Well Ruck Me.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Seriously English shits me no end. I’d be more than happy to trade him. I CANNOT stand his weak efforts in every single contest. Ceglar just gave him the smallest shove and he goes flying. Gives us zero hitouts. Can’t take a mark around the ground. Just SOFT.

[josie]

English has always and still is lacking intensity at rucks and with follow up. Out-bodied, sometimes bordering on timid. Fear we are going to head into next year with yet again same glaring weakness.

[bulldogtragic]

They always link WCE to English being a WA boy. They need someone to help with NN & JK getting on/retiring. If they want to talk Barass or McGovern or other player of need. I’m now in a listening mood on nearly everyone bar a handful.

[Vred]

Looking at the stats of Sweet vs Martin, can someone logically tell me why we aren't persisting with someone on the list who's about to hit that age where rucks start to hit their straps? Yes, toweled up against Melbourne in ONE game, it was what, his 4th or 5th AFL level game? It was bound to happen, and he certainly wasn't the reason we lost that game.

Stats wise, Sweet needs to be continued to developed and played. No excuse right now to be running a single ruck with Bont, Macrae, Young, and whoever else, filling the gap.

1.jpg4.jpg

[Danjul]

Jesse Glass McCasker Footscray VFL (198cm 98kg) has only had the opportunity to play primary ruck in two matches, when Sweet was in our AFL side. Comparing his stats with Max Lynch when playing against the same teams JGM is superior esp in clearances and tackling.


Against GC Suns
Glass McCasker Goal 1 Disp 14 HO 38 Clearances 5 Marks 4 Tackles 5
Max Lynch Goal 0 Disp 12 HO 29 Clearances 3 Marks 5 Tackles 2

Frankston
Glass McCasker Goal 1 Disp 17 HO33 Clearances 9 Marks 2 Tackles 5
Max Lynch Goal 1 Disp 19 HO36 Clearances 5 Marks 3 Tackles 3

It is the old story - if you want a promotion you must leave, and then be headhunted. Your reputation will grow faster when people can’t see your one weakness every day.

[bulldogtragic]

Ruck market tightening up:


ST KILDA is keeping tabs on Sydney big man Hayden McLean, as the club continues to ponder long-term partnership options to pair alongside exciting young ruckman Rowan Marshall.

McLean, 22, impressed upon his return to Sydney's senior team in last week's victory over North Melbourne. He is uncontracted beyond this season and could yet sign an extension to continue his three-year stint with the club.

But the Saints remain determined to bolster their key-position stocks at season's end to provide additional ruck support for Marshall and to combine with star forward Max King in attack.

McLean has subsequently come into the thinking of St Kilda's recruiting department, having previously spent a season with the club's VFL affiliate Sandringham before being added to Sydney's rookie list ahead of the 2019 campaign.

Sydney's Hayden McLean celebrates a goal against Geelong in round seven, 2021. Picture: Getty Images
As reported by Inside Trading earlier this year, veteran Paddy Ryder is expected to pen a one-year extension to remain with the Saints for season 2022.

However, Paul Hunter is without a deal and faces an uncertain future after inking a one-year contract as a supplemental selection period signing last summer, while Shaun McKernan retired on Wednesday after being recruited as a delisted free agent.

Project players Sam Alabakis and Max Heath remain on the club's rookie list, with neither having yet made their AFL debuts, while Marshall and Ryder have both endured seasons plagued by injury.

It's led the Saints to investigate the prospect of dealing for McLean at season's end, having kept a watchful eye over the versatile 197cm ruck-forward when he spent one year at the club's VFL outfit Sandringham in 2018. – Riley Beveridge
restricted free agents at the Saints. – Callum Twomey

BIG BOMBER SET TO RECOMMIT, DOCKERS RUCK SIGNS

THE RUCK merry-go-round is shrinking, with Essendon's Andrew Phillips set for a new deal and Fremantle big man Lloyd Meek agreeing to a contract extension.

Phillips is expected to ink a one-year contract through to the end of 2022 as he remains an important back-up for emerging Bombers ruck Sam Draper. The former Giant and Blue attracted interest from Melbourne last off-season and has played six games this season.

Andrew Phillips in action against Richmond, round 12, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos
Meek had captured rival interest after making his debut at the start of this season and playing the first month of games but the 23-year-old will remain with the Dockers until at least the end of 2023.

