Dawes, why can't he ruck?

[DeeZee 6,758]

Looking at Wattsy performing admirably in the ruck the last two weeks and Pederson used as second ruck when he is in the side , I just wonder why Dawes can't to the same?

He faced the same problem at Collingwood before he left , where his form was fairly ordinary and wouldn't Ruck when they were desperate for a Ruck/ forward ,as we are right now.

Deja Vu?

[olisik 4,060]

He can't say he doesn't have good ball slapping skills

[MadAsHell 4,088]

Wont lie, it is an issue, however I see it an issue either way going forward given Dawes eventual replacement (Weideman) doesn't ruck either.

This is a major reason why Hurley would be such a huge signing for us.  If we could land Hurley, it would free Tom McDonald up to play on the 2nd dangerous forward and chop out in the ruck when need be.  When Tom goes into the ruck his defensive spot could be covered by a utility type.  This would be the only role I can see for Garland going forward, utility who spends time back and forward.

Failing us landing Hurley we could look to secure a ruck/forward like Nathan Vardy, this would then require us to move players around like Watts to defense as our 3rd tall back, which given he's just found form as a permanent forward, I'd rather not do.

[stuie 7,374]

Maybe it's do with his calf injuries? He didn't look 100% on the weekend, just a bit off, and maybe they've decided it's a factor in his management.

No source or science, just a guess.

 

[Scipio 5,868]

Can't jump very high.

[Mazer Rackham 14,969]

Just tell him to catch the ball and WHANGGGGG ... the ball will ricochet off his hands every time.

[Cards13 9,117]

You know he won't ever get caught for grabbing the ball out of the ruck. He may even get some frees for holding the man as he will not ever be in control of the ball.

[stuie 7,374]

49 minutes ago, olisik said:

He can't say he doesn't have good ball slapping skills

 

13 minutes ago, Ted Fidge said:

Just tell him to catch the ball and WHANGGGGG ... the ball will ricochet off his hands every time.

 

1 minute ago, Cards13 said:

You know he won't ever get caught for grabbing the ball out of the ruck. He may even get some frees for holding the man as he will not ever be in control of the ball.

Please, no more, my sides are splitting....

 

[poita 3,623]

It seemed to me that Watts was doing the ruck work that Dawes should have been doing, and Kent was doing the pack crashing that Dawes should have been doing. Hence I have no idea why Dawes is in the side.

Our forward line has functioned well for most of this year, generally with Hogan, Pedersen and Watts as the talls. As soon as that mix changes we fall apart.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

Just now, stuie said:

 

 

Please, no more, my sides are splitting....

 

They're so creative, aren't they?  Originality abounds.

No idea why he doesn't ruck.  Clearly they feel they want Watts doing it, so that's what they are going with.  If they want Dawes to pinch hit then I'm sure he would do it too.  Not much of a mystery really.

[DeeZee 6,758]

I just think Pederson plays the role better.

He is a good mark ,always snaffles a goal or two and plays in the ruck.

I think Dawes gets the benefit of the doubt this week because it was wet but he needs to perform against the Pies 

[Scipio 5,868]

11 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

They're so creative, aren't they?  Originality abounds.

No idea why he doesn't ruck.  Clearly they feel they want Watts doing it, so that's what they are going with.  If they want Dawes to pinch hit then I'm sure he would do it too.  Not much of a mystery really.

I genuinely think it's because he doesn't have much of a leap. Uses his body very well no doubt, but most ruckman are a good 10cm taller than him and can jump. He wouldn't get close to winning a tap IMO.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

Just now, Django said:

I genuinely think it's because he doesn't have much of a leap. Uses his body very well no doubt, but most ruckman are a good 10cm taller than him and can jump. He wouldn't get close to winning a tap IMO.

You may well be right Django.  I've never seen Dawes as a second ruckman, and I don't think he's ever been comfortable with it either.  It's why they persisted early in the year with Frost up forward, gave Pedersen a crack and then threw Watts in there.  I guess we'll see how it pans out over the coming weeks.

[ArtificialWisdom 3,870]

5 minutes ago, DeeZee said:

I just think Pederson plays the role better.

He is a good mark ,always snaffles a goal or two and plays in the ruck.

