Bit surprised about this but can see the logical behind this. He does have a good mentor behind him but jeez he really does need to show a bit. A skinny Tom Nicholls absolutely towelled him up this year..

I don't remember it that way. I actually thought Spencer got way on top in the ruck in the second half and was part of the reason we came back in that game. I know Nicholls was carrying an injury but Spencer was also carrying an ankle from the previous week, and since Jamar was still a week away they had to play Spencer. Since that game he's been out for 2 months.

Congats to Spencil and the club. For any one who wants to question list management decisions, just remember Paul Roos is in charge and we should all bow to his superior knowledge and judgment. In Roos we trust.

Well done Jake.

Funny I had the same feeling.

McDonald would be nice.

Anybody else get the feeling the club might be trying to build momentum to get a big crowd on QB, so will announce another couple of signings in the next 2 days..?

MB "Paul, what are you going to do over the bye?"

PR "Myself and the coaches are going to do a mid year review"

JS "The coaching staff said they had seen enough of the list to offer certain blokes contracts and I was one of those guys"

And obviously Lynden Dunn was another

Watch this space

Well done, Jake. Personally, I think the guy has a lot of up-side to him, and he will continue to improve. Fact is, he's played only a handful of games. Give him another year or so under Roos, and who knows what he might produce?

Yes, and he deserves his contract but it is as depth.

His start to the year was good, and his desire and acceptance to play injured until Jamar came back was selfless and admirable but Gawn is streeting past him as the second ruck option.

If Spencer is 'Jamar insurance' that is smart, but that is all I see right now.

Bang on.

The signing is hardly a surprise considering our current ruck stocks. I'm hopeful we land another over the trade period..

I know for a fact in the last two games he played, his ankle was heavily strapped and he was jabbed up, to perform how he did is a credit to him, also listen to what Roos' has said "you need a ruck departrment these days", Jake seems to have been around for ages, but he is still only 25, so he could see out another 5 years

this is why I think he went in for a 'looksee' & a clean up, when he went missing off the map.

I think he played thru injury until Jamar was fit enough to come in.

Edited June 6, 201411 yr by dee-luded

Well done, Jake. Personally, I think the guy has a lot of up-side to him, and he will continue to improve. Fact is, he's played only a handful of games. Give him another year or so under Roos, and who knows what he might produce?

spot on Vagg, I see this too. his natural aggression, & like for the physical contest cannot be underestimated. I look forward to when he can carry another 5-6 Kgs of lean muscle.

I'm on the chip and Tom Mac have 're-signed and will announce Monday theory!

Would be stoked that and a win

Ultimately it's a required move given Jamar is nearing the end and Gawn has yet to show durability as the number 1 ruck.

At the same time I often wonder if we could just get a Cam Wood or Ben Hudson etc on the rookie list and just have a cheap back up.

We still haven't seen the best of Spencer but I still wonder how good he'll be. The problem is when he's doing well in hitouts and chasing little guys around and being aggressive then he's a positive factor in winning games. When he's being smashed in the ruck and can't get near it he's a negative.

Spencer was good in his early games this season and had 1 - 2 poor games before Jamar came in which I suspect he was playing with his ankle injury. He is an honest ruckman who is very competitive and should continue to improve. A good signing..

Spencer is in front of Jamar at the same age. Remember Jamar was a late bloomer.

Ref :- Fooytwire. http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?tid1=12&pid1=2751&tid2=12&pid2=282&type=A&fid1=O&fid2=O

I was wrong about Pedo amongst others. I am happy to sit back and let those in charge do what they think is best for this club.

Spencer is in front of Jamar at the same age. Remember Jamar was a late bloomer.

Ref :- Fooytwire. http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?tid1=12&pid1=2751&tid2=12&pid2=282&type=A&fid1=O&fid2=O

he was tracking late.

the younger Jamar needed a bit of a friendly mental shove. after which he responded with more inner resiliance, & then a more flourishing self belief. ask valenti, he knows.

Edited June 6, 201411 yr by dee-luded

Cam Pedersen - 27 years old, would have been delisted last year by 99% of the people on this site. This year playing as a monstrous, mobile CHF who is destroying midfielders bodies and clunking marks all over the ground.

Jake Spencer - 24 years old, would have been delisted last year by 99% of the people on this site. On that measure alone, I expect Roos to turn him into the AA ruckman by 2016 (and we've already seen his willingness to destroy midfielders bodies. That horse-collar tackle on Chris Yarran was a sight to behold).

Cam Pedersen - 27 years old, would have been delisted last year by 99% of the people on this site. This year playing as a monstrous, mobile CHF who is destroying midfielders bodies and clunking marks all over the ground.

Jake Spencer - 24 years old, would have been delisted last year by 99% of the people on this site. On that measure alone, I expect Roos to turn him into the AA ruckman by 2016 (and we've already seen his willingness to destroy midfielders bodies. That horse-collar tackle on Chris Yarran was a sight to behold).

