I have commented on the matter, but only briefly. There's an extensive analysis which I could provide, but I won't do it all in one go, to spare RWO members the pain.
Most of us have been following the game for quite some time and have become fixated with traditional roles and game styles from a game much steeped in history. But things are changing. In my own team analysis I no longer use the traditional 6 x 3 matrix of player positions, because the game is no longer played that way.
Forget about the traditional image of a ruckman: The big guy who tries to out-muscle another big guy to get a touch to the advantage of another member of the team.
This part of the game is about stoppage strategy and may involve any number combinations of player types and tactics, some with big traditional type ruckmen, some without.
At present we do not have a good option that involves a big man beating another big man at stoppages, so we just do something else. We should play the stoppages defensively, trying for a loose ball situation. If we don't win the first loose ball situation, we should be setup in a position behind the ball to get a turnover from a forced kick from the opposition.
We should also try to keep the ball in play, avoiding stoppages and taking advantage of having an extra mobile player in lieu of the opposition typically immobile ruckman. If you look at our recent drafts of players like Hayward, Florent, Ling and Stoddart, it is quite evident that we are quickly evolving in this direction. We are not the stoppage team that benefited from a powerful ruckman and players like Kirk, Bolton and ROK.
Some may not see any analogy between basketball and Aussie Rules, but I see many similarities in game strategy. In NBA basketball the big powerful centre is going out of style, unless he is mobile and can shoot from the outside. The game has evolved from a low scoring period to more speed, outside shooting and more scoring. There are ever more taller players with great mobility and agility, like our own Australian Ben Simmons, who plays point guard at nearly 7 feet tall and moves like a gazelle. In AFL we are seeing a trend to taller midfielders as well as more mobile tall forwards and backmen.
The future of the game is with speed, quick movement and skills across the ground. The loss of Tippett and Naismith may seem unfortunate, but has given us a hard push in the right direction. Hopefully the coaching staff see the opportunity and go with it and not try to force an inferior player to fit the mould of a traditional position.
Aliir looks to be in training without any support for the ankle, so he should be okay to go round 1. I'd be happy to give Cameron a go and see if he's up to it. Toby Pink has played in the ruck and is another option although he hasn't shown enough so far to say he's a good enough footballer and we haven't seen him in pre-season games so far. In any case, I believe there can be an effective strategy even if every hitout is lost to advantage.
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