Our Rucks

[olgreydingo 51]

With Meesen out, Jamar still out, and PJ not up to it by himself, who will step up?

Stef?, Miller?, Frawley?

List of players HT

Spencer, Jake 203

Meesen, John 200

Johnson, Paul A. 199

Jamar, Mark 198

Martin, Stefan 198

Watts, Jack 196

Zomer, Trent 196 (rookie)

Miller, Brad 194

Frawley, James 193

Newton, Michael 193

Bate, Matthew 192

Dunn, Lynden 192

Morton, Cale 192

Rivers, Jared 192

Warnock, Matthew 192

Garland, Colin 191

Jurrah, Liam 191

Bruce, Cameron 190

Buckley, Simon 190

McNamara, Tom 190

Wheatley, Paul 189

Grimes, Jack 187

Robertson, Russell 187

Bell, Daniel 186

Sylvia, Colin 186

Petterd, Ricky 185

Strauss, James 185

Blease, Sam 184

Cheney, Kyle 184

Green, Brad 184

McLean, Brock 184

Bail, Rohan 183

Moloney, Brent 182

Bartram, Clint 181

Jetta, Neville 180

Jones, Nathan 180

McDonald, James 180

Whelan, Matthew 180

Bennell, Jamie 179

Maric, Addam 178

Davey, Aaron 177

Wonaeamirri, Austin 176

[Freak 100]

hahah. frawley...why not just give it to Nathan Jones because neither of them would get a single hitout

[JACKATTACK 17]

Stef, he can do anything.

[H_T 3,049]

will just have to make do with who is available or fit to play. Stef could be given a go. Johnson is obviously not injured. Spencer can come back in.

[monoccular 17,432]

We should certainly be able to find out by the end of this nightmare if PJ is up to it or not.

Big challenge = big opportunity.

Go for it, PJ.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

We should certainly be able to find out by the end of this nightmare if PJ is up to it or not.

Big challenge = big opportunity.

Go for it, PJ.

Seven years in AFL and you have not worked it out? Interesting.

[The Jack of Grimes 0]

Stef, he can do anything.

Agree, the kid can't put a step wrong at the moment. Even if he doesn't win a 50/50 ball, you know he's trying his guts out. I'm growing fonder of him game by game.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

With Meesen out, Jamar still out, and PJ not up to it by himself, who will step up?

Stef?, Miller?, Frawley?

List of players HT

Spencer, Jake 203

....

Wonaeamirri, Austin 176

You left Valenti out at 176cm. B)

[discworld demon 0]

I believe Stef is 200cm tall and he originally played in the ruck.

And by the by, does anyone remember Northey using Danny Hughes in the ruck all those years ago? Well we elevate the new one!

[olgreydingo 51]

You left Valenti out at 176cm. B)

I left him out as he is still a rookie, and Jake Spencer was elevated, but here are the other rookies, I dont think, there is a ruck man even if we joined them together.

Healey, Rhys 185

Hughes, Danny 186

McKenzie, Jordie 186

Valenti, Shane 176

[MadAsHell 4,212]

Only other option apart from Martin with Johnson seeing as Spencer and Jamar are both still injured also would be to elevate Zomer. Not that I think he deserves it but he can ruck if need be.

[olgreydingo 51]

There is another option, is our mid field rove to the opporstion rucks!

[JACKATTACK 17]

Agree, the kid can't put a step wrong at the moment. Even if he doesn't win a 50/50 ball, you know he's trying his guts out. I'm growing fonder of him game by game.

I was checking stats to see if he had any hitouts, which he didn't but I was surprised to find the following stats on Stef:

2nd Contested Marks

3rd 1%ers

3rd in Percentage of Possessions that are contested

2nd in disposal efficiency

6th goal assists

[Freak 100]

lets not start this argument again. We just had a massive discussion about how the disposal efficiency stat is useless considering our worst kicks in the tea Morton, Jones, Buckley etc..often have the highest efficiency ratings.

[bjgc 0]

Rotate Marty monster and Miller. We don't have to win the hit outs we just have to make sure they don't get easy clearances.