The country Victorian product has featured in the Dockers' past four games and shapes as a long-term ruck partner with Sean Darcy.

There remains a group of rucks who will be of interest to rivals in the upcoming free agency and trade periods. Richmond pair Mabior Chol and Callum Coleman-Jones shape as two of the in-demand talls on the market and both remain unsigned.

Port Adelaide's Peter Ladhams (2022) and Sam Hayes (2023) are both signed to the club but have been sought after previously, while Collingwood duo Max Lynch and Mason Cox, Sydney's Callum Sinclair, Giants pair Matt Flynn and Kieran Briggs, North Melbourne's Tom Campbell and Geelong veteran Rhys Stanley are also out of contract.

Cats big man Darcy Fort and Hawk Jon Ceglar are both contracted to the end of 2022 but could be looked at by clubs searching for more options. – Mitch Cleary, Callum Twomey


RUCK ROOKIE LIST 'A FANTASTIC ADDITION'

MELBOURNE recruiting manager Jason Taylor has backed the AFL expanding the category B rookie list to include ruck prospects to help the development of taller players entering the system.

AFL.com.au reported this week the League was set to discuss the possibility of adding a ruck option to the category B rookie list that would encourage clubs to draft and develop rucks rather than pick-off readymade ones from rivals through trades and free agency.

The concept was raised by AFL.com.au in February and if brought in would allow players over a certain height – 198cm, for example – to be available to clubs if they are not selected in the national draft. Seven rucks were taken in the mid-season rookie draft this year.

"I'd be really strong on that for rucks," Taylor told the Road to the Draft podcast.

[bulldogtragic]

Ruck market tightening up:


ST KILDA is keeping tabs on Sydney big man Hayden McLean, as the club continues to ponder long-term partnership options to pair alongside exciting young ruckman Rowan Marshall.

McLean, 22, impressed upon his return to Sydney's senior team in last week's victory over North Melbourne. He is uncontracted beyond this season and could yet sign an extension to continue his three-year stint with the club.

But the Saints remain determined to bolster their key-position stocks at season's end to provide additional ruck support for Marshall and to combine with star forward Max King in attack.

McLean has subsequently come into the thinking of St Kilda's recruiting department, having previously spent a season with the club's VFL affiliate Sandringham before being added to Sydney's rookie list ahead of the 2019 campaign.

As reported by Inside Trading earlier this year, veteran Paddy Ryder is expected to pen a one-year extension to remain with the Saints for season 2022.

However, Paul Hunter is without a deal and faces an uncertain future after inking a one-year contract as a supplemental selection period signing last summer, while Shaun McKernan retired on Wednesday after being recruited as a delisted free agent.

Project players Sam Alabakis and Max Heath remain on the club's rookie list, with neither having yet made their AFL debuts, while Marshall and Ryder have both endured seasons plagued by injury.

It's led the Saints to investigate the prospect of dealing for McLean at season's end, having kept a watchful eye over the versatile 197cm ruck-forward when he spent one year at the club's VFL outfit Sandringham in 2018. – Riley Beveridge
restricted free agents at the Saints. – Callum Twomey

BIG BOMBER SET TO RECOMMIT, DOCKERS RUCK SIGNS

THE RUCK merry-go-round is shrinking, with Essendon's Andrew Phillips set for a new deal and Fremantle big man Lloyd Meek agreeing to a contract extension.

Phillips is expected to ink a one-year contract through to the end of 2022 as he remains an important back-up for emerging Bombers ruck Sam Draper. The former Giant and Blue attracted interest from Melbourne last off-season and has played six games this season.

Meek had captured rival interest after making his debut at the start of this season and playing the first month of games but the 23-year-old will remain with the Dockers until at least the end of 2023.

The country Victorian product has featured in the Dockers' past four games and shapes as a long-term ruck partner with Sean Darcy.

There remains a group of rucks who will be of interest to rivals in the upcoming free agency and trade periods. Richmond pair Mabior Chol and Callum Coleman-Jones shape as two of the in-demand talls on the market and both remain unsigned.

Port Adelaide's Peter Ladhams (2022) and Sam Hayes (2023) are both signed to the club but have been sought after previously, while Collingwood duo Max Lynch and Mason Cox, Sydney's Callum Sinclair, Giants pair Matt Flynn and Kieran Briggs, North Melbourne's Tom Campbell and Geelong veteran Rhys Stanley are also out of contract.

