Things you are looking forward to in 2025

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

We can still sign Boyd if we want to.

Probably harder since he’s training at Moorabbin currently. But if we had spies over there it’d be a ballsy move.

[Sedat]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Stupid bloody plan if that’s it. Our possible best defender and/or best forward might need to bash and crash instead of playing important roles for us. Harry Boyd was apparently of interest, so surely someone else/ruck should be training against Brew for the final spot.

Oh ye of little faith. Just because our nominated no 1 ruckman is currently batting 0 for 7 in quality finals performances and has repeatedly let the team down against the best rucks since 2019, not to mention our last 2 no 1 ruckmen in winning finals were Lewis Young and Stef Martin, doesn't mean anything. I'm sure things will be totally different in 2025.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Oh ye of little faith. Just because our nominated no 1 ruckman is currently batting 0 for 7 in quality finals performances and has repeatedly let the team down against the best rucks since 2019, not to mention our last 2 no 1 ruckmen in winning finals were Lewis Young and Stef Martin, doesn't mean anything. I'm sure things will be totally different in 2025.

They will be different if Tim has a spell. Who honestly thinks our plan b for the ruck (yes plan a not working) is taking our ‘plan a’ defender or forward away from their more important role? The contempt we have for the ruck is one thing, but with our back up a kid in his second year and no senior experience isn’t just contempt for the ruck, its absurdity we are going to rob Peter to pay Paul when we could just get any old Paul now for free and avoid it. I strongly disagree with the chips all in on Tim. But a plan to weaken our other areas of the ground in Tim’s absence (actual, not just missing in games) just takes our contempt to a whole new level as the only other option is Croft and the issues is the same as Smith and it doesn’t sound like he’s training as a ruck anyway.

I read we should we top 4 with some luck with injuries. That’s a fair call, but it’s not luck to have a back up for Tim that doesn’t impact other ability elsewhere. That’s a failure to plan. Lobb has replaced Keath, and there’s no one new to replace Lobb. Unless a VFL midfielder is it. Tim will miss some games and it will be dumb luck that avoids poorer outcomes. If we want that top 4 finish then why not ensure as best as possible we don’t have play our best defender or forward essentially out of position?

Not to mention Tim still has no competition for the number one role and look what happened this year? He played like a bloke who didn’t have the pressure to perform.

I promise I will STFU about this as soon as they give me a back up ruck. But since we aren’t yet training one against another VFL midfielder, I might be banging on about this a while. I honestly don’t understand what we are doing. We cut Charlie Clarke to give us another spot to presumably address a need. A back up ruck is a big need I’d have thought. But nah.

[Happy Days]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

I get the angst and even agree with the need for a real backup (first?) ruck, but I’m not exactly devastated we aren’t all in on the 27 year old, undersized, 108kg SANFL guy who was anonymously playing key defence two years ago and (this is the biggest red flag of all btw) is being chased hard by St Kilda.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

I get the angst and even agree with the need for a real backup (first?) ruck, but I’m not exactly devastated we aren’t all in on the 27 year old, undersized, 108kg SANFL guy who was anonymously playing key defence two years ago and (this is the biggest red flag of all btw) is being chased hard by St Kilda.

I get that completely. I can see the argument from clubs that’s he’s rising over the three years since becoming a ruck. But it’s not even about Boyd specifically as I don’t know if he’s worth it (he does seem small), I’m less personally focussed on the who but rather on the what. And the consequences of doing nothing. I fail to see Brew making a demonstrable difference for us, but that aside, why are we not even training a ruckman to give us an option?

I can strongly disagree with Bevo all in on Tim when we had a genuine back up ruck for him. But without it, it’s a new level of contempt for the position that doesn’t isolate his ideological fascination to the ruck, it impacts our defence of forward line operating at full capacity and I can’t just agree to disagree with Bevo/MC/Power on this. I think it’s list management malpractice if we don’t get a ready made back up.

[Mofra]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

I get that completely. I can see the argument from clubs that’s he’s rising over the three years since becoming a ruck. But it’s not even about Boyd specifically as I don’t know if he’s worth it (he does seem small), I’m less personally focussed on the who but rather on the what. And the consequences of doing nothing. I fail to see Brew making a demonstrable difference for us, but that aside, why are we not even training a ruckman to give us an option?

