Had a good game I thought. Hargrave was very good and the capt was the pick of the experienced crop.
Printable View
Had a good game I thought. Hargrave was very good and the capt was the pick of the experienced crop.
I havent seen the stats but it certainly appeared that he was getting the majority of the hitouts to advantage, and he was good around the ground. Solid start, although he still gave away 1 stupid free kick (in the back).
He is a bloody good setshot for goal - if (and its a big if) he can take a mark or 2 up forward every game, he will convert well.
We really need Big Will to make it as a good #1 ruck now, this year. If he has an excellent season, with the talent coming up to partner him in the big man department like Roughead & Cordy (apparently now approx a 96kg monster) we've got a few team issues sorted like not big enough, too skinny to take on Geelong, Eagles, etc, etc. If he spends the year in the reserves because of form then we'll have those problems as Roughead & Cordy, et al, are not ready for #1 ruck spot but great as #2/forward pocket at this stage of their development.
Click here: Don't argue :D
I think you are on the money with your assessment. This is a new situation for Will to take over the responsibilty as No. 1 and to then nurture and mentor both Roughead and Cordy. Minson has great endurance and is a workhorse. This should see big Will spending more time in the ruck, allowing both Roughie and Cordy to spend more time up forward as a marking option. I hope for Will's sake that this will become his breakout year.
If there's ever time for Big Will, it's this Saturday.
Perfectly primed, caging the tiger, holding back the beast, he couldn't be more ready too. And it's not like a big strong ruckman hasn't come into the finals after a layoff from the senior side and made a major difference - think Brisbane, Geelong and Hawthorn. He's not long ago the All-Australian Ruckman.
Will's selection is coaching of the highest order!
Will Minson - Its time;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqMCZBjvmD4
I think Will's selection is less holding him back and more necessity. Look at the other options:
- Campbell coming off an injury + gastro
- Roughead injured
- T Boyd coming off injury and not a 1st ruck
- Ayce Cordy
Also people forget that as much as Will has been on the outer, he has played more games this year as our first ruck than any other player.
If he can control his aggression and not give away dumb frees, he can really upset the rhythm of the beanpole tap ruckmen in September. Ben Hudson had a fantastic record against all of the tall ruckmen because he would grind them down with his physicality and offer twice as much support to the mids when the ball hits the deck. Pivotal to winning the ruck battle will be our mids structuring up smartly at the stoppages to negate the clean clearances that killed us against West Coke 2 weeks ago - although I suspect that we went all shoot-out mode against them and kept something in the kitbag for the following week against Norf.