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The Strategy

71 Molloy
in Melbourne Demons

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We've got 4 ruckmen, and none of them are really that good.

Discount Spencer at your peril; he has all the attributes to the goods. Jamar and Meeson are servicable at best and will need to really show something to survive; PJ is a very good second ruck and we need somebody to step up as a tap ruckman - my bet is Spencer.

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    Discount Spencer at your peril; he has all the attributes to the goods. Jamar and Meeson are servicable at best and will need to really show something to survive; PJ is a very good second ruck and we need somebody to step up as a tap ruckman - my bet is Spencer.

    On last years form Meesen is not serviceable and can't be considered an AFL player. He will need a huge effort if he is to ever get a game.

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    Discount Spencer at your peril; he has all the attributes to the goods. Jamar and Meeson are servicable at best and will need to really show something to survive; PJ is a very good second ruck and we need somebody to step up as a tap ruckman - my bet is Spencer.

    Agree. I've heard that he's come along in leaps and bounds (so to speak), since we rookied him last year. I guess it's still possible to elevate him to the final spot on our main list, and bypass the PSD, if it's thought that he might press for selection in '09. Alternately, we could elevate him around mid season under the new arrangements that will apply next season.

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    Discount Spencer at your peril; he has all the attributes to the goods. Jamar and Meeson are servicable at best and will need to really show something to survive; PJ is a very good second ruck and we need somebody to step up as a tap ruckman - my bet is Spencer.

    Spencer is raw and still a project player. No one is discounting him but there is no need to count your chickens...

    On last years performance Meesen is a spud, a punt that has not work. Its telling that a raw project player in Spencer had by passed him in the VFL. Hardly serviceable. More like deplorable. And we have two more years of that to survive with

    Jamar is hardly AFL standard as a ruckman and is the best of a bad lot. PJ is 2nd fiddle to a barely servicable ruckman. He is not a "very good 2nd ruck" he is just not good enough to be even a serviceable 1st ruck. However you could survive with PJ if you had a capable and competitive ruckman to take 90% of the ruckwork. ATM we dont and PJ is exposed for his shortcomings.

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    I think you'll find that we are in complete agreement, Rhino. PJ does not have the attributes to be a #1 ruckman, however, he does have serious football gifts and is well worth his place in the side as a second ruck/midfielder. Jamar and Meeson are VFL material and Spencer, although raw and a year or so away, has surpassed them both. We will have to put up with Jamar as first ruck next year, which is a worry.

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    I think you'll find that we are in complete agreement, Rhino. PJ does not have the attributes to be a #1 ruckman, however, he does have serious football gifts and is well worth his place in the side as a second ruck/midfielder. Jamar and Meeson are VFL material and Spencer, although raw and a year or so away, has surpassed them both. We will have to put up with Jamar as first ruck next year, which is a worry.

    Like you I have my fingers crossed on Spencer. Here's hoping undees.

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    Spencer is raw and still a project player. No one is discounting him but there is no need to count your chickens...

    Yep. I guess I was counting my chickens a bit too! It's easy to get carried away with 'prospects' at this time of year.

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    Yep. I guess I was counting my chickens a bit too! It's easy to get carried away with 'prospects' at this time of year.

    That's what this time of year is for. It's all blue sky from here!

    But the club is looking alot better now than it was 18 months ago so there is an upside.

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    Since September I was on the get KPP band wagon use 2-3 picks on key forwards and add midfielders and a ruckman. I couldn't be happier with what we drafted. We always stated that we have so many holes on our list and after every game we all posted about our lack of foot skills and pace. According to the experts we have added what we all want skill and speed plus a key forward. We need players to take on the game run away with the ball from stoppages and then a bloke to kick it to.

    On ruckman they are the most over rated players ever, you get the odd one like Cox that is great, but they are few and far between. PJ is good enough to play in this spot and play well, he might not be a good tap ruckman but makes up for this around the ground. He will be good for us for a coupe of years. We will more than likely add another ruck in the Rookie draft.

    On the rookie draft I believe you are allowed 9 players rookies/Veterans, we have 2 veterans and retained 3 rookies, will we take another 4 rookies?

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    No backup ruckmen so far, a bit of a surprise. We're putting all our eggs in the basket of Jamar & Johnson, and maybe to a lesser extent Meesen and Spencer.

    absolutely right...we are screwed...which begs the question, will our psd pick 1 be a tall??

    i rate johnson higher than jamar, and then again johnson is more an all over the ground player where as jamar is specialist ruckman

    spencer needs development and we all know about meesen

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    Being Tall is a prerequisite of a ruckman

    But it doesnt mean tall = ruck

    We picked Watts so we automatically lost the oppurtunity to pick

    Naitinui (Ruck)

    Vickery (Ruck)

    Cordy (Ruck)

    I considered these 3 guys worthy of a pick as a Ruckman

    Naitanui was never gong to last at pick 17

    Vickery as expected didnt either

    Cordy was a father and Son pick

    Please enlighten me on who you guys thought could be a Ruckman as good as those 3 or even Jake Spencer ?

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