Who will emerge as our #1 ruckman this year? Who will be #1 in 5 years?

[daisycutter 29,738]

All this garbage about Max Gawn 'not coming on as he should have', and being vulnerable because he's had both knees reconstructed. He's the second tallest person on the entire AFL list. He's just turned 22. He's only now starting to get a man's physique, and endurance capacity, which will take another 3 to 4 years to be consistent through a game and season. There's a lack of insight into the long term development of the big guys on here. They only become valuable at around 25, and have a 5 to 6 year career span. The contrast being the Brent Harvey/Nathan Jones type midfielder.

As to the knee recons.....ACL reconstructions are no indication of general vulnerability. Nor is the incidence of re-rupture is any greater than would be the case for a non-reconstructed knee.

All of which speaks to the fact that impatience and frustration leads us to make ignorant and poor judgements on players who are either too young to be judged against 150+ gamers, or just plain unlucky with injuries.

Given his age and injury history to this point, and what he has shown in the matches he's played, I reckon the MFC coaches would be very VERY excited about the future of Max Gawn, but I'm equally sur they'd tell us to temper that excitement for another 3 years or so.

well i certainly hope you are right

but i'll still worry until....

just because big fellas take a long time to mature doesn't mean that they will, the odds are slim and that's why clubs have 3 or 4 on the list

[ManDee 7,222]

At this stage Gawn dog is almost 30% or second favorite.

In 5 years he is favorite at over 60%.

He is huge and a very likable bloke. The fact that some here would trade him amazes me.

I would trade Jamar & Spencer before Gawn & Fitzpatrick. King is a long term project.

In an ideal world Clark would ruck, swapping with Gawn at FF

[old dee 23,872]

At this stage Gawn dog is almost 30% or second favorite.

In 5 years he is favorite at over 60%.

He is huge and a very likable bloke. The fact that some here would trade him amazes me.

I would trade Jamar & Spencer before Gawn & Fitzpatrick. King is a long term project.

In an ideal world Clark would ruck, swapping with Gawn at FF

I am glad we are not pining our hopes for 2014 on that combination MD.

One cannot get on the Park and the other is about two months away from AFL match fitness.

The season will be over before they make the field together if at all.

[deeko 952]

I am glad we are not pining our hopes for 2014 on that combination MD.

One cannot get on the Park and the other is about two months away from AFL match fitness.

The season will be over before they make the field together if at all.

Luckily we are only planning on finishing 5-6th this year old dee winning the one final and having these two in career best form come 2015.