[cooko 124]

give Stef a go!! He used to play basketball...same thing

[Carn dees 108]

P.J and spence should consider themselves luky and take advantage.

Martin probly is the option.

[Nasher 33,616]

That bloke at the top of the list might be a potential ruckman.

[SJX 6]

Give it to Newton.

[The Jack of Grimes 0]

Give it to Newton.

As judgmental as i was when i first read that, it might not be a bad idea. not sure what his rucking stats were like against coburg but seeing as he's useless in the forward line at afl level, maybe give him a go in the ruck.

[e25 5]

Maybe this is the perfect time to test a tactic I have thought about only briefly -- 4 midfielders at the bounce.

It goes against the traditional nature of the game and probably wouldn't work, but it'd be interesting to see.

- LET the opposition ruckman win the tap -- make him beat you by using & placing the ball exceptionally well.

- 3 midfielders play defensively man on man at the bounce to prevent the opposition getting a run on

- back the ONE free midfielder to win the ball most times and burst away with the clearance AND beat the opposing ruckman around the ground.

We don't have the midfield for it at the moment, but I can imagine leaving Davey as the free man and then in general play matching Cale Morton against the ruckman - good engine and has height.

I doubt this would work too well, but I'd love to see Bails innovate and try something new if we can't field a decent ruck setup.

Wouldn't it be great to see something this radical in today's game? I'd just prefer to see another club make this desperate move, risking embarrassment.

[Guest Digga]

I believe Stef is 200cm tall and he originally played in the ruck.

And by the by, does anyone remember Northey using Danny Hughes in the ruck all those years ago? Well we elevate the new one!

hahaha surely not? He coached me a few years back and didnt seem that tall.

[beelzebub 23,380]

must have some competition at the ruck or they can just grab it and do what they will

[Doggo 32]

Seven years in AFL and you have not worked it out? Interesting.

How many times in those 7 years has he rucked alone, or as the #1 ruck? I'd say once, maybe twice? Now i know your initial response will be "so what does that tell you?" in the negative, condescending prose you write so well in. My answer would simply be "that he's untried as a full-time ruckman".

FWIW I never rated Ryder as a ruckman until seeing him take the job on alone on Anzac day. In all his seasons at Essendon, playing many different roles, including pinch-hitting in the ruck, i never once saw him do anything that suggested to me that he would be capable of playing as a full-time ruckman. Too short, not strongly built enough, lacking physicalityand intensity, etc. However, when Hille went down, the extra responsibility of having to do the majority of the ruckwork on his own lifted him to a level i'd never before previously seen. He could easily have sank and no-one would really have thought anything of it. But he swam. This is what we need to do with Johnson while our other ruck options are not available. All it takes is one exceptional game...

I'm not saying PJ is Paddy Ryder, but they are similar types, and the situation is also similar. These next couple of weeks are huge in the context of PJ's career. It's sink or swim for him now. You're right (although a bit harsh in your assesment) that he has spent more of his career sinking than swimming, but i think you miss the point.

What monoccular is really saying is after this 'nightmare' of having no ruckman is over, we'll definitely know if PJ will be 'sinking' or 'swimming'. You may have made your mind up already, but who's to say your opinion is 'more correct' than his, or mine, or anyone elses? I think he'll come good, as do a few others on here. You don't. Great. Let's just wait and see.

Your complete lack of support for PJ is getting really old. He's in the side mate, wish him the best and get on with it. (God, i'm starting to sound like bobby mckenzie LOL ) If he doesn't make it, fine, you can 'tell us so' all you like, but if he does, be prepared for a slice of humble pie being forced down your throat .

[JACKATTACK 17]

lets not start this argument again. We just had a massive discussion about how the disposal efficiency stat is useless considering our worst kicks in the tea Morton, Jones, Buckley etc..often have the highest efficiency ratings.

Jones & morton are well down that list, I'm not saying the stats are 100% but when you consider that most of them are under pressure it is pretty impressive that he rarely stuffs it up. You could argue that he doesn't break he lines and isn't very damaging with his disposal, it was just something I have noticed over the last few games, he somehow gets the ball to advantage despite having an awkward kicking action. He now just needs to be confident enough to attack the game himself and he will become a seriously good player.