Well Ruck Me.

[bornadog]

Power was adamant that we added Lobb to play alongside of Naughton so as you say he is a back up option but not a ruck man.

Well I don't believe that is true, because we had Bruce. Lobb is already playing the second ruck role.

I have said in the drafting threads we should have drafted/rookied another young ruck for the future. However, we also have Darcy

From Club website:

Rory Lobb is officially a Bulldog after the Club successfully brokered a trade deal with the Fremantle Dockers in the final moments of the 2022 Continental Tyres Trade Period.

The Bulldogs secured the key forward/ruck in exchange for pick 30 in the 2022 NAB AFL Draft, and their future second round selection.


Lobb will add significant scoring power for the Dogs’ emerging forward line, and offer strong ruck support.

link

[azabob]

Come on Aza, you have to admit he has been playing well. We can find faults for all players.

Player rankings comparing Rucks:

• No. 1 for Disposals
• No.1 for Marks
• equal 3rd for tackles
• 8th for hitouts
• 1 hitout less for equal 2nd
• 5th for inside 50s
• equal 2nd for Cont.Poss (1 off first)
• equal 2nd for Cont. Marks (1 off 1st)
• 6th for clearances - 4th for stoppage Clr.
• Number 1 for intercepts

Hopefully he continues in great form

Stats wise he looks good - hopefully he can improve hitouts. I'm plesently surprised on contested possessions and contested marks.

On the flip side;

Gawn received 2 coaches votes in round 1
Marshall received 6 coaches votes in round 2
English received 2 coaches votes in round 3

It also seems his opponents are having an influence on the outcome of games.

We all want English to succeed me included; as he is the horse we have backed in.

[GVGjr]

Well I don't believe that is true, because we had Bruce. Lobb is already playing the second ruck role.

I have said in the drafting threads we should have drafted/rookied another your ruck for the future. However, we also have Darcy

From Club website:



link

This from the clubs website


“We’re really happy – we achieved the objectives we wanted going in - obviously firstly with Liam Jones and bringing him in as a key defender, and also Rory Lobb as a key forward,” Power told westernbulldogs.com.au.

Power expects Lobb to be tasked with a similar role to what he had at Fremantle, while providing relief and support to the Bulldogs’ emerging stars.

“Rory had a really good year and finished top 10 in (Fremantle’s) best and fairest, so we just feel he’ll take the pressure off Aaron Naughton as a really experienced player,” Power said.

I get he can ruck on match day but clearly our plan is to play him as a forward. I don't think we can can say we traded for him as a ruck man.

[Danjul]

This is a really curious time for this debate to restart up. Tim?s been easily our best player (and the best ruck in the AFL) this season.

Sorry I don?t agree with the part in the brackets.

I was at the ground for the last two games and I had boundary throw-ins directly in front of me. In those Cordy went close to matching English, probably 45%-55%. Darcy Forte clearly was more effective than English, I was surprised that he was subbed out. I think it was a tactical error by Brisbane.

Around the ground English is sensational. In the ruck he is adequate. But if he has to do all the ruck work the team is not getting the maximum value from him. And what I have seen of Lobb suggests that he is not the solution.

[bornadog]

I don't think we can can say we traded for him as a ruck man.

Not first ruck - yes, but second ruck

[Sedat]

Around the ground English is sensational. In the ruck he is adequate. But if he has to do all the ruck work the team is not getting the maximum value from him. And what I have seen of Lobb suggests that he is not the solution.

The 2-game sample size of Lobb this season so far has been compromised by his ankle injury, but if he can get a clear run his ruck relief alone (even for 5-10 mins a qtr) will help Tim go from average to better than average at stoppages without detracting from his formidable weapons around the ground. It's not the ideal but Tim is clearly locked and loaded as our no1 ruck, and Lobb represents better support for Tim than we have had in the last 4 years (except for Stef Martin in early 2021 and for 6 qtrs in the PF and GF same year).

[Danjul]

The 2-game sample size of Lobb this season so far has been compromised by his ankle injury, but if he can get a clear run his ruck relief alone (even for 5-10 mins a qtr) will help Tim go from average to better than average at stoppages without detracting from his formidable weapons around the ground. It's not the ideal but Tim is clearly locked and loaded as our no1 ruck, and Lobb represents better support for Tim than we have had in the last 4 years (except for Stef Martin in early 2021 and for 6 qtrs in the PF and GF same year).

Not fussed about the ruck.

What I can?t tolerate is the fact that we are ladder leaders for selecting injured players. It?s a gamble, and that should only occur off the field.

I?m sure Lobb will recover soon and we will see what he can deliver, but it has been poor selection so far.

[GVGjr]

Power was adamant that we added Lobb to play alongside of Naughton so as you say he is a back up option but not a ruck man.

Sorry but I'm confused by your response.
Stevo stated we have only drafted and traded for 2 ruck man in recent years and your response to that included Lobb and Darcy.
Power states Lobb is a forward and will be used the way Fremantle used him (forward first and back ruck up option) and Darcy has never really rucked in his junior football and is very much a tall defender and/or forward.

Are you throwing those names into the response as examples of that we have traded and drafted more ruck man or are you adding them as back up options? Despite their height I dispute that they are ruck man by design.

[bornadog]

Sorry but I'm confused by your response.
Stevo stated we have only drafted and traded for 2 ruck man in recent years and your response to that included Lobb and Darcy.
Power states Lobb is a forward and will be used the way Fremantle used him (forward first and back ruck up option) and Darcy has never really rucked in his junior football and is very much a tall defender and/or forward.

Are you throwing those names into the response as examples of that we have traded and drafted more ruck man or are you adding them as back up options? Despite their height I dispute that they are ruck man by design.

They are back up no matter how you look at it.

Darcy already rucking at VFL level and a few stints in the first two rounds. Agree they are not PURE rucks.

[Bulldog Joe]

Are you new to the internet?

Team performance has been below average. Midfield is getting smashed defensively and English is a big part of it.

On Thursday night some of his efforts in the first half were bizarre. He was easily pushed off the ball during boundary throw in's and some marking contests.

I was unable to attend last Thursday, but I made a comment to my partner at half time that English had been below par. He was out rucked by Darcy Fort several times early in the game.

Tim did however play an excellent second half.

[bornadog]

I was unable to attend last Thursday, but I made a comment to my partner at half time that English had been below par. He was out rucked by Darcy Fort several times early in the game.

Tim did however play an excellent second half.

Yet he clearly won the Hitouts to advantage

Tim - 13
McInerney - 6

Fort - 4

Hitouts are nothing unless you do something with the ball.

[Bulldog Joe]

Yet he clearly won the Hitouts to advantage

Tim - 13
McInerney - 6

Fort - 4

Hitouts are nothing unless you do something with the ball.

I was referring to the first half as Tim being below par.
Anyone aspiring to be the best ruck in the comp should not be lowering their colours to Darcy Fort, which Tim did in quarter 2.

[D Mitchell]

Yet.....
Hitouts are nothing unless you do something with the ball.

...or stop Gawn and co from feeding their mids.

[bornadog]

...or stop Gawn and co from feeding their mids.

there are hitouts and hitouts to advantage. You are talking HTA - so agree

[Bulldog4life]

Yet he clearly won the Hitouts to advantage

Tim - 13
McInerney - 6

Fort - 4

Hitouts are nothing unless you do something with the ball.

McInerney is no mug either. Beaten Tim a number of times in the past.