Lets make the hard calls

[Mofra]

I hear this a lot, but why does nothing change?

How hard would it have been for the wings (to which Hunter is one) to take up a sweeper position at the end of the 3rd qtr to ensure Melbourne weren’t busting out the front of the stoppage?

The centre square prevents it?
The late patch was completely on our CBA mids to defend that space.

[azabob]

The centre square prevents it?
The late patch was completely on our CBA mids to defend that space.

Surely Hunter can still get in one of their ears say hey, this is what is happening.

Why didn't the runner come out and say hey, this is what is happening.

[Mantis]

The centre square prevents it?
The late patch was completely on our CBA mids to defend that space.

But instead of starting directly on the wing come into the centre from a position closer to our defence.. it might not change much, but it might mean the opposition have to move laterally rather than directly through that zone…. But I guess when it’s a wave of players it makes it tough to defend.

We should’ve had 1-2 mids holding a more defensive position with in the centre square which would’ve alleviated the issue.

[Sedat]

But instead of starting directly on the wing come into the centre from a position closer to our defence.. it might not change much, but it might mean the opposition have to move laterally rather than directly through that zone…. But I guess when it’s a wave of players it makes it tough to defend.

We should’ve had 1-2 mids holding a more defensive position with in the centre square which would’ve alleviated the issue.

Even manufacturing a deliberate 6-6-6 infringement warning would have been good game sense, just to delay Melbourne's momentum for 20 seconds of non-game time. Their adrenalin was through the roof.

Or a deliberate ruck infringement at the centre bounce. Jackson kicking behind the mark would have been infinitely more preferable to Petracca streaming through the centre square unabated.

[mjp]

But instead of starting directly on the wing come into the centre from a position closer to our defence.. it might not change much, but it might mean the opposition have to move laterally rather than directly through that zone…. But I guess when it’s a wave of players it makes it tough to defend.

We should’ve had 1-2 mids holding a more defensive position with in the centre square which would’ve alleviated the issue.

I think the second point (the mids needed to handle it) is the solution. With a team such as Melbourne who have two 'wide' wingers (Brayshaw and Langdon both hold their position) having a winger push in (hard) to take up a defensive position is really going out of the frypan into the fire...the ball will just be flipped wide and away they go.

A change in strategy from Hunter or another winger might have provided a bit of a circuit breaker but isn't something I would have wanted to do against this particular team.

The reality is that our inside mids simply had to put their egos aside and focus not on winning the footy but instead on making the Dee's mids kick the ball OVER them from behind the centre circle...even a 'twin sweeper' type model would have helped. For reasons I still don't understand I went back to re-watch the 3rd q and I am still confused how our 'solution' to the onslaught was 'just win the ball'. I mean, I get it - players always want to back themselves and good players (and our best players were 100% in there) really, really, really want to back themselves but still....

I've said hundreds of times that having a game style 'a' and a game-style 'b' is neat in theory but really not something that is easy to do in practice...but we are talking about a structural change here...again, Melbourne did the same thing to Geelong (but with Max as the ruckman) and I cannot believe with two weeks between games we hadn't prepared for this eventuality. I am reliably informed the players were in the lecture room twice each day leading up to the game...what exactly were they talking about?

We've all lost games of footy and it is always harder to 'DO' than 'say' but the onslaught out of CBD - led by a 19yo kid against players including Bont, Macrae, Liber and Treloar - 4 of the best clearance players in the last decade - was (and remains) quite staggering.

[Bullies]

Is there a youngster out of contract that we can shake out?

Isaac cumming?

Or are we hamstrung by having no first round pick due to Darcy

We may have to give something up to get what we want.

[Scraggers]

I’m not sure if this has been said, but Stephan Martin has to go. Not to be held as a rookie, just gone. Tim English will be a great second ruck/ second forward; his ability below the knees is second to none at his height. He needs another two years to come into his prime. In the meantime, we need to find a proper ruck in his mid twenties. Not a 32 year old who has one/two years left, but someone who is able to give us 5/6 years until Darcy comes into his prime. Who? I have no idea really. I don’t think the names being bandied about (Ceglar/Ladhams) are worth the effort. I also don’t think Grundy will come our way.

