Rory Lobb

[Mofra]

I’m not gonna not be a member or stop going to games or anything like that, but we pay a cent more than pick 29 for Lobb and I’m gonna egg and maybe tag up Whitten Oval hold me to it.

A late pick back to use on the two rounders for Dunkley deal?

[GVGjr]

At this stage, there is no one else to play that Ruck, Fwd role and he is an upgrade on whatever we can dish up.

It's a somewhat over rated position with the way we use it. Bruce can still provide that 5 minute chop out but no doubt Lobb would be an upgrade on that. I'm not convinced we need him but I think we will strike a late deal.

[jeemak]

It's a somewhat over rated position with the way we use it. Bruce can still provide that 5 minute chop out but no doubt Lobb would be an upgrade on that. I'm not convinced we need him but I think we will strike a late deal.

How confident are you in Bruce holding up or returning to half the form he showed in 2021? I really like him, he works hard and when it's going well for him the team functions so much better. However, given his form with us and that after his peak in that time he suffered a serious knee injury taking only him as the viable forward/ ruck next year is asking for trouble.

And it's the toughest position on the field to find someone competent in. A cursory glance at Sydney and Sam Reid these past few years and these past couple of weeks demonstrates how critical it is to get right.

If Lobb wasn't on the table this year, and Bruce fell away next year via a recurrence of injury or form how do you think we'd react around here if nothing was done and we left things up to JUH and Darcy?

[bornadog]

How confident are you in Bruce holding up or returning to half the form he showed in 2021? I really like him, he works hard and when it's going well for him the team functions so much better. However, given his form with us and that after his peak in that time he suffered a serious knee injury taking only him as the viable forward/ ruck next year is asking for trouble.

And it's the toughest position on the field to find someone competent in. A cursory glance at Sydney and Sam Reid these past few years and these past couple of weeks demonstrates how critical it is to get right.

If Lobb wasn't on the table this year, and Bruce fell away next year via a recurrence of injury or form how do you think we'd react around here if nothing was done and we left things up to JUH and Darcy?

and Tim English was injured

[GVGjr]

How confident are you in Bruce holding up or returning to half the form he showed in 2021? I really like him, he works hard and when it's going well for him the team functions so much better. However, given his form with us and that after his peak in that time he suffered a serious knee injury taking only him as the viable forward/ ruck next year is asking for trouble.

And it's the toughest position on the field to find someone competent in. A cursory glance at Sydney and Sam Reid these past few years and these past couple of weeks demonstrates how critical it is to get right.

If Lobb wasn't on the table this year, and Bruce fell away next year via a recurrence of injury or form how do you think we'd react around here if nothing was done and we left things up to JUH and Darcy?

Fairly confident he can get back to 85% of his 2021 form. He never really had a chance this year and it was exceptionally poor planning on our behalf to have not covered it in the last trade period.
I don't think Josh Bruce is a spent force for us. With a good pre-season behind him he can still play a part.

[F'scary]

How confident are you in Bruce holding up or returning to half the form he showed in 2021?

I'm more confident of him returning to his 2020 form.

[Swoop]

I agree with you GVGjr, Bruce is a known quantity and he was always going to take this season just to rebound. A full preseason running with Jack Steele will lay the foundation for a strong and consistent season in 2023.

He doesn't need to be a world beater, he needs to be able to compete with quality opponents and he makes Naughton and Marra better around him.

The question is whether he regains his 2021 form and Marra continues to improve, how does Lobb fit into a functioning forward line?

[hujsh]

It's a somewhat over rated position with the way we use it. Bruce can still provide that 5 minute chop out but no doubt Lobb would be an upgrade on that. I'm not convinced we need him but I think we will strike a late deal.

Is the way we use it determined by tactics or personnel available? Might having a player like Lobb alter the way we use our ruck/2nd ruck somewhat?

[EasternWest]

It's not being a narc if you're asked to do it.

Good point.

[bornadog]

It's a somewhat over rated position with the way we use it.

Have a look at the way Geelong use their rucks. Maybe we start Tim and Lobb in the centre with Tim playing a Blicavs role.

[bulldogtragic]

Have a look at the way Geelong use their rucks. Maybe we start Tim and Lobb in the centre with Tim playing a Blicavs role.

Why not go harder to get Grundy then? Get a real first ruck and gave Tim in that role? With the four tall forwards, maybe keep Schache as depth/insurance on minimal dollars?

[bornadog]

Why not go harder to get Grundy then? Get a real first ruck and gave Tim in that role? With the four tall forwards, maybe keep Schache as depth/insurance on minimal dollars?

As much as I would love that, I don't think we are talking to him - but you never know.

[jeemak]

Why not go harder to get Grundy then? Get a real first ruck and gave Tim in that role? With the four tall forwards, maybe keep Schache as depth/insurance on minimal dollars?

I reckon everyone would love Grundy and have Tim play the forward ruck role which he could do at an all time elite level - but given you haven't been around you may have missed the chatter about Tim pretty much signing on conditional upon being played as a first ruck.

If it were me I'd just play Tim where I wanted him to play and get Grundy in. Tim might crack the shits but if he wanted a great deal in two years time he'd have to play well anyway, so it would be a win win and by the time he did (if - you know, kicking goals and being awesome is addictive, he just hasn't had enough tastes yet) choose to leave he'd have played great footy for us and Darcy and JUH would be ready to get into their careers.

But it's unlikely to happen and that's what I'm discussing here. I am a proponent of Bruce but I don't think he's a better than even chance of getting back to his best form. And contrary to GVGjnr I think that if we have the right person playing the second ruck role we move the ball so much better and look more dangerous.

[bulldogtragic]

As much as I would love that, I don't think we are talking to him - but you never know.

The theory you have is interesting, like Freo getting Jackson for the same role. But they have Darcy holding up the first ruck. Getting Lobb wouldn’t be good enough for it to work. We’d need a Grundy or other mature first ruck for it to work. Lobb to me seems to reaffirm Tim is the first ruck, and Lobb is an upgrade chop out ruck than Bruce, Schache or Cordy etc.

Not as inspiring or interesting as your idea.

[bulldogtragic]

I reckon everyone would love Grundy and have Tim play the forward ruck role which he could do at an all time elite level - but given you haven't been around you may have missed the chatter about Tim pretty much signing on conditional upon being played as a first ruck.

If it were me I'd just play Tim where I wanted him to play and get Grundy in. Tim might crack the shits but if he wanted a great deal in two years time he'd have to play well anyway, so it would be a win win and by the time he did (if - you know, kicking goals and being awesome is addictive, he just hasn't had enough tastes yet) choose to leave he'd have played great footy for us and Darcy and JUH would be ready to get into their careers.

But it's unlikely to happen and that's what I'm discussing here. I am a proponent of Bruce but I don't think he's a better than even chance of getting back to his best form. And contrary to GVGjnr I think that if we have the right person playing the second ruck role we move the ball so much better and look more dangerous.

Like when Luke Darcy threaten to walk if we didn’t do something stupid like Peter Street for Pick 20. Good things happen when rucks dictate list management decisions…

I don’t think any first ruck would entertain us, including Grundy. I wouldn’t if I were them. More so to BADs suggestion of moving English around. Lobb as first ruck is not a good idea I wouldn’t have thought. As above, Lobb to seems like a reaffirmation of the status quo.