I do, however, love to see NSW born and bred players, and even better still if they're Riverina boys!