I don't agree the keep group was way better than1%

Still young, amd probably secures up our Ruck stocks with Jamar, Gawn ,Spencer and King.

Means we can go after more mids and forwards in the next draft.

Cam Pedersen - 27 years old, would have been delisted last year by 99% of the people on this site. This year playing as a monstrous, mobile CHF who is destroying midfielders bodies and clunking marks all over the ground.

Jake Spencer - 24 years old, would have been delisted last year by 99% of the people on this site. On that measure alone, I expect Roos to turn him into the AA ruckman by 2016 (and we've already seen his willingness to destroy midfielders bodies. That horse-collar tackle on Chris Yarran was a sight to behold).

On Spencer, not sure where your 99% came from. I think I was one of many who altered their opinion of him when he got a chance and played so well against St Kilda last year about Rd 12.

It's no surprise he's been offered a new contract given Jamar has one more year to go after this one, we have lost Clark already and Fitzy has failed to come on this year - in fact he has gone backwards faster than he runs.

Gawn remains a bit of an enigma - too early to tell if he will ever be good enough to hold down No.1 ruck spot.

We also saw pre-season how you need back-up talls to guard against injuries.

I expect we will have to draft another project tall this year.

Ultimately it's a required move given Jamar is nearing the end and Gawn has yet to show durability as the number 1 ruck.

At the same time I often wonder if we could just get a Cam Wood or Ben Hudson etc on the rookie list and just have a cheap back up.

We still haven't seen the best of Spencer but I still wonder how good he'll be. The problem is when he's doing well in hitouts and chasing little guys around and being aggressive then he's a positive factor in winning games. When he's being smashed in the ruck and can't get near it he's a negative.

Spencer is still a reasonably cheap back up, GRRM. He works tirelessly and as we know, big guys always take longer to impact on games. I would hope by the time his next contract comes around, he's taken the number ruck mantle. That's not to say Gawn couldn't either. I just expect bigger guys to take longer.

Bloody love a ruckman with a bit of argo whose hobby is hurting opposition players.

On Spencer, not sure where your 99% came from. I think I was one of many who altered their opinion of him when he got a chance and played so well against St Kilda last year about Rd 12.

It's no surprise he's been offered a new contract given Jamar has one more year to go after this one, we have lost Clark already and Fitzy has failed to come on this year - in fact he has gone backwards faster than he runs.

Gawn remains a bit of an enigma - too early to tell if he will ever be good enough to hold down No.1 ruck spot.

We also saw pre-season how you need back-up talls to guard against injuries.

I expect we will have to draft another project tall this year.

He hasn't gone backwards, the first few games didn't help him, then he had an ankle injury, FD is trying to turn him into Ruck/Forward rather than ruck, he was Casey's best a couple of weeks ago against Coburg, another who is being developed, needs to put a run together now at Casey, get his name back in the frame

MB "Paul, what are you going to do over the bye?"

PR "Myself and the coaches are going to do a mid year review"

JS "The coaching staff said they had seen enough of the list to offer certain blokes contracts and I was one of those guys"

And obviously Lynden Dunn was another

Watch this space

I think you and M are both right, Saty. I've no doubt that PJ looked at the QB fixture and said this'll be a big money making day. It has to be a big money making day. PJ would say, 'Roosy, you have the bye round to assess the list and then we can roll out a couple of re-signings in the week leading up to QB that will enable us to get 80,000'.

No surprise, depth and the kid has a red hot crack.

Still think Roos will be targetting another ruckman for the handover from Jamar in 2016/17

Still young, amd probably secures up our Ruck stocks with Jamar, Gawn ,Spencer and King.

Means we can go after more mids and forwards in the next draft.

Discount Fitzy at our peril. this boy .... could be anything.... lets wait & see how he grows. Spencer sees it. I know.

Bloody love a ruckman with a bit of argo whose hobby is hurting opposition players.

love a clark

Edited June 6, 201411 yr by dee-luded

MB "Paul, what are you going to do over the bye?"

PR "Myself and the coaches are going to do a mid year review"

JS "The coaching staff said they had seen enough of the list to offer certain blokes contracts and I was one of those guys"

And obviously Lynden Dunn was another

Watch this space

Yep, that's part of it.

But I also think the contract announcements are released strategically.

I'd be a bit worried if I was one of those OOC and nobody had spoken to me about a contract by now...

I'm imagining Roos like the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Figuratively snapping a pool cue in half, throwing it on the ground, then pushing Blease, Tapscott, Strauss and Nicholson into the middle, and telling them there's only 1 contract up for grabs...

I'm comfortable with the logic and therefore the decision. He and Jamar are currently the only players on our list capable of playing first ruck. I doubt he will play a lot of footy while Jamar is in the side, but he's adequate and necessary backup while others develop.

It also feels like he's been on the list forever. Surprised me to see that he's only 24 - he's still really just a pup in ruckman years. It seems funny to still be thinking of a player like Jake in terms of potential, but he's big, strong, aggressive and committed. I reckon he's still got stacks of improvement left in him.