No need for a ruckman

[DeeSpencer 25,515]

1. The dogs lost

2. Ayce Cordy now knows he can't even compete against Sandilands, that must be good for his confidence

3. Ayce Cordy didn't even get a game to try and work out a way to compete

4. Sandilands is a beast of a ruck but if you tried this against a ruck who can mark around the ground (Mumford? Hale? Jacobs? Goldstein) you'd see them draw a heap of footy in a game of kick to kick if matched against a 185cm player

5. Now that coaches have seen this tactic they'd be instructing any rucks to do exactly that around the ground.

6. Rucks stand up in finals. Not every year. Not every team. But through the finals series there's usually 1 or 2 of the 9 games where a ruck plays a dominant role

I'd be picking Gawn if I were Melbourne backed up by Pedersen and I wouldn't be adverse to using Watts as well after centre bounces. Cross, Tyson, Howe and Vince are all taller midfielders/flankers capable of giving a 3rd up jumper. Add Watts to that list of guys coming 3rd man up. Remember our first choice back up so far has been Sam Frost for a mobile running player around the ground.

But Gawn has been in lousy form as a forward and not exactly knocking the door down in the ruck. Spencer has been preferred. The coaches must have belief that Spencer one day can bring his VFL form to AFL. Roos has seen Mike Pyke do it as a raw athlete and must have similar belief in Spencer. I think it is misplaced. However, I also think we are probably 1-2 weeks away from knowing for sure. A month in the seniors without firing a shot after dominant VFL form and when approaching prime age/years of development. It's now or never for Spencer.

[jazza 1,323]

Isn't Gawn the second tallest guy in the AFL? Why can't we develop him into our Sandilands (or at least train him to effectively ruck against him)?

MAXX,took some screaming grabs and looked a million dollars until the knee got him.

He is probably too old now and well past development potential.

[Luke 46]

Monoccular…… Schweler is a german word.

I'd love to know more about this word, and your thoughts on Matt Burgan.

[Demon Disciple 12,071]

I remember towards the end of 2008 how many were calling for Jeff White retirement.

Our ruck division has never been the same since his departure. How we could do with a ruckman like him now.

[Moonshadow 17,675]

…… Schweler is a german word.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Schwell

[Pirlo 813]

Shame Ayce Cordy is absolutely bloody useless all over the ground. If Beveridge was truly innovative, he'd have given that role to Fletcher Roberts and played someone who can take a grab up forward.

[CityDee 738]

I played ruck at 6.2 playing local seniors when we had injurys and would come up against guys 6.6 . I could influence where the ball would end up not by winning the tap but buy chopping the arm jumping early into the body and other off putting techniques . The umps are more likely to pull an afl ruckman up but its bothersome to see our mids expecting clean ball when the other ruck clearly has an advantage . We are not defensive enough at center ball ups when we need to be .

[Wilbur 447]

Spencer is a proven dud,cannot kick for nuts,Jamar is failing in the reserves,Gawn struggles,Fitzy has gone to hospital.Perhaps it is time for one or two of them to change postion.The blame solely lays with the head coach.

The Dees need more harden players and need to get rid of the schweler who does monday's analysis in Matty Brugen…….. Perhaps the Dees need to go back to their name of Fuschias.

good call there

[Moonshadow 17,675]

I played ruck at 6.2 playing local seniors when we had injurys and would come up against guys 6.6 . I could influence where the ball would end up not by winning the tap but buy chopping the arm jumping early into the body and other off putting techniques . The umps are more likely to pull an afl ruckman up but its bothersome to see our mids expecting clean ball when the other ruck clearly has an advantage . We are not defensive enough at center ball ups when we need to be .

Always get a laugh when posters compare their suburban comps with AFL

[Roger Mellie 3,992]

Always get a laugh when posters compare their suburban comps with AFL

He's probably a bit closer to the action than most of us in the armchair comp

[boydie 655]

Always get a laugh when posters compare their suburban comps with AFL

Come on, in year 6 I shanked three kicks for three behinds, I know how Jeffy Garlo feels.