[bornadog]

I’m not sure if this has been said, but Stephan Martin has to go. Not to be held as a rookie, just gone. Tim English will be a great second ruck/ second forward; his ability below the knees is second to none at his height. He needs another two years to come into his prime. In the meantime, we need to find a proper ruck in his mid twenties. Not a 32 year old who has one/two years left, but someone who is able to give us 5/6 years until Darcy comes into his prime. Who? I have no idea really. I don’t think the names being bandied about (Ceglar/Ladhams) are worth the effort. I also don’t think Grundy will come our way.

Totally agree, we don't need a short term solution like a Martin, we have to have a strong fit Ruckman who can compete with the Gawn's of the world.

[DOG GOD]

I’m not sure if this has been said, but Stephan Martin has to go. Not to be held as a rookie, just gone. Tim English will be a great second ruck/ second forward; his ability below the knees is second to none at his height. He needs another two years to come into his prime. In the meantime, we need to find a proper ruck in his mid twenties. Not a 32 year old who has one/two years left, but someone who is able to give us 5/6 years until Darcy comes into his prime. Who? I have no idea really. I don’t think the names being bandied about (Ceglar/Ladhams) are worth the effort. I also don’t think Grundy will come our way.

I agree. We were 2-3 years too late for Martin. He’s like the titanic out there, and even though he did his “job” so to speak coming back, his age and injuries have finally caught up.

The sooner we get a bonafide #1 ruck in the 23-26 age bracket the better. If we want to go all the way it’s non negotiable IMO.

[azabob]

I’m not sure if this has been said, but Stephan Martin has to go. Not to be held as a rookie, just gone. Tim English will be a great second ruck/ second forward; his ability below the knees is second to none at his height. He needs another two years to come into his prime. In the meantime, we need to find a proper ruck in his mid twenties. Not a 32 year old who has one/two years left, but someone who is able to give us 5/6 years until Darcy comes into his prime. Who? I have no idea really. I don’t think the names being bandied about (Ceglar/Ladhams) are worth the effort. I also don’t think Grundy will come our way.

So your plan is to get rid of our only real ruck option and have no alternate suggestion?

Ladhams is not worth the effort. He is a bog average ruck and a bog average tall forward.

When exactly will Tim English be a great second ruck / second forward?

[bornadog]

So your plan is to get rid of our only real ruck option and have no alternate suggestion?

Ladhams is not worth the effort. He is a bog average ruck and a bog average tall forward.

When exactly will Tim English be a great second ruck / second forward?

Martin is cooked

[Danjul]

So your plan is to get rid of our only real ruck option and have no alternate suggestion?

Ladhams is not worth the effort. He is a bog average ruck and a bog average tall forward.

When exactly will Tim English be a great second ruck / second forward?

Having seen Young against two quality ruckmen in finals I suggest that he is our second ruck. Although beaten for hitouts his opponents couldn’t place the ball to advantage, allowing our midfielders to easily win the clearances. Will he improve with coaching and another preseason?

[1eyedog]

So your plan is to get rid of our only real ruck option and have no alternate suggestion?

Ladhams is not worth the effort. He is a bog average ruck and a bog average tall forward.

When exactly will Tim English be a great second ruck / second forward?

Martin is done. Ladhams is ok. Competitive at least.

[MrMahatma]

Goldie too oldie?

[macca]

Suggestion on Young to be ruck, as we need to try him in one position.

His got a good tank and has all the physical attributes to play that position. At the moment his a jack of all trades not elite at any.

His a good intercepting mark.

Terrible body positioning and does not have the strength. Can these skills be learnt, or they demand it to be natural/innate for a ruck?

Strengthening work, power weights, lots of core exercises, and rucking drills, will he make it after 10 games next year ?


Rucks take time to come through, and out of nowhere they hit their straps. See Gawn. how in the world melbourne managed to get : Jamar , Jolly, Gawn and Martin and now Jackson is unbelievable.

A lot of the basics are there for him. I would put him ahead of Sweet at the moment as value into the team.