Cats big man Darcy Fort and Hawk Jon Ceglar are both contracted to the end of 2022 but could be looked at by clubs searching for more options. – Mitch Cleary, Callum Twomey


RUCK ROOKIE LIST 'A FANTASTIC ADDITION'

MELBOURNE recruiting manager Jason Taylor has backed the AFL expanding the category B rookie list to include ruck prospects to help the development of taller players entering the system.

AFL.com.au reported this week the League was set to discuss the possibility of adding a ruck option to the category B rookie list that would encourage clubs to draft and develop rucks rather than pick-off readymade ones from rivals through trades and free agency.

The concept was raised by AFL.com.au in February and if brought in would allow players over a certain height – 198cm, for example – to be available to clubs if they are not selected in the national draft. Seven rucks were taken in the mid-season rookie draft this year.

"I'd be really strong on that for rucks," Taylor told the Road to the Draft podcast.

[bulldogtragic]

Synopsis of above article:

Maboir Chol - Age 24, 200cm, 91kg, 30 Games
Peter Ladhams - Age 23, 202cm, 95kg, 29 Games
Matt Flynn - Age 23, 200cm, 103kg, 12 Games
Hayden McLean - Age 22, 197cm, 103kg, 19 Games
Callum Coleman-Jones - Age 22, 200cm, 102kg, 8 Games
Kieren Briggs - Age 22 (October), 200cm, 107cm, 4 Games
Max Lynch - Age 22, 200cm, 99kg, 3 Games
Sam Hayes - Age 22, 205cm, 102kg, 0 Games

No to Sinclair, Fort & Cox. Stanley won’t leave.

[Vred]

1. Ladhams
2. Darcy Cameron
3. Lynch
4. Callum C-J
5. If we're this far down we're pretty *!*!*!*!ed
6. Mason Cox

In that order

[Mofra]

Ladhams is available.
Port are pushing him out because of his association with Aidyn Johnson (delisted at the end of 2019). Johnson has just moved to Melbourne, he and Ladhams run a T shirt business together just like most footballers in the 2000s did.

He is not a good influence on Ladhams but they are Johnno/Smith B1 & B2 tight.

Here's the question - do we pull the trigger and trade for him then back our culture to pull him into line or is he in the 'too hard' basket that would disrupt the group?

[Axe Man]

Ladhams is available.
Port are pushing him out because of his association with Aidyn Johnson (delisted at the end of 2019). Johnson has just moved to Melbourne, he and Ladhams run a T shirt business together just like most footballers in the 2000s did.

He is not a good influence on Ladhams but they are Johnno/Smith B1 & B2 tight.

Here's the question - do we pull the trigger and trade for him then back our culture to pull him into line or is he in the 'too hard' basket that would disrupt the group?

Is Johnson a potential Footscray candidate? Keep him under our nose if we are concerned about him?

I believe he is indigenous - get Varcoe to work with him?

[bulldogtragic]

Is Johnson a potential Footscray candidate? Keep him under our nose if we are concerned about him?

I believe he is indigenous - get Varcoe to work with him?

Seems to have played at Sturt last year.

Is there competition with Hannan and his t-shirt brand, or a good symmetry of combined interests?

[bulldogtragic]

Ladhams is available.
Port are pushing him out because of his association with Aidyn Johnson (delisted at the end of 2019). Johnson has just moved to Melbourne, he and Ladhams run a T shirt business together just like most footballers in the 2000s did.

He is not a good influence on Ladhams but they are Johnno/Smith B1 & B2 tight.

Here's the question - do we pull the trigger and trade for him then back our culture to pull him into line or is he in the 'too hard' basket that would disrupt the group?

Is it bad enough to drop his trade value? Is Johnson just shit-canning Port, or some kind of illegality?

[Mofra]

Is it bad enough to drop his trade value? Is Johnson just shit-canning Port, or some kind of illegality?

All I have heard is he likes to party

[bulldogtragic]

All I have heard is he likes to party

So then Flight if the Conchords are in strife. Or at least Bret.

Clay Smith on Open Mike said Bevo would let him have 6-8 beers to unwind as he Clay needed whilst being 100% all the other time. So Bevo has the ability to cut some slack to make things work for all the different personality types. I guess it’s whether it’s this kind of level, or otherwise. He looks fit though does Ladhams.