Time to Give Will some help in the Ruck

[bornadog]

Following on from NBP's post in another thread.

The game was probably lost in the first quarter when Warnock had 11 hitouts to Will's nil. We are the only club in the AFL that persists with one ruckman. Geelong in fact play three as does Hawthorn if you count Roughead. Surely that says something is wrong.

Why do we persist with playing less ruckman than the successful clubs, surely we need to help Will, he can't be in AA form for every game, and when he struggles, we don't have an option.

What do we do and what are the options?

* Campbell

* Cordy

* or do we try Williams (as has been tried in the past)

[lemmon]

I agree, would be bringing in Campbell. I think we have forgotten how promising he looked towards the end of last year and can do the job up forward while giving Minson a decent chop out.

If an opposition player through the midfield or up forward gets on top we have the option of changing up his match-up, makes sense to me that we give ourselves the same option in the ruck.

[bornadog]

I agree, would be bringing in Campbell. I think we have forgotten how promising he looked towards the end of last year and can do the job up forward while giving Minson a decent chop out.

If an opposition player through the midfield or up forward gets on top we have the option of changing up his match-up, makes sense to me that we give ourselves the same option in the ruck.

I think if we bring Campbell in, he needs to play more in the ruck than 10 to 15% of the time or he won't learn ruck work stuck at FF.

[LostDoggy]

Any reason we can't play Tom say 50% ruck for first 3 qtrs and injuries permitting sub him around 3qtr time, bring on some run (Gia lol) and let Will bring it home?

[Go_Dogs]

I agree, we need to bring in one of Campbell or Cordy to give Will a chop out.

Campbell was integral to our improved performance at the back end of 2013 and whilst he is still a developing player, it's going to be better for his development playing at senior level. The flow on will be allowing Cordy a greater amount of time rucking at VFL level too, which will hopefully help with his development.

[DragzLS1]

I vote cambell. Straightens us up and could shoulder atleast 30% of the ruck work. That gives Minno 60-70% ruck work instead of 90% he does now. Do it!

[DragzLS1]

I would also like to remind everyone that we not only won a few games purely because Minson ruck soo well with Libba roving, but also kept us in a lot of games that would have otherwise been a blow out. We need to get the most put of him not the longest out of him

[bulldogtragic]

Should have picked up someone up in the drafts. Seems a glaring oversight, and if Will gets injured were up the creek.

[lemmon]

Should have picked up someone up in the drafts. Seems a glaring oversight, and if Will gets injured were up the creek.

Mature age or an under 18? I guess it depends as to whether the match committee don't believe the role itself is viable or they don't believe Campbell/Cordy are up to playing it at the moment.

[bulldogtragic]

Mature age or an under 18? I guess it depends as to whether the match committee don't believe the role itself is viable or they don't believe Campbell/Cordy are up to playing it at the moment.

You could make an argument either way, on whether we even rookied a kid or mature age. But the powers thought that we couldn't let Greenwood or Redpath go.

Ayce has done nothing to indicate a high level of rucking competence in the VFL, which just leaves Campbell who we'd love to be a big forward. It seems fairly light on IMO.

Great question about the MC. I'm hoping our first position is not put Will in for 97% of the games.

[GVGjr]

Should have picked up someone up in the drafts. Seems a glaring oversight, and if Will gets injured were up the creek.

Whilst I tend to agree I don't think we wanted to take one just for the sake of it. We should have a developing ruckman on our rookie list each year but I don't think we wanted to change our rookies this year given the introduction of a VFL side.

We need a forward that can move into the ruck from time to time. Finding a decent one might be a difficult one though.

[bulldogtragic]

Whilst I tend to agree I don't think we wanted to take one just for the sake of it. We should have a developing ruckman on our rookie list each year but I don't think we wanted to change our rookies this year given the introduction of a VFL side.

We need a forward that can move into the ruck from time to time. Finding a decent one might be a difficult one though.

The only way to get a decent one means recruiting one in the first place, there's a few good rucks getting around that were lowish or even rookie picks. I'm not trying to pot anyone, but keeping Greenwood and/or Redpath isn't looking like a brilliant list management decision at the moment. As always I'm happy to say it if I'm wrong, but I've always thought we were a few light on last year in turning things over which then in turn means we couldnt recruit more broadly.

[bornadog]

The only way to get a decent one means recruiting one in the first place, there's a few good rucks getting around that were lowish or even rookie picks. I'm not trying to pot anyone, but keeping Greenwood and/or Redpath isn't looking like a brilliant list management decision at the moment. As always I'm happy to say it if I'm wrong, but I've always thought we were a few light on last year in turning things over which then in turn means we couldnt recruit more broadly.

Hamish McIntosh or Ben Mcevoy were available.

[GVGjr]

The only way to get a decent one means recruiting one in the first place, there's a few good rucks getting around that were lowish or even rookie picks. I'm not trying to pot anyone, but keeping Greenwood and/or Redpath isn't looking like a brilliant list management decision at the moment. As always I'm happy to say it if I'm wrong, but I've always thought we were a few light on last year in turning things over which then in turn means we couldnt recruit more broadly.

I also thought we needed to make some changes to the rookies and would have been happy enough just to keep two of them.
Greenwood and Redpath were always going to be long shots but they do have the balance of the season to prove their worth.

[Greystache]

Should have picked up someone up in the drafts. Seems a glaring oversight, and if Will gets injured were up the creek.

Surely 3 mature and specialist ruckmen on the senior list is enough to cover potential injuries? If we don't think Cordy is capable of filling an injury gap in his 6th year and turning 24 during the season, then we're just conceding we're wasting our time with him.

I would've liked to have seen us take a project ruckman last draft to develop, but I also would've
only expected them to play if we had 5 talls go down with serious injuries.

The fact that most of are paranoid Minson will get injured or be out of form because we can't rely on our mature depth speaks volumes for me about how far off the level some of them are.