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  1. #1
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    Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

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    Will Minson is as good a tap ruckman as any other in the AFL, according to Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney. But he has a bit of work to do if he is to become the best big man in the competition.
    The 198-centimetre Minson is leading the competition for total hit-outs after six rounds, with 236 at an average of 39.3. The next best is North Melbourne's Todd Goldstein, with 230, ahead of West Coast's Dean Cox on 179.

    He could even be on track for his first All-Australian selection, having dominated the ruck in each of his six outings this season, highlighted by 47 and 48 hit-out performances in round four against Adelaide and round two against Fremantle respectively.
    Minson was solo against the Eagles again on Sunday, winning 38 of his side's 40 hit-outs. West Coast had the luxury of playing three ruckmen - Cox, Nic Naitanui and Callum Sinclair - who combined for 57.

    Mark Austin and Daniel Cross were the only other Dogs to record hit-outs against the Eagles.
    As a result of Minson's efforts, Matt Boyd, Adam Cooney and Tom Liberatore got their hands on the ball in the middle first, won the centre clearances 19-13 and had the ball inside their attacking 50-metre area 53 times to the Eagles' 52.
    They also kicked four goals from stoppages. But they lost by 70 points.
    After the game McCartney was full of praise for Minson, but fell short of calling him the best ruckman in the AFL.

    ''As good a tap ruckman,'' he said. ''The really good ruckmen, they are multi-faceted in that they slip forward and take marks. They link up around the ground. That's what the best ruckmen do, but he has some great attributes that we really appreciate.''
    Minson is yet to kick a goal in 2013. He has 66 majors in 142 games, but only 18 from the past three seasons.

    Cox has seven so far this season, as does Sydney's Mike Pyke, while Tom Bellchambers has 10. Last season, of the top AFL ruckman, Cox led the way with 28 goals, while Naitanui and David Hale each kicked 24.

    But the others benefit from what Minson does not have - another big man to take some of the load. So far in 2013, after Minson's 236 taps, Ayce Cordy is next best with 15.
    ''We're having to leave him in the ruck a fair bit of the time,'' McCartney conceded. ''Will's the sort of ruckman that suits. The more he grinds away the better he seems to handle it. We have some young talls in our club; a couple of them are injured.''

    A back-up ruckman for Minson, 28, could well be on the top of the Bulldogs' hit list at the end of this season.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  2. #2
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    He was up against it on the weekend and battled his heart out. Have loved Wills work at the ruck contest this year, I'm hoping he can get more dangerous around the ground and hopefully startt to hit the scoreboard occasionally.
    "Loves a scrap....oh yeah & he's a pretty handy footballer as well"

  3. #3
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    Surely it's a bit much to ask him to be doing too much around the ground when he is effectively flying solo in the ruck. Fair enough if there were others to share the role, but he is shouldering the whole burden at the moment and it's reasonable for that to be his primary focus.

  4. #4
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    Quote Originally Posted by Murphy'sLore View Post
    Surely it's a bit much to ask him to be doing too much around the ground when he is effectively flying solo in the ruck. Fair enough if there were others to share the role, but he is shouldering the whole burden at the moment and it's reasonable for that to be his primary focus.
    I was thinking the same thing. He must have to run from one end of the ground to the other and be expected to slip into the forward line as well and kick goals. The way we play he has no hope of doing that.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  5. #5
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    Quote Originally Posted by bornadog View Post
    I was thinking the same thing. He must have to run from one end of the ground to the other and be expected to slip into the forward line as well and kick goals. The way we play he has no hope of doing that.
    The weekend he was up against it no doubt. If he can get a chop out for 20-25 mins of the match he has to offer something up forward, don't think there is anything wrong with the coaches expecting that.
    "Loves a scrap....oh yeah & he's a pretty handy footballer as well"

  6. #6
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    Quote Originally Posted by SlimPickens View Post
    The weekend he was up against it no doubt. If he can get a chop out for 20-25 mins of the match he has to offer something up forward, don't think there is anything wrong with the coaches expecting that.
    I would have thought that most of this time would be spent off the ground having a rest.

    If this time increases to 40 or 45min then Will has to be productive up forward, but as it is I can't see his goal input increasing.

  7. #7
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    If we don't give Will some support soon we, risk burning him out as we did with Hudson by playing him as a sole ruck week in and week out. And that is certainly something we can ill afford to happen.
    I know Hudson has played on after 'retiring' from the Dogs, but only as an occasional stop gap.

    Roughy and Jones are otherwise occupied, and Campbell is still a couple of years short of ready for AFL level. That only leaves Cordy. Not as a FF, as that is not his gig, but certainly as a FP/ 2nd ruck he could fit in ok.

  8. #8
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    Quote Originally Posted by paulv View Post
    If we don't give Will some support soon we, risk burning him out as we did with Hudson by playing him as a sole ruck week in and week out. And that is certainly something we can ill afford to happen.
    I know Hudson has played on after 'retiring' from the Dogs, but only as an occasional stop gap.

    Roughy and Jones are otherwise occupied, and Campbell is still a couple of years short of ready for AFL level. That only leaves Cordy. Not as a FF, as that is not his gig, but certainly as a FP/ 2nd ruck he could fit in ok.
    I reckon with Stringer playing more games Ayce becomes less of a liability. I was completely staggered (injury aside) that our MC allowed Minson to face WCE with only Austin in support.

    Ayce isn't a full forward and he never will be. The sooner everyone adjusts to that he'll be able to develop as a rucking forward pocket at his own pace with some support.

  9. #9
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    Ayce isn't a full forward and he never will be. The sooner everyone adjusts to that he'll be able to develop as a rucking forward pocket at his own pace with some support.
    So with this being the case should Ayce being spending more time in the ruck and Will a little more time forward?

  10. #10
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    Re: Dogs' lone ruckman is still tapping away

    Quote Originally Posted by Mantis View Post
    So with this being the case should Ayce being spending more time in the ruck and Will a little more time forward?
    I think yes
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

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