I suppose English normally gets to the right spots, but he typically has very little impact once he’s there. Must frustrate the hell out of the coaches.
Printable View
Wonderful post HD and an excellent question to close it off. We had nothing to lose playing him IMO, not only we get to blood a ruckman which we desperately need it also leaves us with an option if/when Martin isn't available.
Now our hands are tied, it's Martin or bust.
Plenty of discussion around Martin v Sweet, with makeshift Young thrown in, but we're all burying the lead. We drafted a 207cm 19yo ruckman 5 years ago in the expectation that he will be tearing it up as a 24yo just as we are building for another tilt at a premiership. It is damning that English is (quite rightly) not even being seriously discussed as #1 ruck option this week, such is his complete lack of aggression, strength, craft and nous in the position.
And it's not as though we haven't given him ample opportunity to make the #1 ruck position his own. His lack of development is hurting us big time at the moment, and we better have a plan for how best to deploy him this week and in 2022 and beyond because it sure isn't going to be as #1 ruck.
A fair point, we are kind of missing the obvious.
I feel Bevo has been expressing some of his exasperation at this exact scenario of late; the public talking to on the bench then some comments in the press conference made his frustrations pretty clear.
English looks like a nice kid and he's an amazing athlete. He just needs to work on his competitiveness. Not sure you can teach it.
That concussion certainly took the wind out of his sails.
You picked this a while out Sedat, and while it was easier to be negative based on his body of work I really did think he'd turn the corner.
Now I can't see it happening for him as a number one ruck. He's going to be a great second ruck/ forward, but chances of him actually making it in the role he was selected seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer.
With Timmy there it does give us the flexibility to consider a ruck who isn't much of a threat forward (a la Stef).
The little I've seen of Max Lynch suggests he wouldn't worry defenders too much. I doubt opposition coaches would be concerned about Ceglar forward either, and he seems to have been mentioned a few times.
Interesting question. Let's suppose our first few options have dried up and we are stuck with a choice between Ceglar and Mason Cox - who do you prefer?
Id go Ceglar as he has shown he can hold his own as a first ruck. Unsure if Cox can or not as he hasn't really had that opportunity to.
I think Ladhams, Lynch, McLean are too similar to English and we'd be doubly depressed if we brought one of these players to the club.
You have been a big advocate for Max Lynch - out of the players you have listed who is your preference? Still Lynch?
Would Ben Hudson get a game in Luke Beveridge team?
He is probably our best ruckman since Scott Wynd / Luke Darcy.