Lets make the hard calls

[azabob]

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?

I agree with this. We should train him as a ruckman over the pre season and get him hardened.

Hopefully he signs the contract on offer.

[azabob]

Goldie too oldie?

Nah. I’d be ok with that

[Scraggers]

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?

Yes; that is my plan. Get rid of our one and only bonafide ruck. He’s cooked and contributes nothing.

Two seasons for English. His year this year (pre getting knocked out) was good. He has great hands and is great below his knees. Great skills for his height. He is getting better year by year. Two more and he will be unstoppable.

[Scraggers]

Goldie too oldie?

I don’t think he’s too old, I just can’t see him walking away from Collingwood. I’d be okay with it if he did. He’s 27 isn’t he?

[azabob]

I don’t think he’s too old, I just can’t see him walking away from Collingwood. I’d be okay with it if he did. He’s 27 isn’t he?

Goldstein not Grundy

[EasternWest]

I don’t think he’s too old, I just can’t see him walking away from Collingwood. I’d be okay with it if he did. He’s 27 isn’t he?

Disregard

[DOG GOD]

Disregard

34 next July

[Scraggers]

Goldstein not Grundy

Argh … sorry. My bad. Yes, Goldstein is too old. I don’t want us chasing a stop-gap measure.

[MrMahatma]

Argh … sorry. My bad. Yes, Goldstein is too old. I don’t want us chasing a stop-gap measure.

Is a “stop gap” who is good, even for 1 or 2 years (Goldie has been ok with injuries I believed?) not better than getting a mediocre ruck who is 26?

I’d been very into Goldie, and would hope we prioritise capability and talent over age. Durability notwithstanding…

[Sedat]

I’d been very into Goldie, and would hope we prioritise capability and talent over age. Durability notwithstanding…

Goldstein is one of the most durable players in the entire competition. If an injury-riddled 34yo Martin can nullify Gawn in a GF (and he absolutely did), a slightly younger Goldy could do that and more given his proven ability to get up year after year.

[Scraggers]

What about Jarrod Witts from Gold Coast or Rowan Marshall from St Kilda? I will be honest and say I don’t know a lot about them but at least they are true rucks. Nankervis from Richmond? O’Brien from Adelaide?? (O’Brien would be my first choice if Grundy was definitely out).
Surely these guys are better than Goldstein

[azabob]

What about Jarrod Witts from Gold Coast or Rowan Marshall from St Kilda? I will be honest and say I don’t know a lot about them but at least they are true rucks. Nankervis from Richmond? O’Brien from Adelaide?? (O’Brien would be my first choice if Grundy was definitely out).
Surely these guys are better than Goldstein

Jarrod Witts is club captain, 29 and coming off an ACL. Not sure he is really an option.

Marshall is untouchable and would cost the world.

Nankervis - a lot of discussion has been had around him on this board and a few agree he would be the ideal solution. But with Chol and Coleman Jones leaving Richmond no way do they let him go.

The ruck role is a real conundrum for us.

[1eyedog]

Jarrod Witts is club captain, 29 and coming off an ACL. Not sure he is really an option.

Marshall is untouchable and would cost the world.

Nankervis - a lot of discussion has been had around him on this board and a few agree he would be the ideal solution. But with Chol and Coleman Jones leaving Richmond no way do they let him go.

The ruck role is a real conundrum for us.

Yep its gonna have to be something freaky or it will be a Ladhams / Max Lynch type. Both of which btw are an upgrade on English and probably Martin now too if were looking forward to 2022. Sweet can't cover the ground the way Bevo wants and has little to no versatility.

[Danjul]

Goldstein is one of the most durable players in the entire competition. If an injury-riddled 34yo Martin can nullify Gawn in a GF (and he absolutely did), a slightly younger Goldy could do that and more given his proven ability to get up year after year.

Martin and English combined for 17 hitouts against Goldstein early in the season.

Sweets worst performance was 17 against Gawn (who got only 27 and that was his fifth lowest for the season).

Sweets failure that day wasnÂ’t ruck contests but his around the ground play. Surely thatÂ’s not too difficult to improve. If he can add 6 possessions to his game he would be serviceable.

Against Port and St Kilda he personally had 4 clearances in each game (English did better than that once with 6) and the midfielders comfortably won the clearance count.

ThereÂ’s definitely something to work on there, is anything happening?

[1eyedog]

Yes; that is my plan. Get rid of our one and only bonafide ruck. He’s cooked and contributes nothing.

Two seasons for English. His year this year (pre getting knocked out) was good. He has great hands and is great below his knees. Great skills for his height. He is getting better year by year. Two more and he will be unstoppable.

I disagree. He went backwards this year. Had perhaps one ok game in the ruck and was battered flake in the rest. Had hard hands almost all year playing forward bar the Brisbane game in the Rat. I'm worried about him.

At this stage I'd be telling Sweet he's the number 1 ruck next year. Come to think of it he may be our only ruck.