Campbell promotion ?

Makes sense.

Our baby ruckman seem to be a bit further away than first thought, and we no longer have a PJ to throw into the ruck is Jamar is hurting.

I just hope Robbie is up to it.

Whilst i think he will be promoted, i still believe that Spencer may get first crack in the team with Jamar until Campbell gets a few matches at Casey into him...

If there is a spot for a 2nd ruck I want it to be Spencer. The kid is ready for some game time.

I want to win games as much as the next bloke. But it's still a development year to me.

Whilst i think he will be promoted, i still believe that Spencer may get first crack in the team with Jamar until Campbell gets a few matches at Casey into him...

It's a funny one - if I wanted to enhance our flag hopes I would play Spencer, and if winning was the only priority I would play Campbell.

I think the FD want Spencer to be playing Rd 1 but if he isn't there yet, Campbell will get the nod.

Edited January 4, 201114 yr by rpfc

If there is a spot for a 2nd ruck I want it to be Spencer. The kid is ready for some game time.

I want to win games as much as the next bloke. But it's still a development year to me.

+ 1

Campbell promotion ?

Wow! I just linked a thought to that surprise info. A little stretch, but I now wonder if this has the aroma of an arrangement,,, from back in October???

Just, a thought, that is all.

Wow! I just linked a thought to that surprise info. A little stretch, but I now wonder if this has the aroma of an arrangement,,, from back in October???

Just, a thought, that is all.

There is no doubt some communication must have taken place.We would not have let PJ go without a contigency plan. However,Iam told that another rookie is eyeing off that opportunity of a senior posting-Dan Nicholson who has been training the house down.

It maybe that they do get Campbell to put the yards in before promotion.But he seems quite fit also.No doubt the club had done a thorough check before draft day.

It's a funny one - if I wanted to enhance our flag hopes I would play Spencer, and if winning was the only priority I would play Campbell.

If I wanted to enhance our flag hopes I would play Campbell, and if winning was the only priority I would play Campbell.

There is no doubt some communication must have taken place.We would not have let PJ go without a contigency plan. However,Iam told that another rookie is eyeing off that opportunity of a senior posting-Dan Nicholson who has been training the house down.

It maybe that they do get Campbell to put the yards in before promotion.But he seems quite fit also.No doubt the club had done a thorough check before draft day.

G'day mate. Yep that for sure, communication. But I was imagining if it went further, to another leaving?

Most importantly, The Russian needs quality assistance so he can pace himself through the year. His career-best scintillating start petered out a bit in the second half of the season. Played "sore" from too-much....too-soon ?

Regardless of which ruck should play how many games etc. I would be very surprised if Campbell didn't get the nominated upgrade (injury/conditioning aside of course). It will no doubt take a decent pre-season but I hope he gets there. If we have the ability and stocks to play Jamar for most of the season, share his ruck load and perhaps even rest him for a game or two at strategic points then this is optimal. IMO we'll shape the use of Spencer and Campbell as 2nd rucks around that (based on a system best left up to the FD) and I doubt it will simply be a case of 1 over the other. Again I qualify this on the proviso Campbell remains injury free.

Excluding LTIs of course, mid year another rookie can then be nominated after getting some reserves games under their belt (in the event that neither Newton or McNamara are nominated) - I'm getting a little ahead of myself here though.

Edited January 4, 201114 yr by 1858

Even if Nicholson performs well, I can't see him getting upgraded before Campbell.

We're in more need of ruck depth than we are of another speedy flanker.

Whilst i think he will be promoted, i still believe that Spencer may get first crack in the team with Jamar until Campbell gets a few matches at Casey into him...

I think your right, But also young players need both games, to improve, but also competion, for a spot,, to force improvement.

Again, I can't fault the seeming plans of the footy dept. I'm so happy with the changes that have taken place since the end of 2006>7.

Touch wood.

It's a funny one - if I wanted to enhance our flag hopes I would play Spencer, and if winning was the only priority I would play Campbell.

I think the FD want Spencer to be playing Rd 1 but if he isn't there yet, Campbell will get the nod.

You obviously mean flag hopes (beyond this year). This is the point we discussed in some other thread on whether winning is more important than developing players for future years. I would absolutely pick Campbell over Spencer on a Thursday night provided Campbell is 100% fit and at least in some sort of form. It is just too important to have a tangible impact on the competition/ladder this year for several reasons. Spence can continue to develop at Casey and come in if either of the big boys are hurt, which will likely be a handful of games.

Even if Nicholson performs well, I can't see him getting upgraded before Campbell.

