Casey Demons v Northern Blues - Round 18

[Whispering_Jack 27,960]

There's a definite concern for both the MFC and Casey with regard to the ruck situation.

At AFL level, we've been extremely fortunate to have had Max available for every game but we would have to rely on make shift ruckmen again if he were injured - by that I mean Tommy Mac, the Weid and Pedo.

Our two ruckmen at Casey have been getting thrashed on an almost weekly basis in an albeit otherwise strong team. Now Mitch King is injured and the reports from the game don't sound promising while Filipovic appears not to be up to it. It might be time for the club to drag someone out of the country or metropolitan ranks and play them - wasn't there talk of the club recruiting some giant from nowhere earlier in the season?

That's the short term situation - longer term, we have cat b rookie Austin Bradtke coming on board for next year but I suspect the club will be on the lookout at the drafts or trades for a capable stand in ruckman should he ever be needed.

[Fat Tony 4,401]

6 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

There's a definite concern for both the MFC and Casey with regard to the ruck situation.

At AFL level, we've been extremely fortunate to have had Max available for every game but we would have to rely on make shift ruckmen again if he were injured - by that I mean Tommy Mac, the Weid and Pedo.

Our two ruckmen at Casey have been getting thrashed on an almost weekly basis in an albeit otherwise strong team. Now Mitch King is injured and the reports from the game don't sound promising while Filipovic appears not to be up to it. It might be time for the club to drag someone out of the country or metropolitan ranks and play them - wasn't there talk of the club recruiting some giant from nowhere earlier in the season?

That's the short term situation - longer term, we have cat b rookie Austin Bradtke coming on board for next year but I suspect the club will be on the lookout at the drafts or trades for a capable stand in ruckman should he ever be needed.

We would be better off going with TMac, Frost or Pedo for another year IMO and hoping Max stays fit. We won't win the flag if Max goes down anyway. This saves a list spot to try and find a Vandenberg, Ronke or Graham type pick.

[KC from Casey 6,514]

35 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

There's a definite concern for both the MFC and Casey with regard to the ruck situation.

At AFL level, we've been extremely fortunate to have had Max available for every game but we would have to rely on make shift ruckmen again if he were injured - by that I mean Tommy Mac, the Weid and Pedo.

Our two ruckmen at Casey have been getting thrashed on an almost weekly basis in an albeit otherwise strong team. Now Mitch King is injured and the reports from the game don't sound promising while Filipovic appears not to be up to it. It might be time for the club to drag someone out of the country or metropolitan ranks and play them - wasn't there talk of the club recruiting some giant from nowhere earlier in the season?

That's the short term situation - longer term, we have cat b rookie Austin Bradtke coming on board for next year but I suspect the club will be on the lookout at the drafts or trades for a capable stand in ruckman should he ever be needed.

I suspect the club will continue to support Lachie but his numbers weren't great and it was fairly clear when others were preferred in the ruck after King's injury, that he was either injured as well or not considered up to the challenge. I would like to think it was not the latter.

There are two tall ruckmen on the Casey playing list who I suppose could come in at this late stage if KIng's injury is serious. Kieren Byers is 21 years of age, 203cm and 99kgs and played one game earlier this year in Round 4 against Geelong VFL (the team's last defeat). He was monstered by Zac Smith and Wylie Buzza and picked up 6 hit outs. The other tall on the list is former Gippsland Power ruckman Julian Patterson, also 203cm but more lightly built - he hasn't been tried this year.

I'm not sure how the 23rd player rules work (except that you can only have them for three games) but it might worth looking at the local Under 18s (Dandy Stingrays or Gippy Power) but unless they have someone outstanding, you'd be taking a kid as well who might be no stronger in the ruck than Flipper.

[rumpole 480]

From the MFC website

"... unfortunately for King, his day didn’t last long, as the ruckman succumbed to a knee injury in the first half.

“We don’t know the severity of it,” Rawlings said.

“He looked a bit lame when he came off but he’s to be assessed.”

Oskar Baker also pulled up sore in the third term and failed to re-emerge after feeling tightness in his hamstring.

[MadAsHell 4,088]

20 minutes ago, KC from Casey said:

I suspect the club will continue to support Lachie but his numbers weren't great and it was fairly clear when others were preferred in the ruck after King's injury, that he was either injured as well or not considered up to the challenge. I would like to think it was not the latter.

There are two tall ruckmen on the Casey playing list who I suppose could come in at this late stage if KIng's injury is serious. Kieren Byers is 21 years of age, 203cm and 99kgs and played one game earlier this year in Round 4 against Geelong VFL (the team's last defeat). He was monstered by Zac Smith and Wylie Buzza and picked up 6 hit outs. The other tall on the list is former Gippsland Power ruckman Julian Patterson, also 203cm but more lightly built - he hasn't been tried this year.

I'm not sure how the 23rd player rules work (except that you can only have them for three games) but it might worth looking at the local Under 18s (Dandy Stingrays or Gippy Power) but unless they have someone outstanding, you'd be taking a kid as well who might be no stronger in the ruck than Flipper.

Is Gach Nyuon still on the list KC?

I know he was an AA ruckman in the U18's a few years back and then spent a year on Essendon's rookie list before joining Casey last year. Would think he could be an option.

As for going forward, I posted elsewhere I think we should offer our 4th Round pick for either Lewis Pierce from St Kilda or Tom Campbell from the Bulldogs as a 2nd ruck option on our list.

[Diamond_Jim 11,740]

The ruck position will die out in time simply because clubs will not invest the time in development.

Think about it you probably need four players at different stages of development. In a 40man list that is a significant investment in one position.

You could sponsor players in other competitions a la the Academy system perhaps. Alternatively you can develop the two pronged player as we are doing perhaps with Weideman albeit slowly.

The other problem is that with only one VFL team where do these up and coming ruckmen get any match practice.