So,

We all know that our ruck division in looking pretty thin at years end despite having a few ruckman on the list.

White= will/ should retire at years end having shouldered the ruck for 10 yrs.

Meeson= looks a dud to me, happy to be proved wrong. is a weak player at vfl level.

Spenser= speculative rookie listed ruckman playing vfl ressies most weeks, so surely cannot expect him to make the grade. if he does, its a bonus.

P.Johnson= will be a great 2nd ruckman/ resting forward. has great agility and good around the grounds. but will not be a number1 ruck imo.

That leaves only Mark Jamar as the number 1 ruck for next season.

Bailey has given him the responsibility of number 1 ruck the last 2-3 weeks.

2 Qs:

1) how is Jamar going with the added responsibility.

2) is is crucial we look for ruckman come years end (Naitanui? Warnock?) or can we rely on our ruck stocks and go for midfielders/KPP in the draft?

I'd rather White than Jamar.

I actually quite liked the way Jamar went about it yesterday, and to a similar extent last week. He looked far more at ease, and able to patrol a game more comfortably, in a very similar vein to the way he moves when he plays at Sandy. If anyone has seen the way he plays out games at Sandy, compared to the way he had played them at Melbourne in the past, would probably know what I mean. While he's not going to get 25 touches as White did in his heyday, he can still offer us something as a big, bullocking type. An interesting stat from yesterday was that he had 6 tackles, which surely shows that his workrate and confidence at this level has increased significantly since he's been handed the #1 ruck role the past fortnight. Do we need to look for a new number 1 ruckman? Probably yes, but in the meantime Jamar is performing as good as we can expect from him. If he can carry the last 2 weeks form till the end of the year, he will have earned the right next year to carry the division until a youngster, presumably a 1st or 2nd round draftee, is ready to come in and take over.

I also was impressed with Jamar yesterday he was best ruckman on the ground, and beat Hudson.

I think White will go.

I think they will look at Warnock too in the PSD. Freo will shake things up at the end of the season. A few will move on.

I think that keepng Jamar on and picking up Warnock in the PSD is best for the club.

Jamar IMO is great for the more body on body contests. However, the likes of Jeff White (and hopefully Robbie Warnock) are best for their more athletic apponents.

I think Jamar is more valuable than we all give him credit for.

I dont think it should be acceptable that we have a player in our team that is such a terrible kick that every time they mark the football they need to wait 30 seconds for another player to run around the back of them so they can have that player execute the 15 metre pass, often on their wrong foot.

I dont care what else he can do, until he learns to kick he is an embarrassment.

I dont think it should be acceptable that we have a player in our team that is such a terrible kick that every time they mark the football they need to wait 30 seconds for another player to run around the back of them so they can have that player execute the 15 metre pass, often on their wrong foot.

I dont care what else he can do, until he learns to kick he is an embarrassment.

In relation to White?

We need to continue rookie-ing rucks. I wouldn't be keen on using (m?)any high draft picks on young rucks.

In relation to White?

He's referring to Jamar, and White's a decent kick.

In relation to White?

You idiot.

Whites disposals really arnt that great!!

Easily confused.

Well, by the stats the last two games, without White, have been Jamars best and second best.

What impresses (and surprises - you'd think you notice a 200cm guy laying a tackle) is that Jamar has actually been laying a steady flow of tackles all year.

His last two games are a good stretch up on his previous fifty or so, he has the remainder of the year to consolidate that and if he does then he's a handy ruckman, especially if he can get back to adding a few contested marks up forward again.

surprised there is no mention of Natanui in this thread yet... however I don't think we will end up with him which will mean R.Warnock instead and the end of Jamar (finally)

Isnt it amazing what happens when you give barely used players some responsibility?

Dean Bailey is a switched on fella.

I'd rather White than Jamar.

I'd rather Jamar

i agreed he has played well the last two weeks. Enough to keep him on the list with Meesen and White likely to go. it really looks likely that we will get Warnock from freo so id imagine he and PJ would be the ruck combo with Jamar the next in line if either are injured or out of form.

I still dont think Jamar is good enough to be in a premiership side. Look at some key stats from this year. 9 games for 12 kicks! thats less than 2 kicks a game! woeful. And an average of just over 2 marks a game. From a ruckman thats just not good enough, no matter how good he is in the hit outs....i think the best he will be is a serviceable backup ruckman

I'd rather White than Jamar.

definitely White before Jamar, Jamar is the only real dud going in the team at the minute

I'd rather Jamar

why, he can't kick, when he hand balls its usually a stuff up...why????????/

Meesen and Jamar are contracted for next year. Meesen has no value and Jamar is a third round pick at best.

However MFC has a huge hole in its rucks now. Jamar just cant it consistently at AFL level. And PJ is 200cm midfielder who just has no presence in the ruck. White is finished. I'd actually see if you can get any value for PJ.

Rookieing ruckman is 4 to 5 year plan and it wont solve our problems for 2009 to 2010. While I would prefer to get Warnock in the PSD, I would be prepared to go our 2nd round PP to get Warnock such is our poor ruck stocks. However its not a preferred position.

definitely White before Jamar, Jamar is the only real dud going in the team at the minute

At the moment White cannot get a game in front of the dud and was beaten badly by another dud in the VFL. White has strong claims on Jamar's "title" ATM. After Meesen.

We need to continue rookie-ing rucks. I wouldn't be keen on using (m?)any high draft picks on young rucks.

He's referring to Jamar, and White's a decent kick.

But what about Tyrone Vickery if he falls to our priority pick??

Interesting stat from the weekend: Jamar had 20 hitouts, 20% of which (i.e. 4) were to advantage. That was the most of any of the ruckmen in the game. I think his ruckwork has improved a bit, but he is still useless around the ground.

He is gutsy and competitive, but I believe his biggest asset is that his leap has improved markedly.

He is getting much higher than most of his rivals.

I think he has benefited in the absence of White in the same fashion as Miller has without Neitz.

He may be slow but he is getting to the right spots and never shirks an issue.

I would keep him as 1st ruck, if he stays on this improving course.

I reckon he would go much higher than 3rd round.

Jamar isnt our 1st, second or third biggest problem.

He is gutsy and competitive, but I believe his biggest asset is that his leap has improved markedly.

He is getting much higher than most of his rivals.

I think he has benefited in the absence of White in the same fashion as Miller has without Neitz.

He may be slow but he is getting to the right spots and never shirks an issue.

I would keep him as 1st ruck, if he stays on this improving course.

I reckon he would go much higher than 3rd round.

Jamar isnt our 1st, second or third biggest problem.

Totally agree. He was good yesterday. Even drilled a guy from 40m. So kicking has improved.

So kicking has improved.

When he actually decides to kick...

The dees will go after Watts in the draft, and he will be groomed as a forward. Warnock will be high in the trade list.

If we drafted Naita and Warnock, the broom would sweep out some of the ruckman. If watts is drafted, they will not put Warnock in charge of the #1 ruckman role, allowing Jamar one more season to prove himself.

I love White, I just get the feeling he will retire. Aside from the love of the game, he has nothing much to play for, we will be lucky ot make finals over the next 2 years, he may as well see what other options he has (a stonger club, or media role).

Meeson should be cut, he is not up to it.