The Ruck Question

[Eastdog]

This is a very important role and we need a good ruckman who can also be effective around the ground. You would say that Mino still would be the number 1 ruck with challenges from Campbell, Roughead etc. I don't really want to see T Boyd too much in the ruck as we should focus him to become good in the forward line as after all that is what we got him for. Could this be an area come next draft or trade period we look for of course seeing what our current ones can do first.

[Eastdog]

Thought I'd give this a bump. So what are woofers thoughts on this question?

[GVGjr]

We have no real choice but to use Boyd or Redpath in that 2nd ruck role. I suspect Campbell might have the front running for the first ruck position. I still believe Rougheads best value for us is as a key defender.

[Bulldog4life]

We have no real choice but to use Boyd or Redpath in that 2nd ruck role. I suspect Campbell might have the front running for the first ruck position. I still believe Rougheads best value for us is as a key defender.

Be interesting to know if the team was picked tomorrow which player would get the no. 1 spot. Once they get through the practice games it might become clearer. I hope so.

[Mofra]

I still think Minno has a lot to offer.
Roughy I'm not sure has the durability.
Tommy C has the potential and is better forward than Minno but I think Minson will win his spot back and own the position for the next 2 years.

[Eastdog]

Be interesting to know if the team was picked tomorrow which player would get the no. 1 spot. Once they get through the practice games it might become clearer. I hope so.

Yes agree will be interesting. The practice games like you say will give us more of an indicator of who will potentially start as our ruck for round 1. For quite it was Hudson who clearly was the standout ruck with Mino competing and at one stage it looked like his position on the list may have been in trouble but then when Huddo left us Mino really started to take off a lot.

[ratsmac]

With the sub gone now does that bring back the 2nd ruck interchanging off the bench? Minson and Campbell maybe could play in the same team. Obviously it will come done to how the rotations go with the lower interchange cap and how the mids are running out games. It could be a horses for courses situation.

Minson, Campbell, Roughead, Boyd and Redpath all in the one team...... Slow but tall

I'm glad I'm not not coach that's for sure!

[LostDoggy]

My gut feel on the ruck this year is that we will play 3 guys who can ruck. 1st ruck will be either Minson or Campbell depending on form. I think Boyd will be predominantly full forward with a little pinch hitting in the ruck. The rest of the ruck time I suspect will be either Redpath as CHF/changing ruck or Roughead as tall utility/changing ruck.

That's my best guess, but fascinated to see how it all plays out.

[Before I Die]

History indicates that Bevo plays a straight bat with his intended positional changes between seasons. Last year he, or the players themselves, said M Boyd would go back and Wallis would take on a more attacking role in the middle, and that's what happened. This year he, or the players have said, Wallis will spend more time forward and Roughead will play as a ruck/forward. This what I expect will happen unless injuries intervene. Also during the trade/draft period we picked up two, hopefully ready to go, key defenders and delisted a key defender and a ruckman. Goetz, the ruckman we picked up is clearly a project player and won't feature in 2016. The transitioning of Roughead from defender to ruckman maintains the list balance from last season, though it could be argued that last season's list was not that well balanced. I expect the ex-vice captain to play and to play ruck/forward. I expect one or both of T Boyd and Redpath to play if their form justifies it, and I think the first ruck position is a battle between Minson and Campbell with Minno in front.

[Before I Die]

I'll also add that if Roughead's body holds up then I think both Minson and Campbell will struggle to get a game.

[LostDoggy]

BID, I like your observation about Bevo playing a straight bat. Often through the year we would second guess or try to overanalyse comments Bevo would make week to week regarding team selection and the like, but his comments taken at straight value, however unlikely, invariably proved to be correct.

[Webby]

Dropped into training yesterday and was pleased to get a bonus 2 quarter intra-club match. Probably the reason the East meets West day was postponed.

Campbell looks to have improved a bit, Minson caught the eye with his endurance running, Roughead played back (and looked to have tweaked either his shoulder or a finger at one point - going into the rooms prior to re-emerging) and one that caught the eye was Goetz. I was expecting to see a skinny, gangly kid, but he's got some reasonable size. Very athletic. Talked to a mate who said he remembers watching Goetz's old man playing for West Footscray in the FDFL years ago. Said he was built like a brick outhouse.

He didn't actually do too much in the "game" but he does look the part. I'd say him popping up on the club's radar was certainly the end of Ayce Cordy's career hopes.

Speaking of Cordys, Zaine was not entered into the fray. He was running laps. It seems he has the Cordy-curse, injury.

[Eastdog]

Ayce Cordy? Yeah he was a let down for us but what do you think was the main reason he didn't make it. He certainly had the height but just wasn't effective enough.

[F'scary]

If only we could roll all three into one! Minson is the best at stoppages. Campbell the best resting forward. Roughead the best around the ground.

I don't think we will be playing a second ruck from the bench. The rotations cap, our game strategies and the need to play to our strengths being the reason.

I also think this year, Big Boyd will put daylight between himself and the other contenders (Redpath, Campbell and Roughead in the main) for the deep marking forward position.

And we won't being resting a ruck in the FP - same issue as playing a 2nd ruck from the bench.

[Mofra]

Ayce Cordy? Yeah he was a let down for us but what do you think was the main reason he didn't make it. He certainly had the height but just wasn't effective enough.

Injuries and lack of continuity.
A mate of mine was chatting to a few players a couple of years back, they were comparing injuries and Ayce had it all over Tom Williams. Some players just aren't built for football.