2013 Ruck Situation

[Demon Jack 6,930]

Mark Jamar, Stefen Martin, Max Gawn, Jack Fitzpatrick, James Sellar, Mitch Clark, Jake Spencer

Possibly... Broadie Grundy & Chris Dawes

I know that some primarlly play up forward (Clark, Dawes) and down in defence (Sellar) but who will be our key ruckmen next season?

[Striker475 696]

Jamar/Gawn as #1

Martin/Sellar as resting

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Jamar and Gawn/Spencer

[Demon Jack 6,930]

Jamar/Gawn as #1

Martin/Sellar as resting

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Gawn next season. Great personality and great in the ruck.

[Demon Jack 6,930]

Do we plan to play Fitzy up forward or in the ruck?

[Gippsland Dee 367]

I'd say given that we re-signed Jamar for another 3 years he will be our no1 ruck, with Martin as 2nd ruck. Its hard to tell whether Gawn(injuries), fitzpatrick and Spencer will develop into no1 rucks so martin as Jamar are our safest bets atm. Sellar seems to be getting used as a defender/forward and i'd say that will be where he stays.

[Dr. Mubutu 866]

Do we plan to play Fitzy up forward or in the ruck?

Fitzy is being groomed as a KPF. With Hogan coming in, unless he is going to play the 'Leigh Brown role' (as much as I hate calling it that), his days may very well be numbered.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

1st ruck options - Jamar, Spencer, Gawn,

KPF options - Clark, Fitzpatrick

Odd Jobs - Sellar

Trade - Martin

Not sure if Sellar will be recontracted and if so for one year only.

Fitzpatrick has 2013 to justify why he deserves a contract extension.

Cant see us going both Grundy and Dawes at this point.

[Maldonboy38 6,406]

Jamar and Gawn and by the start of 2014 Gawn will be our no.1. Because of injury this year he fell off our radar but he is a serious talent. Apart from his one massive brain-fade in front of goal he has got good skills, is aggressive, has great 2nd efforts like Mumford and can take a good mark.

Spencer is the next in line but will be overtaken by a fit Martin, and Fitzpatrick was super for Casey in the last half of the season. I wouldn't be surprised to see Fitzy overtake both Martin and Spencer if his form continues.

[Moonshadow 17,677]

I'd say given that we re-signed Jamar for another 3 years he will be our no1 ruck, with Martin as 2nd ruck. Its hard to tell whether Gawn(injuries), fitzpatrick and Spencer will develop into no1 rucks so martin as Jamar are our safest bets atm. Sellar seems to be getting used as a defender/forward and i'd say that will be where he stays.

I'm aware you are somewhat besotted with Stef Martin, YDE, but you should also be aware that Martin is of little use to us as a second/resting ruck. He really does his only good work as a solo ruck. He's of more value to us as a trade, unfortunately. If you love him, let him go. I'd suggest you (legally) download and watch the film 'Born Free'.

Jamar and Gawn will be our rucks, with Spencil as depth. If we get Grundy, then he may well get a number of games in 2013, and push Spence further down the pecking order. I do think the Russian needs a big 2013 to survive on our list. He's been around long enuf to be well aware of this and he'll rise to the challenge.

Good luck with Stef.

[DeeZee 7,445]

I'm putting my money on Gawny to have a big year.

A man that size will be invaluable to us if fit.

[jackaub 1,402]

Mark Jamar, Stefen Martin, Max Gawn, Jack Fitzpatrick, James Sellar, Mitch Clark, Jake Spencer

Possibly... Broadie Grundy & Chris Dawes

I know that some primarlly play up forward (Clark, Dawes) and down in defence (Sellar) but who will be our key ruckmen next season?

Biggest mistake MFC have made gving this one dimensional "ruckman" another 3 years He will not last the season he is broken and he has never ever done enough around the ground

I can only hope Gawn Spencer or Martin can come through I love Gawns and Spencer raw aggression so thats a good start.Fitzpatrick deserves a go he always looks good at Casey Confidence is lacking in all due to lack of opportunity. Jeff White killed our ruck stocks for 4 years because he was a fav son Hope that they dont do it again.

[Gippsland Dee 367]

I'm aware you are somewhat besotted with Stef Martin, YDE, but you should also be aware that Martin is of little use to us as a second/resting ruck. He really does his only good work as a solo ruck. He's of more value to us as a trade, unfortunately. If you love him, let him go. I'd suggest you (legally) download and watch the film 'Born Free'.

Jamar and Gawn will be our rucks, with Spencil as depth. If we get Grundy, then he may well get a number of games in 2013, and push Spence further down the pecking order. I do think the Russian needs a big 2013 to survive on our list. He's been around long enuf to be well aware of this and he'll rise to the challenge.

Good luck with Stef.

Yeah i am a bit, but provided we get a good deal for him if he was to be traded i wouldn't mind but i fear we wouldn't quite get what he is worth! He showed what he could do when he was our ruckman in 2011, but as you said he was a solo ruckman and he doesn't quite perform in a duo (a bit like goldstein + Mcintosh). i do feel if we do trade him and he is used as a solo ruck then we may see him dominate us, this i also fear if we were to let him go.

And I do agree with you on Gawn. If he can become fit (no injuries) then i would say he would overtake martin just because of his sheer height as he is like Sandi!

[This Dangerous 93]

Fitzpatrick is an odd one. Before his diabetes was diagnosed he was terrible. Watching him play was like a watching a stick insect drown. Lots of thrashing limbs for little result and the sad realisation that the poor creature shoudln't be there in the first place.

