THE HUNT FOR A RED HOT RUCKMAN by Whispering Jack

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When Max Gawn made the statement earlier this year that he wanted to be recognised among the top echelon of AFL ruckmen there were very few who would have considered him to be in contention let alone the favourite for All Australian ruck honours by the end of the season. That's exactly where he sits at the moment and his ascendency has coincided with Melbourne's rise up the ladder and its position as an outside chance for a finals berth.

We've been fortunate to have such a red hot ruckman but success has not come overnight for Max Gawn who was recruited at #34 in the 2009 AFL National Draft. He had two knee reconstructions and a meniscus tear before establishing his position as the club's top big man last year. Max only had his first uninterrupted pre season this year and has gone on to play every game. 

But, at the same time, the club's back up ruckman Jake Spencer has had some injury problems, recruit ruckman Mitch King's season lasted about five minutes before tearing his ACL in VFL round 1 and rookie Max King, now in his third year, is languishing in the Scorpions' Development League. Luckily, the Demons haven't been placed in the position of delving into its reserve ruck depth. 

So despite having arguably the #1 ruckman in the competition, the paradox is that it's quite possible that the club's focus in the trade and draft period will be on locating a ruckman to add to its stocks in 2017 and beyond. 

With the club's first round draft pick for 2016 having been spent by way of a trade with the Gold Coast Suns last year, the Demons' first selection in the November National Draft now sits notionally at #28 (last night's win in Adelaide moved us back another two places). At that range, you are not going to get the top midfielders or key position players but, because big men generally develop late, clubs are wary of using early draft picks on young ruck prospects. And that places Melbourne in a position where it could be right in the frame to take a young big man with that selection (assuming the Demons still have that pick at the draft).

The highest ranking ruckman on Knightmare's AFL August Draft-Power Rankings is South Fremantle's Tim English. Here's the BIO:

"18. Tim English (VIC)
Best position: Ruck
Height, weight: 203cm, 86kg
Recruited from: South Fremantle
Plays like: Josh Fraser
Projected draft range: top 10
Rated last month: 22
Rationale behind ranking/change of ranking: Has continued his improvement through July with his work around the ground getting better.
Strengths:
- Late growth, growing from midfield height to ruck height in the past three years, suggesting physical growth and further football improvement likely
- Rate of improvement
- Midfield-quality footskills with low, precise kicking to targets
- Disposal numbers
- Mobility
- Clean below the knees
Weaknesses:
- Lack of size and strength
- Tap work and hitout numbers behind his peers
- Contested marking
- Scoreboard impact
- Versatility to play a second position"

Knightmare's AFL August Draft-Power Rankings

There aren't many highly credentialed young ruckmen around and the search might have to extend to the mature age types in the State Leagues, noting that two of the competition's most dominant big men in Dean Cox and Aaron Sandilands came from those ranks.

Claremont ruckman Darcy Cameron was described on the AFL website as follows:-

"Darcy Cameron
Claremont
204cm/104kg
18/7/95

Cameron was overlooked at the 2013 NAB AFL Draft with a query on his pace and his consistency in competing. But he's improved those aspects of his game and presents as a mature-age tall who is able to play in the ruck and in attack. Cameron has enjoyed a solid season at WAFL level for Claremont."

Mature-age talent who might have caught the eye

Unfortunately, Cameron suffered a broken jaw playing in the WAFL last month - AFL draft hopeful breaks jaw in sickening WAFL hit 

If the club is looking for another big man, it might not have to look very far. Casey's Oscar McInerney is 22, 203cm and 100kg. He has only played two VFL Senior games but has impressed at the club and could bloom as a late developer. He and teammate Declan Keilty, a 194cm tall jack of all trades type who has played as a part timer in the ruck for the Scorpions, have both been invited to the State Combine in October.

Then there are the trades and who knows whether a player like Shane Mumford might be offered up on the table this year?

And so, whilst most clubs will be fighting over the best midfielders in the land, I suspect that the circumstances might place Melbourne in the hunt for another type of player - a red, hot ruckman.