Well Ruck Me.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

Interesting that we nearly didn't interview him just before the draft as we didn't suspect he'd fall to anywhere near 18. Happy we did, and happy he got to us. Dal said Tim's father is a very big, very strong, well built farmer with big broad shoulders. So we are expecting his frame to get very strong with his ability.

I love the diplomatic answer Dal gave on rucks and Tim... It's not just Tim's athleticism, he's an excellent decision maker. You want the ball in Tim's hands. There's some ruckmen you don't want the ball in their hands...

Jack Fitzpatrick say's Hello

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

If the match committee won't select Tom Campbell, and Bevo rucks Dunkley, Jong & Cloke, is there any point keeping him to his contract next year? It's a serious question, because he's effectively a VFL player who can't get a game even when we have injuries and a whole bunch of players are getting the role. So he's not really even a depth argument to keep him. If he's not going to be played, do we just trade him for whatever we can?

[comrade]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

If the match committee won't select Tom Campbell, and Bevo rucks Dunkley, Jong & Cloke, is there any point keeping him to his contract next year? It's a serious question, because he's effectively a VFL player who can't get a game even when we have injuries and a whole bunch of players are getting the role. So he's not really even a depth argument to keep him. If he's not going to be played, do we just trade him for whatever we can?

You'd have to think he's not part of our plans unless he can transform his game. Off load him, get what we can and let English take the number one role at VFL level. Bring in a mature break glass option as a rookie.

[boydogs]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

This should have been Campbell's time to shine. Boyd is still emerging as a consistent force and could spend more time forward, and Roughead has been out for an extended period with an injury. He's 25 years old this year, no more excuses. He still seems to win the most hitouts in preseason and VFL games where we're playing multiple rucks but doesn't take marks and kick goals as we have seen glimpses of in the past

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

So it's nearly Christmas and what have we done? Another year over, no new rucks have become.

Roughy had a bad injury, but hasn't been able to dominate.
BTC either can't get fit, or can't get selected.
Timmy looks a genuine star, but is raw.
Tom Boyd needs to actually play forward if he's going to excel as a forward.

We've played at times with no rucks, rucked our best player (Bonts), shoved in anyone, lately Cloke. Based on injury history, we can't bank on Roughy or BTC (assuming Tom doesn't want a trade). I'm not sure our front line plans should be Tom Boyd or Tim English either. But there seems little regard for the ruck role.

This seems almost bizarre to have to ask, should we be looking to acquire a good first ruckman? Or is Bevo leading the thinking seeing the end of the ruckman in the game?

[GVGjr]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

So it's nearly Christmas and what have we done? Another year over, no new rucks have become.

Roughy had a bad injury, but hasn't been able to dominate.
BTC either can't get fit, or can't get selected.
Timmy looks a genuine star, but is raw.
Tom Boyd needs to actually play forward if he's going to excel as a forward.

We've played at times with no rucks, rucked our best player (Bonts), shoved in anyone, lately Cloke. Based on injury history, we can't bank on Roughy or BTC (assuming Tom doesn't want a trade). I'm not sure our front line plans should be Tom Boyd or Tim English either. But there seems little regard for the ruck role.

This seems almost bizarre to have to ask, should we be looking to acquire a good first ruckman? Or is Bevo leading the thinking seeing the end of the ruckman in the game?

Jong and Dunks will be right to go
I'd keep Roughead and Campbell and look to find them some support because in another 12 months English probably becomes more of a regular option so we can make a call on Campbell then

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

It seems we've stocked up now.

Rucks: Roughy, English, Campbell (3)
Ruck/fwd: Boyd, Schache, (to a lesser degree) Cloke (3)
Ruck/def: Trengove (1)

I don't see a need to rookie list a ruckman now. That looks pretty balanced and very versatile.

[boydogs]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

It seems we've stocked up now.

Rucks: Roughy, English, Campbell (3)
Ruck/fwd: Boyd, Schache, (to a lesser degree) Cloke (3)
Ruck/def: Trengove (1)

I don't see a need to rookie list a ruckman now. That looks pretty balanced and very versatile.

I would include Redpath as an R/F too

I think there will be games where none of your pure rucks play at all, and we get 2 R/F's doing it

I would have gone for a rookie if Campbell left but he didn't

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

So we've turned down a couple of rucks now going ahead. Roughy & Campbell gone now.

So when you think about rucking, whose your fantasy now? We're not rucking a Grundy or even Pruess. So don't even waste your energy. Would we ruck Zac Clarke maybe? Pick 63 or RD pick 6? We are in for a real dry spell in the ruck if a kid, JT and Boyd (who maybe might want to be played in the role he's played excellently all his life) are our only rucks. We need a mature ruck, a kid on the rookie list is a luxury we can't afford. I don't mind passing on a ruck wish from the Camhead, but as the title says, Well Ruck Me. And a part from Zac Clarke, I'm not sure whose gunna do it for us.

[Bornadog]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

So we've turned down a couple of rucks now going ahead. Roughy & Campbell gone now.

So when you think about rucking, whose your fantasy now? We're not rucking a Grundy or even Pruess. So don't even waste your energy. Would we ruck Zac Clarke maybe? Pick 63 or RD pick 6? We are in for a real dry spell in the ruck if a kid, JT and Boyd (who maybe might want to be played in the role he's played excellently all his life) are our only rucks. We need a mature ruck, a kid on the rookie list is a luxury we can't afford. I don't mind passing on a ruck wish from the Camhead, but as the title says, Well Ruck Me. And a part from Zac Clarke, I'm not sure whose gunna do it for us.

Ben King?

Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if we took a young ruckman, plus one on the rookie list (mature WAFL, SANFL or VFL)

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

Ben King?

Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if we took a young ruckman, plus one on the rookie list (mature WAFL, SANFL or VFL)

King is a multidimensional player, so not really. I mean taking a Luke Goetz type project won't assist our ruck depth in the AFEL for years of at all, so it's pointless and a luxury we can't afford. If we get King and he's rucking serious minutes next year I'll go nuts.

I can't see too much better than Clarke about now. The question is whether pick 63 is the cost for him or someone like him, or rookie draft pick 6.

[SquirrelGrip]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Cam Pedersen is in our thoughts....

[azabob]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Cam Pedersen is in our thoughts....

Good call. I would not be against that at all.

[Testekill]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

I wouldn't be opposed to Pederson; he's the very definition of a foot soldier so he's not exciting but he's been okay at Melbourne as a second ruck.

[jeemak]

Re: Well Ruck Me.

It seems we were hell bent on moving on from both Campbell and Roughead, so having them on the list if they weren't going to be played wouldn't have made much sense.

I think this just reinforces that we think Boyd, Trengove and English can carry load, with assistance from smaller players on demand. I don't realty like it, but unless we don't see value greater than Roughead and Campbell in the lower leagues then it isn't going to change I suppose.