We're in more need of ruck depth than we are of another speedy flanker.

I think so too. Mid season will come around quick enough for any aspiring young rookies but in the mean time I think we'll need ruck redundancy in the preventative form (ie sharing the load) not the cure form (ie LTI upgrade).

There is of course the arguement that perhaps Campbell could benefit by starting off in the reserves but I don't think that he needs at least half a season there. He played at AFL level a couple of years ago, he knows what to expect, he knows his own body and he'll have Jamar and Spencer (not sure where Martin is at) to help share the load and defer his introduction by a couple of weeks if required. Give him say 3 or 4 reserves games (or whatever is required) and then consider him for senior service. Leaving it until mid year to nominate him or if there is a ruck LTI defeats the purpose to some degree I would have thought.

The fact that it is a 24 week season and that we have the bye in rounds 5 and 16 I suppose scuttles my arguement a little as Jamar (and the whole team no less) get a breather but there is still the possibility that Spencer may not yet be up to scratch. It also means that if we are unfortunate enough to lose Jamar (touch wood) Campbell may be able to take up the slack a little better with some senior games already under his belt. No matter the scenario at the end of the day it's all about options.

If Nicholson or any other rookie gets the nod ahead of Campbell though I'll still look forward to watching them play.

If I wanted to enhance our flag hopes I would play Campbell, and if winning was the only priority I would play Campbell.

You obviously mean flag hopes (beyond this year). This is the point we discussed in some other thread on whether winning is more important than developing players for future years. I would absolutely pick Campbell over Spencer on a Thursday night provided Campbell is 100% fit and at least in some sort of form. It is just too important to have a tangible impact on the competition/ladder this year for several reasons. Spence can continue to develop at Casey and come in if either of the big boys are hurt, which will likely be a handful of games.

If it were my decision I would go for Campbell, only on the fact that I haven't seen enough from Spencer for him to be 'given' games.

Although, the FD rate him highly...

Could be a close one.

I definitely think that Campbell will be eleveated for Rd 1.

Wow! I just linked a thought to that surprise info. A little stretch, but I now wonder if this has the aroma of an arrangement,,, from back in October???

Just, a thought, that is all.

There wasn't a spot in October as Bruce was still on the vets list (meaning Campbell couldn't be elevated unless there was a LT injury)

I am suprised at how many people expect this as for me it is the opposite. Unless Campbell seriously guns it during the preseason and shows flexibility to play elsewhere I would expect Jamar will go it alone early in the year. He did this for most of last year when he played his best football and that was with a four man bench so why would we go the other way now with less interchange flexibility. I expect Campbell was rookied in case The Russian gains a mid to long term injury as first ruck would be too much to throw to the immature bodied Spencer, Fitzpatrick or Gawn.

NB: Of course in an article they are not going to say a player is not a hope of getting our upgrade rookie spot.

The most importanr para in the linked article is:

"Assistant coach Josh Mahoney said that although Campbell was drafted as insurance for Mark Jamar, the 28-year-old would still be considered."

Campbell was recruited as insurance. He can do this by waiting as a rookie in case Jamar is seriously injured and then being promoted, or by being promoted from the start and being able to cover individual games to give Jamar relief during the year. I think the FD want to use Spencer as 2nd ruck, and if he were injured, give Gawn or Fitzpatrick a run. Or even Martin. That's the way of the future. By 2013 (when the window becomes slightly ajar) we want Jamar as first ruck, plus one of Spencer/Gawm/Fitzpatrick/Martin as the ruck division.

I really don't think there will be a Jamar/Campbell combination in the seniors in 2011 unless there are woeful injuries amoungst the young talls.

Intersting observation was at today's training-Campbell just done running exercises- short and reasonably slow run throughs- seems to be very off the pace of the others in the fitness stakes.

Also He's only 28 and had a few years off, providing the knee holds up no reason he wont be there for our flag tilt. Dont know too much about our younger ruckmen but from a few casey games i saw last year they still have a bit of work to do.

There wasn't a spot in October as Bruce was still on the vets list (meaning Campbell couldn't be elevated unless there was a LT injury)

doesn't mean it wasn't planned. the footy department may have known something or of Bruce's intentions prior. It's already been stated that bruce's management contacted the hawks earlier on.

This guy is a very good player. Fitness will obviously be the key though.

I was speaking to a mate recently who's an AFL umpire. He said he umpired a VFL game last year in which Campbell was going head to head against Josh Fraser, and Campbell absolutely towelled Fraser. He said Campbell looked very good, at least in that game anyway.

I know Fraser's not an elite ruckman, but it's a good sign nonethless.