Western Bulldogs V Essendon - Pre-Season 15/2/25 Whitten Oval 2.00pm

[Countrydog5]

Averaging 14 disposal a game in the VFL is an interesting stat. I genuinely thought it would be lower. I do notice they kept average marks out of his stat line, and from the game on the weekend I see he'd be lucky to pluck 1 or 2 per match. At the end of the day all of this speculation is pretty pointless. The club will know what he can realistically bring to the table, and it's up to them to determine if he's worth the spot.

[Grantysghost]

Interesting BJ is mentioned. Might be an influencer there.

[Sedat]

People are most welcome to trash Crossley (or Brew for that matter) but the reality is we are picking up one of them. Which one best addresses existing list deficiencies and which one will be able to contribute positively if/when called up to the seniors?

[Grantysghost]

People are most welcome to trash Crossley (or Brew for that matter) but the reality is we are picking up one of them. Which one best addresses existing list deficiencies and which one will be able to contribute positively if/when called up to the seniors?

I've been thinking about this.

From what I know of Bevo he will be advocating strongly for Brew.

So I actually think we will go with him.

[Bornadog]

I've been thinking about this.

From what I know of Bevo he will be advocating strongly for Brew.

So I actually think we will go with him.

We still have to then decide if Tim is injured, what do we do?

[Rusty12]

People are most welcome to trash Crossley (or Brew for that matter) but the reality is we are picking up one of them. Which one best addresses existing list deficiencies and which one will be able to contribute positively if/when called up to the seniors?

Except some are suggesting after selecting Crossley, we should then pick him as no1 ruck, and English as a forward.

[Grantysghost]

Why Elaine, that would be grounds for dismissal

[Grantysghost]

We still have to then decide if Tim is injured, what do we do?

Gardner I think.

[mighty_west]

The issue i have is that when stronger rucks get a hold of Tim in the middle it can get ugly, we saw an ex Freo back up WAFL ruck own him in the elim last year, Xerri teases him, Gawns licks his lips, it's a real issue for us and it hurts our mids to gain any advantage, i like Timmy as a footballer but not a tap ruck, a secondary ruck yeah sure, but it's finding what his best position really is (forward? Back?) or just roaming around playing as a bloody tall extra mid helping out either end when necessary.

I was against Crossley last year basically because of his weight, yeah sure he has aspirations to play at AFL level again yet......look at him, he's a dominant VFL ruckman carrying around a keg, "IF" he can be put onto some kind of fitness program at the club i can't see why his levels of fitness and overall game can't improve in time, it just has to? At worst he was nullifying the contest in the middle on the weekend, something Tim struggles with, and this can help our midfield become stronger and perhaps dominate other mids, this HAS to be a long term decision and not just for the moment because Tim is a bit injured because the best of Crossley isn't right now!

[JanLorMill]

If "Tap specialist" is your only edge or contribution, are you a tap specialist, or is it a case of not being good at anything else?

Genuinely interested in what makes a tap specialist, or the preference of a ruckman that does bugger all but tap work.

How many HOAD per game more than the average ruckman or the other ruckman they are competing for a spot with do they need to get? +2,4,6,8?
What do the scores from stoppage and center bounce differential need to be to justify it, +6, +12 etc?

He might lay a few more follow-up tackles at a stoppage if he gets fitter.
Unlikely, he is involved in the chain or becomes a reliable option forward of centre, as the get-out kick from HB or drifting back to help the back 6.

Keep in mind, year to year, the gap between the best tap ruckman and average in terms of HOAD per game is 2-4.

Ruck Contest specialist not tap specialist. Did you watch the last GF or our last 6 finals losses? Darcy Fort is a VFL ruck that won a premiership.

[Bornadog]

Ruck Contest specialist not tap specialist. Did you watch the last GF or our last 6 finals losses? Darcy Fort is a VFL ruck that won a premiership.

Brody Grundy smashed Fort in the GF

[54Bulldog16]

Finally watched the weekends scratch match. If Crossley can get fitter and put 4 quarters together like his first quarter I think we have a player. Provided great first touch to our mids. Put Bont and libba around that and it’s pretty exciting.

Tim to float a kick behind play and intercept, then rebound with his great skills.

[Before I Die]

I have absolutely nothing against picking up Crossley, if that is what the club decides to do, as a break glass replacement if English is injured. What is doing my head in is how he is being talked up in some of the above posts as a huge improvement on English and the man who will take us to a premiership. Tim is an AA Ruckman FFS. Crossley is a lumbering VFL Ruckman who has been consistently passed over by AFL clubs for at least 4 years. Is Crossley better than Sweet? Because Sweet couldn't get a game when Tim was fit, and struggled to get one when Tim wasn't fit. I repeat Tim is a recent AA Ruckman. He is competent/dangerous forward when resting, but has never demonstrated he could be the focal point. Yes, he doesn't have a beast mode, Marra can't kick straight, Cody flies for too many marks, Naughton relies too much on big pack marks. Nobody is perfect. I repeat, Tim has earned an AA jumper and he is in his prime. Let's get off his case and talk about Crossley as potentially a better break glass option than what we already have, and the only new option on the table. I am ok with him being selected, I'm also ok with Brew getting the nod, and I'm also ok with the MC choosing somebody else, it has been done before, or nobody.

[Grantysghost]

Very well said.

[54Bulldog16]

Hey nothing against English, but I really liked the people’s moe’s 1st quarter. I reckon he created space and a clean tap to advantage about 6 or 7 times.
not always taken advantage of but once chemistry is built, I liked what I saw.
Lots of room for improvement (fitness), follow up etc but impressed.

[jeemak]

Do you mean we would have recruited other key defenders instead? Lobb is on 500k a season and Jones on minimum chips - not sure what sot of elite key defenders that sort of money would get us on the open market.

We have replenished the list with young key defenders the last couple of years drafting Buss picking up JOD - whether or not they make it is another story of course.

We'd be well and truly screwed down back without Lobb and Jones. And we desperately need Jones to not fall off a cliff.

I honestly don't know what point you're trying to make, all I'm saying is that if we didn't have Lobb this year then we would have sought somebody rather than retaining the Pissed off PE Teacher, and if we didn't get Jones three years ago we'd have targeted someone else at the time.

[jeemak]

If "Tap specialist" is your only edge or contribution, are you a tap specialist, or is it a case of not being good at anything else?

Genuinely interested in what makes a tap specialist, or the preference of a ruckman that does bugger all but tap work.

How many HOAD per game more than the average ruckman or the other ruckman they are competing for a spot with do they need to get? +2,4,6,8?
What do the scores from stoppage and center bounce differential need to be to justify it, +6, +12 etc?

He might lay a few more follow-up tackles at a stoppage if he gets fitter.
Unlikely, he is involved in the chain or becomes a reliable option forward of centre, as the get-out kick from HB or drifting back to help the back 6.

Keep in mind, year to year, the gap between the best tap ruckman and average in terms of HOAD per game is 2-4.

You'll find throughout the course of the season it's more of a vibe thing........

I actually say that tongue in cheek. But you will find out there's some pretty strong feelings about the effectiveness of rucks or otherwise depending on what they deliver and how you view ruck traits.