Since then I've seen a couple of Casey games on tv and he looks like a player. Very quick for his size, very agile and can hold a mark. His kicking action is uglier than a Phil Scully nude calendar but I think we could see Fitzy play a lot more AFL games this year.

[deeflog 679]

i think we can forget about any talk of Grundy being in red and blue next year.

personally my starting rucks would be Jamar and Martin, with Martin playing the "leigh brown role"

[Moonshadow 17,677]

Fitzpatrick is an odd one. Before his diabetes was diagnosed he was terrible. Watching him play was like a watching a stick insect drown. Lots of thrashing limbs for little result and the sad realisation that the poor creature shoudln't be there in the first place.

Since then I've seen a couple of Casey games on tv and he looks like a player. Very quick for his size, very agile and can hold a mark. His kicking action is uglier than a Phil Scully nude calendar but I think we could see Fitzy play a lot more AFL games this year.

Lol!

You have combined perhaps the most humorous analogy (stick insect) with the most repulsive (P Scully calendar) I have heard in a very long time!

[old dee 23,872]

1st ruck options - Jamar, Spencer, Gawn,

KPF options - Clark, Fitzpatrick

Odd Jobs - Sellar

Trade - Martin

Not sure if Sellar will be recontracted and if so for one year only.

Fitzpatrick has 2013 to justify why he deserves a contract extension.

Cant see us going both Grundy and Dawes at this point.

I reckon you are on the money RR

[BAMF 4,385]

Fitzy is being groomed as a KPF. With Hogan coming in, unless he is going to play the 'Leigh Brown role' (as much as I hate calling it that), his days may very well be numbered.

You can have more than 2 kpfs on a list. Fitzy would play 3rd tall / ruck. If he came good it would be the perfect combination with Clark and Hogan. Also gotta take into account injuries and rotations.

Edit: He has a long way to go in my eyes. Only starting to play ok at Casey.

Edited October 9, 2012 by UTAH

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Yeah i am a bit, but provided we get a good deal for him if he was to be traded i wouldn't mind but i fear we wouldn't quite get what he is worth! He showed what he could do when he was our ruckman in 2011, but as you said he was a solo ruckman and he doesn't quite perform in a duo (a bit like goldstein + Mcintosh). i do feel if we do trade him and he is used as a solo ruck then we may see him dominate us, this i also fear if we were to let him go.

And I do agree with you on Gawn. If he can become fit (no injuries) then i would say he would overtake martin just because of his sheer height as he is like Sandi!

YDE, please realise that 2011 was absolute junk footy for this club (not that 2012 wasn't, lol!)

But there was no structure, no defence, no game plan, no coaching.

There is no room in Neeld's vision for Stef.

[Moonshadow 17,677]

Yeah i am a bit, but provided we get a good deal for him if he was to be traded i wouldn't mind but i fear we wouldn't quite get what he is worth! He showed what he could do when he was our ruckman in 2011, but as you said he was a solo ruckman and he doesn't quite perform in a duo (a bit like goldstein + Mcintosh). i do feel if we do trade him and he is used as a solo ruck then we may see him dominate us, this i also fear if we were to let him go.

And I do agree with you on Gawn. If he can become fit (no injuries) then i would say he would overtake martin just because of his sheer height as he is like Sandi!

It's unfortunate, because I think he's a good footballer when he's given a bit of freedom in the ruck.

2011 was not a good year for us, but Martin showed considerable promise against a lot of quality opposition. I wouldn't be surprised if he developed to be amongst the best 10 rucks in the comp. Just wont happen with us.

Should be worth something in a trade.

[PartyTimeJohnny 537]

IMO- Our whole future midfield relies on Gawn being injury free. If we can get him up and going it really creates a beautiful Midfield for us.

[DEE fence 5,039]

Biggest mistake MFC have made gving this one dimensional "ruckman" another 3 years He will not last the season he is broken and he has never ever done enough around the ground

I can only hope Gawn Spencer or Martin can come through I love Gawns and Spencer raw aggression so thats a good start.Fitzpatrick deserves a go he always looks good at Casey Confidence is lacking in all due to lack of opportunity. Jeff White killed our ruck stocks for 4 years because he was a fav son Hope that they dont do it again.

Jeff White was worth every dollar we ever paid him, granted the rule change at the bounce killed him, but he was always worth while, problems did not start or finish with him. Yze on the other hand ...

[jackaub 1,402]

Jeff White took money from MFC for no return He didnt justify selection for a number of years but because we paid so much he was selected to the detriment of our other ruck stocks eg Jolly

[Jonesbag 487]

White didnt pick himself mate, the club paid him and the coaches selected him.

[Maldonboy38 6,406]

Very few sides have, or use, two expert and locked-in ruckman. West Coast are the exception but Cox will decline sharply in the next two years as younger rucks begin to jump over him and out-bustle him.

So, we need one major big bloke to do 70% ruck time. Currently Jamar has this but Gawn will overtake him by the end of 2013. Spencer is the back up.

Then we have the options of Clark, Sellar, Fitzy, Martin who can ruck in the forward line while also playing a third tall role.

Because of all this I can't see the Dees chasing another tall seeing we drafted Jesse Hogan.

BTW, Jeff White was close to a superstar for the Dees. Don't let ourcurrent lack of success re-write history. He was a really good tap ruckman, an outstanding mark, a reliable kick for goal, was effective around the ground and brought our midfield into play.