I can strongly disagree with Bevo all in on Tim when we had a genuine back up ruck for him. But without it, it’s a new level of contempt for the position that doesn’t isolate his ideological fascination to the ruck, it impacts our defence of forward line operating at full capacity and I can’t just agree to disagree with Bevo/MC/Power on this. I think it’s list management malpractice if we don’t get a ready made back up.

Our plan B has been to put Lobb in the ruck (2023) or Darcy in the ruck (secodn half of 2024) when Timmy is getting pantsed.

I agree we should have a genuine senior back up ruck on the list but pragmatically, what's the point if we won't play them? I suspect if Timmy is out of the side we go with a combination of Darcy & Lobb with Davidson doing the smaller-guy chop out role.

[Axe Man]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Simple one for me. I'm looking forward to not playing Melbourne in rnd 1!

Aren't we playing Collingwood?

I could be wrong but I'm fairly certain Collingwood are not Melbourne.

Also we play North in round 1.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Our plan B has been to put Lobb in the ruck (2023) or Darcy in the ruck (secodn half of 2024) when Timmy is getting pantsed.

I agree we should have a genuine senior back up ruck on the list but pragmatically, what's the point if we won't play them? I suspect if Timmy is out of the side we go with a combination of Darcy & Lobb with Davidson doing the smaller-guy chop out role.

Then time for Bevo to grow up and realise when David Brent said ‘a good idea, is a good idea forever’ was just a joke. Ideas and plans evolve and adapt if they’re going to be successful.

We could’ve rucked Chris Grant at any stage in his career if we wanted to. But then what, lose a gun defender or gun forward. That’s the plan. So now what, play Gardner instead of Lobb and uncapped Croft for Darcy. That’s really where we are. Lesser or inexperienced players without much/any recent senior experience while our best play ruck because we don’t want a mature back up. This isn’t just about the ruck anymore. It’s the balance of the team and best overall outcomes which our do nothing strategy doesn’t help.

[azabob]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

I could be wrong but I'm fairly certain Collingwood are not Melbourne.

Also we play North in round 1.

Nets emoji.

[Dazza]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Not sure about the 2nd ruck angst.

We have about 3 blokes not named Tim English that could do a job if needed.

[GVGjr]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Not sure about the 2nd ruck angst.

We have about 3 blokes not named Tim English that could do a job if needed.

Darcy could be our best key forward in 2025 so while he probably has to backs up English I'd hate to see him in the ruck for multiple games.
Lobb could be our best key defender so like Darcy I'd prefer not to see him in the ruck for multiple games.

[jeemak]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Isn't it Sam Power and the list management committee (you know that one with the same guys who enforced a future coaching change on Beveridge mid-season) that should force the issue with rucks if it's so obviously a blind spot for Beveridge?

I know it's crazy, but maybe they're all on the same page that rotating Lobb and Darcy through the position is better than getting a loafer who can't play the position at the top level.

[GVGjr]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Isn't it Sam Power and the list management committee (you know that one with the same guys who enforced a future coaching change on Beveridge mid-season) that should force the issue with rucks if it's so obviously a blind spot for Beveridge?

I know it's crazy, but maybe they're all on the same page that rotating Lobb and Darcy through the position is better than getting a loafer who can't play the position at the top level.

I'm almost sure it's a consensus position from within the club but those who challenge don't have to agree with it.
What I'm not prepared to do is accept excuses from the club if Tim is out for a few weeks and lose momentum.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

Isn't it Sam Power and the list management committee (you know that one with the same guys who enforced a future coaching change on Beveridge mid-season) that should force the issue with rucks if it's so obviously a blind spot for Beveridge?

I know it's crazy, but maybe they're all on the same page that rotating Lobb and Darcy through the position is better than getting a loafer who can't play the position at the top level.

The same guys that went with Easton Wood as the mid sized forward and JJ the small forward. Yes. They like all of us and make mistakes, even if they all agreed to make them.

They also had the trade period too if they didn?t want a state leaguer or DFA. I think my concern is like GVGjr. It?s going to be an ends justify the means thing if we get through next year without dropping games or ladder positions if we have cover Tim by weaken other areas of the ground.

[MrMahatma]

Re: Things you are looking forward to in 2025

I'm looking forward to this debate going for the entirety of 2025. That's what I'm looking forward to.