[Moonshadow 17,675]

He's probably a bit closer to the action than most of us in the armchair comp

Speak for yourself Roger. I kicked 6 in the back yard at mums.

[Biffen 12,940]

Speak for yourself Roger. I kicked 6 in the back yard at mums.

So you made it home on your hipster pushbike unscathed.

Back to your safe Green seat.

I'm just glad we sat in a Bulldogs area and no important children had to witness your drunken bravado.

[Moonshadow 17,675]

So you made it home on your hipster pushbike unscathed.

Back to your safe Green seat.

I'm just glad we sat in a Bulldogs area and no important children had to witness your drunken bravado.

What do you mean Biff? I took one poor young soul under my wing as his WB father had obviously abandoned him halfway through the last. Had to drop him in to the lost property basket as I left. May have been the waste rubbish bin, I'm not sure.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Moonshadow

[Biffen 12,940]

What do you mean Biff? I took one poor young soul under my wing as his WB father had obviously abandoned him halfway through the last. Had to drop him in to the lost property basket as I left. May have been the waste rubbish bin, I'm not sure.

Typical well meaning Green solution.

You could have fed the poor thing,

then returned him to the gutters of Footscray.

Instead you displayed your "Gracious winner"persona which included screaming at hapless Bulldogs passers by and then finishing the beers of those who walked out early.

Actually ,I was quite proud of you.

You have got the killer instinct despite your tofu diet.

[Moonshadow 17,675]

Typical well meaning Green solution.

You could have fed the poor thing,

then returned him to the gutters of Footscray.

Instead you displayed your "Gracious winner"persona which included screaming at hapless Bulldogs passers by and then finishing the beers of those who walked out early.

Actually ,I was quite proud of you.

You have got the killer instinct despite your tofu diet.

Tofu shmofu. I ate meat and chewed through beers, which is more than I can say for you. Honestly Biff, next time you want to be in the fine company of BBO and myself the least you can do is drink like a man rather than act like a tree changing hippy.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Moonshadow

[DeeSpencer 25,515]

I remember towards the end of 2008 how many were calling for Jeff White retirement.

Our ruck division has never been the same since his departure. How we could do with a ruckman like him now.

You forget Jamar's AA year in 2010 that was better than anything White had served up since they changed the centre circle rule.

Jamar could never kick but he was a beast at rucking and had a good patch or marking and general competitiveness.

Spencer is a moderate ruck, with poor skills but high levels of competitiveness that sometimes means he'll play a good game when you least expect it.

Everyone wants a ruck who can win the good hitouts, mark like a champion CHF, compete like Shane Mumford and has the skills and run of a midfielder. Peak Dean Cox is the only player who's probably ever done that. Sandilands gives you hitouts and a bit of the rest but he's not even close to the full package. Goldstein provides a little of everything.

For our rucks it's about working with their strengths and minimising the weaknesses. Spencer at least provided his best ruckwork and competitiveness today.

[praha 11,236]

Sandilands vs adelaide

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

I can't remember the game, but Watts was put in the ruck by default and actually held his own really well and got many touches around the ground (unlike Jamar), with a basketball background it's certainly worth a shot for a month, nothing to lose.

[M C 221]

Sandilands vs adelaide

Broke Dempsey's record I think

[Fat Tony 5,221]

Hit outs went Freo's way 86-27. Clearences went Freo's way 52-48.

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,495]

I think it's very difficult to measure the effectiveness and necessity of a ruckman by statistics alone. Yes, Sandilands won the overwhelming majority of taps and Freo only shaded Adelaide in the clearances. However, suppose Jacobs wasn't there to apply the physical pressure to Sandi? Those taps would have been essentially uncontested and would have been easily directed the right down the throat of Fyfe, Barlow, Mundy and co.

In many cases you need your ruckman to make a contest and apply pressure to the hitout.