I think Dawes gets the benefit of the doubt this week because it was wet but he needs to perform against the Pies 

My thoughts as well, first game back, horrible conditions, tough opposition. Would be hard for anyone, I'd give him 2 more games to show form then think about a revist to Casey. His defencive efforts as a big man have been pretty good in the past so I think thats what they are after more than his ability to mark the ball/ruck. Hopefully he can train that into Jesse who i think still seems more conserned with his own missed marks than he does with pressure at ground level

As for the ruck, they cleary like Watts in the ruck and for the record I do too. Gives us an extra midfielder that has pretty good skills. Dawes adds structure up forward and demands 1 key defender means is 1 less on Jesse which we all would like to see. Dawes has said himself his whole career has been built around being a decoy, in space he is dangerous so they have to man him up. He does compete on the occasional forward 50 throw in, I'm not sure if this is by design or just because the ruckman are too slow getting there.

[Demon Dynasty 15,554]

1 hour ago, Django said:

Can't jump very high.

And Pedo can! o.O

[Spirit of 26 261]

Can't mark. Can't ruck. Can't jump. His CV must be pretty thin.

 

[Scipio 5,868]

16 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

And Pedo can! o.O

Yes, higher than Dawes. Pedo is our best option for a hybrid ruck/forward but Watts is doing a reasonable job at the moment.

[Demi Dee 578]

Just whisper in his ear 'it's a marking drill'

 

[Demon Dynasty 15,554]

Roos on the selection of Dawes/Forst for the Hawks match.....

....."Dawesy will probably pinch-hit a little bit in the ruck, but we haven’t been unhappy with what Wattsy’s (Jack Watts) doing, but it gives us a bit more flexibility with Dawesy down there,” he said on Melbourne TV’s Roos’ Views.

“We had [Justin] Westhoff against us on the wing last weekend, so it would’ve been nice to play Jack [Watts] on the wing against Westhoff. So there are some things that we can do with Dawesy, but predominantly he’s a forward and then we can ruck either Wattsy or Dawesy.

“Frosty, we’ve been playing down back in the VFL team, and he comes in really to replace Col Garland, as that third tall with Oscar McDonald, Tom McDonald and Frost.

 

 

[loges 6,097]

52 minutes ago, DeeZee said:

I just think Pederson plays the role better.

He is a good mark ,always snaffles a goal or two and plays in the ruck.

I think Dawes gets the benefit of the doubt this week because it was wet but he needs to perform against the Pies 

This

[Scipio 5,868]

40 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

You may well be right Django.  I've never seen Dawes as a second ruckman, and I don't think he's ever been comfortable with it either.  It's why they persisted early in the year with Frost up forward, gave Pedersen a crack and then threw Watts in there.  I guess we'll see how it pans out over the coming weeks.

I'm also positive that his injury history would contribute. Plenty of calf and knee issues, which would restrict his leap.

[bush demon 1,898]

Right now we need Mitchell Clark back in the side. 

[rjay 23,925]

51 minutes ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

My thoughts as well, first game back, horrible conditions, tough opposition.

Wish I had to play in such horrible conditions...

Not an ounce of mud to be found, slippery ball yes, cold for the spectators yes...hardly horrible conditions. 

A player like Dawes should thrive on days like Saturday, he's not a marking player anyway. Just needed to use his strength to open the game for teammates.

[Demon Dynasty 15,554]

1 game back after another long lay off. Doubt he was ever going to play a big role in the ruck this week. Lets see how things pan out over the next few weeks once he's had a few matches to get fully match fit and the bod remains in one piece.

If they're not going to play him as a pinch hitter ruckman (as Roos has suggested), and i think they eventually will, then Pedo is a must in once fit.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Rusty Nails

[GoodAsGawn 15]

2 hours ago, AngryAtCasey said:

Wont lie, it is an issue, however I see it an issue either way going forward given Dawes eventual replacement (Weideman) doesn't ruck either.

This is a major reason why Hurley would be such a huge signing for us.  If we could land Hurley, it would free Tom McDonald up to play on the 2nd dangerous forward and chop out in the ruck when need be.  When Tom goes into the ruck his defensive spot could be covered by a utility type.  This would be the only role I can see for Garland going forward, utility who spends time back and forward.

Failing us landing Hurley we could look to secure a ruck/forward like Nathan Vardy, this would then require us to move players around like Watts to defense as our 3rd tall back, which given he's just found form as a permanent forward, I'd rather not do.

I believe thats why we want Hulett to come on.... exactly what we need..... a forward who can play ruck...
I don't know if he has been doing this in the VFL but in TAC and as a junior he was a Forward/Ruck