Tom Boyd

[jeemak]

A ruck/forward who can kick goals is the rarest commodity in the game. Tom is shaping up to be one such player, and I'm stoked we've got him.

[Topdog]

What did people make of his game against Geelong? I missed about 75% of the game but the mark and goal in the last was promising.

[bulldogtragic]

What did people make of his game against Geelong? I missed about 75% of the game but the mark and goal in the last was promising.

Ripping game. 20 disposals, 33 hit outs, 2.1 off his boot. That was a ripping contested mark, which is why we need him to have Roughie back so he can have more time to do those things like his huge speccy against Sydney.

What the media don't talk about, is that he's not played and trained as a ruck until probably last year. So for a kid new to the tap out contest he's fairly advanced, and his tank has had to deal with rucking most games by himself as the solo ruckman. He'd be stuffed all week I reckon, and really testing that reco'd shoulder too. I didn't know he was a card carrying member of the handball club too.

He's still 21, which the media like to gloss over, and when he gets Roughie & English to create a big guy trio, they'll be an amazing group of highly versatile big men.

[Remi Moses]

Thought he was pretty decent . Love to see him clunk some of those he gets his hands on .
As tragic said he's still only young as far as big men go

[lemmon]

Agree with BT, he was excellent. He's spending far too much time in the ruck at the moment for mine though, he was really dangerous up front and we lost something without him there.

[jeemak]

Surely that puts him in the team of the week as a ruck.

[Sedat]

What did people make of his game against Geelong? I missed about 75% of the game but the mark and goal in the last was promising.

Had an excellent game - he is channeling his inner Ben Hudson with his repeat efforts at the ruck stoppages. Unfortunately that soft as shit Zac Smith made some very telling tap work that gave the Cats some very clean and easy clearance ball into their F50. But for a novice 21yo ruckman, Boyd is improving his craft at an alarming rate.

[jeemak]

Had an excellent game - he is channeling his inner Ben Hudson with his repeat efforts at the ruck stoppages. Unfortunately that soft as shit Zac Smith made some very telling tap work that gave the Cats some very clean and easy clearance ball into their F50. But for a novice 21yo ruckman, Boyd is improving his craft at an alarming rate.

Bevo not setting up for that, or the on-ground leaders not setting up for that was most telling. The arrogance of our club from a centre bounce set up in particular pretty much cost us the game (apart from the Cloke and Adams brain fades, of course).

[ratsmac]

Bevo not setting up for that, or the on-ground leaders not setting up for that was most telling. The arrogance of our club from a centre bounce set up in particular pretty much cost us the game (apart from the Cloke and Adams brain fades, of course).

I couldn't believe how many times either Danger or selwood had the ball tapped straight to them. They pretty much strolled out the centre with little pressure thrusting the ball forward putting our defenders under immediate pressure. Why we didn't have someone stand next to them is staggering.

[Twodogs]

I couldn't believe how many times either Danger or selwood had the ball tapped straight to them. They pretty much strolled out the centre with little pressure thrusting the ball forward putting our defenders under immediate pressure. Why we didn't have someone stand next to them is staggering.

Only daggy teams tag opposition players apparantly.

[Mantis]

I couldn't believe how many times either Danger or selwood had the ball tapped straight to them. They pretty much strolled out the centre with little pressure thrusting the ball forward putting our defenders under immediate pressure. Why we didn't have someone stand next to them is staggering.

We had no one who could run with them.. our mids as a group are bloody slow!

Liked Tom's game, will only improve when we get Roughy back too.

[Ozza]

Surely that puts him in the team of the week as a ruck.

Unless his direct opponent is picked in that position.

Don't get me wrong, I liked what I saw from Tom on Friday night - and the period that he wasn't rucking went a long way to us losing the game - it was good to see him take some marks and get a fair bit of the ball, But his direct opponent had more possession, hit outs and tackles - so it wasn't like Tom dominated his position.

Probably one of those rare occasions that opposing ruckman in a match both play pretty well.

[Bullies]

Agree with BT, he was excellent. He's spending far too much time in the ruck at the moment for mine though, he was really dangerous up front and we lost something without him there.

You will find when he plays forward and is one on one he gets pushed off the best defenders too easily as he is not strong enough in the legs. He is still learning the craft which is why they are putting so much work into him in the ruck. He will be more a ruckman than forward. When he played TAC he was so big that all he had to do was raise his hands and clunk them. At 21 to do what he is doing in the ruck he is being underestimated. Ruckman don't come good until 24/25.

[bornadog]

Unless his direct opponent is picked in that position.

Don't get me wrong, I liked what I saw from Tom on Friday night - and the period that he wasn't rucking went a long way to us losing the game - it was good to see him take some marks and get a fair bit of the ball, But his direct opponent had more possession, hit outs and tackles - so it wasn't like Tom dominated his position.

Probably one of those rare occasions that opposing ruckman in a match both play pretty well.

Zac Smith in team of the week, so spot on Ozza

[Scorlibo]

Unless his direct opponent is picked in that position.

Don't get me wrong, I liked what I saw from Tom on Friday night - and the period that he wasn't rucking went a long way to us losing the game - it was good to see him take some marks and get a fair bit of the ball, But his direct opponent had more possession, hit outs and tackles - so it wasn't like Tom dominated his position.

Probably one of those rare occasions that opposing ruckman in a match both play pretty well.

Yep. Zac Smith was hugely influential for them, especially in the last quarter. He recorded the second most player ratings points of any player in the league for the round (behind Dangerfield). From that perspective alone, Tom has to be marked down, but if he can produce the same again while having the awareness to really clamp down on the opposition ruckman when they get a run-on, he will be a great player for us for the rest of the season.