Will Minson - Too short to ever be a really effective ruckman?

[LostDoggy]

Watching Will Minson on Friday night it really struck me that even though he played OK I don't think he is a genuine ruckman over the course of a season.
He's as tough as hell, throws his body around and is very competitive but really lacks a bit of height and athleticism that is required to be a really good ruckman.

To make matters a little bit worse even when he is moved up forward he isn't a strong enough mark nor does he really grasp how to position himself so that he could become a dangerous ruck/forward combination player. I'm getting a stronger belief that Minson will just be a decent ruckman albeit one also that needs to be supported by someone like Street.

He is only very young in ruck terms so am I judging him too harshly?
Do many people here think Minson can develop into a quality ruckman or a quality ruckman who can also be effective up forward?

[bulldogtragic]

John Barnes was shorter than Will and someone I thought was an excellent ruck, admittadly his jump is probably higher than Will's. I think Will needs to continue to learn about rucking and over time will get a better understanding with his midfielders, and then should be judged.

For Will he needs another quality ruckman to help. When he plays with Skipper, well lets just say Will has all the pressure because Skipper.... should be delisted. There i've said it. When Street comes back and can take the no 1 ruck spot it should take some pressure off, perhaps Darcy as well coming back might help. With more talls we could look at using him more forward or using him back ala Scotty Wynd.

At the moment Will's biggest problem is not haviong another decent ruck in the team.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Watching Will Minson on Friday night it really struck me that even though he played OK I don't think he is a genuine ruckman over the course of a season.
He's as tough as hell, throws his body around and is very competitive but really lacks a bit of height an athleticism that is required to be a really good ruckman.

To make matters a little bit worse even when he is moved up forward he isn't a strong enough mark nor does he really grasp how to position himself so that he could become a dangerous ruck/forward combination player. I'm getting a stronger belief that Minson will just be a decent ruckman albeit one also that needs to be supported by someone like Street.

He is only very young in ruck terms so am I judging him too harshly?
Do many people here think Minson can develop into a quality ruckman or a quality ruckman who can also be effective up forward?

I agree that in theory Minson is probably 2-4cms short, or lacks a bit of extra athleticism. However; I still think he could become a real quality ruckmen. His aggression and attack on the ball is first rate for a big guy. He's a real leader out on the field. He's mobile too, and seems to have further improved in this area judging by the first two games. He has been involved a lot more in the play and his skills, for mine, are pretty good too.

Over time, he will learn to position himself better, and thus take a lot more marks than he currently does. Experience will help him a lot and I have no doubt he'll be able to play forward in a few years time. he just needs time.

IMO, Minson will play a similiar role for us as King does for Geelong in that he won't spend big chunks of a game up forward, but will be able to pinch hit reasonably well whilst also being effective as a Ruckmena round the ground.

And because he's just so strong, with the added experience, he'll be OK as a Ruckmen at the stoppages. As for centre bounces, I'm not sure, he might struggle against the high leaping blokes but certainly the contests around the ground I think he'll be very good with his strength, palming down to the likes of Cooney & Griffen.

[Go_Dogs]

I agree that in theory Minson is probably 2-4cms short, or lacks a bit of extra athleticism. However; I still think he could become a real quality ruckmen. His aggression and attack on the ball is first rate for a big guy. He's a real leader out on the field. He's mobile too, and seems to have further improved in this area judging by the first two games. He has been involved a lot more in the play and his skills, for mine, are pretty good too.

Over time, he will learn to position himself better, and thus take a lot more marks than he currently does. Experience will help him a lot and I have no doubt he'll be able to play forward in a few years time. he just needs time.

IMO, Minson will play a similiar role for us as King does for Geelong in that he won't spend big chunks of a game up forward, but will be able to pinch hit reasonably well whilst also being effective as a Ruckmena round the ground.

And because he's just so strong, with the added experience, he'll be OK as a Ruckmen at the stoppages. As for centre bounces, I'm not sure, he might struggle against the high leaping blokes but certainly the contests around the ground I think he'll be very good with his strength, palming down to the likes of Cooney & Griffen.

Good post. Minson has a lot of potential, and for a guy so young he's already been around for a while. He does work well with Cooney in the centre, and hopefully when him and Griffen are back they can all work well together. I didn't mind some of Minson's efforts going forward last year, he's surer on the lead than Street is, and not too bad of a set shot.

I'm not too sure about the "too short" business, there are others shorter, and Skipper is tiny in ruck terms but seems to be able to compete.

[GVGjr]

I'm not too sure about the "too short" business, there are others shorter, and Skipper is tiny in ruck terms but seems to be able to compete.

I think the main difference is that Skipper has a fair leap which compensates for his lack of height. Minson is taller, heavier but not as athletic. Skipper is only a part timer in his ruckwork while Minson needs to be able to carry the load against good opponents.
A Minson and Street combination works pretty well from my perspective.

[Dry Rot]

A Minson and Street combination works pretty well from my perspective.

How do you rate it vs the other 15 clubs? Struggling to make the top 8?

[Go_Dogs]

I'm all for a Minson / Darcy combination. I highly doubt we'll see it, but boy, it would be a good tandem.

[bornadog]

At 198 cm, I think Minson does have the size for rucking, but he does have to improve on his marking around the ground. Skipper is way too short to be a ruckman even thou he is able to compete to acertain extent. At 193 cm he is listed the same height as the Grants, Bairds, A. Everrit, but shorter than Walsh and a few others. Wight is 200cm, should he be trained as a ruckman?

[southerncross]

At 198 cm, I think Minson does have the size for rucking, but he does have to improve on his marking around the ground. Skipper is way too short to be a ruckman even thou he is able to compete to acertain extent. At 193 cm he is listed the same height as the Grants, Bairds, A. Everrit, but shorter than Walsh and a few others. Wight is 200cm, should he be trained as a ruckman?

Without a big leap I think Minson will struggle to be regarded as a top ruckman in the competition. He should be more than serviceable but unlike a White, Cox or Sandilands he is going to need someone like a Peter Street to support him. I think he was drafted as a key forward/ruckman and I think it shows that he just isn't a natural in the ruck position. Given his age this is hardly surprising so I suspect we will see steady improvement in him over the next few seasons. A mate of mine reckons he will be a better version of the Swans Darren Jolly.

[southerncross]

I'm all for a Minson / Darcy combination. I highly doubt we'll see it, but boy, it would be a good tandem.

Very doubtful in my opinion. I think Darcy's days of doing any more than a bit of ruck work up forward are really numbered. It would have been great for Minson's development to be nurtured along by someone like Darcy on the field.

[alwaysadog]

Very doubtful in my opinion. I think Darcy's days of doing any more than a bit of ruck work up forward are really numbered. It would have been great for Minson's development to be nurtured along by someone like Darcy on the field.

Darcy will be lucky to ruck in the forward line. I don't think Minson has got back to anything like the form he started to show a couple of seasons ago. Yes he knows more about the caper and is better in many of the technical aspects but the inspiration and drive seem to have gone.

He looks fitter than ever and a better shape but the spark isn't yet evident. Of course we may be expecting him to be up too soon. If a season is a long grind for any group it's the ruckmen.

[Dry Rot]

All this points to the importance to us of one peter street.

[Sockeye Salmon]

All this points to the importance to us of one peter street.

God help us.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I don't think Minson has got back to anything like the form he started to show a couple of seasons ago.

I think he would have been better last year with fewer broken legs.

What did you expect from him last year? He missed over 3 months in the middle of the season.

[Dry Rot]

God help us.

Got any better suggestions?

I'm with you on being concerned that we haven't been drafting ruckmen lately.