I think we look at other teams game plans regarding drafting another ruckmen. Too many problems convincing another ruck to sign because they wont the safety net of their original club to be a backup, quality ruckmen are already starting 22 so wont budge and that leaves the lesser name bigmen and we all know too well from seasons past that u cant carry players and we aint mediocre anymore (WIPE GEELONG FROM MEMORY BANK). So what to do?... Max is our starting ruckmen and when needs to rest he obviously heads to the forward line and instead of our current situation of part time 2nd ruck we do what teams do to Max to stop his dominance. We use  2 particular big bodies to double team when Max rests. This works for everyone from Max to Spencer. Now draft time comes round we are in a very good position to draft on needs only basis for first time in my memory anyway! Mids and key position defenders or if Goodwin is a betting man we'll target nothing but mids/Agraders  

Thoughts?

 

On 8/30/2016 at 5:42 PM, dazzledavey36 said:

Its already been mentioned on Talking Footy last night that the dons were interested.

Oh so i shouldn't post things because it might have been said on a random show? or should i run it by you before i post?

Surprised there's been no talk about Tom Rockliff who looks like leaving Brisbane. A grade midfielder that we lack and still relatively young at 26. No first round pick would make it hard for us though.

14 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

No

Well that settles it.  A comprehensive analysis of his deficiencies.

Just out of interest how many times have you seen Zac Clarke play live since his break-out season in 2014? Once?

Edited August 31, 20168 yr by Fifty-5

On 8/31/2016 at 10:01 AM, Fifty-5 said:

Well that settles it.  A comprehensive analysis of his deficiencies.

Just out of interest how many times have you seen Zac Clarke play live since his break-out season in 2014? Once?

The challenge here is that Zac Clarke would be moving for opportunities, and being backup to Max Gawn isn't really that, this year he might well have played zero games for us, i do think the club should consider an experienced ruckman who can play as a forward to give Max a chop out but it would have to be the absolute right fit.

3 minutes ago, Abe said:

The challenge here is that Zac Clarke would be moving for opportunities, and being backup to Max Gawn isn't really that, this year he might well have played zero games for us, i do think the club should consider an experienced ruckman who can play as a forward to give Max a chop out but it would have to be the absolute right fit.

He HAS to play fwd-ruck, he's not coming as a back-up 1st ruck, we've got Spencer in that role and he's as good as we'll get.  In fact he may be off elsewhere in 2018 looking for AFL opportunity.  The knock on Clarke from Freo supporters is his intensity and his knee issues - maybe we can address both those with development (e.g. Watts) and medical assessment.  It might be that he hates Ross, Sandi, Perth or all three and a fresh start would see him invigorated.  There's not going to be a perfect option.

As I posted in the Butcher thread - Jacobs and Jenkins were "spuds" traded cheaply a few years ago.

2 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

He HAS to play fwd-ruck, he's not coming as a back-up 1st ruck, we've got Spencer in that role and he's as good as we'll get.  In fact he may be off elsewhere in 2018 looking for AFL opportunity.  The knock on Clarke from Freo supporters is his intensity and his knee issues - maybe we can address both those with development (e.g. Watts) and medical assessment.  It might be that he hates Ross, Sandi, Perth or all three and a fresh start would see him invigorated.  There's not going to be a perfect option.

As I posted in the Butcher thread - Jacobs and Jenkins were "spuds" traded cheaply a few years ago.

Is Clarke a good enough forward? I would say he's not. With Gawn playing 80% of the game as a ruckman, the second ruck role requires 60% of game time as a forward. Personally I think we would be better off going with a key forward first and ruckman second rather than a player who is not quite good enough to play as a genuine forward. Ideally we would recruit someone like a Jenkins, Wright or Lobb, but they are extremely hard to find.

Just now, Fat Tony said:

Is Clarke a good enough forward? I would say he's not. With Gawn playing 80% of the game as a ruckman, the second ruck role requires 60% of game time as a forward. Personally I think we would be better off going with a key forward first and ruckman second rather than a player who is not quite good enough to play as a genuine forward. Ideally we would recruit someone like a Jenkins, Wright or Lobb, but they are extremely hard to find.

 

Would love Rockliff. Mature age, we know he is a great leader and would add to our midfield and yes we need our young midfield to get games we also need to think about if any of them get a serious injury. We need other players to help. I think he'd be a great addition 

1 minute ago, armstrong35 said:

Would love Rockliff. Mature age, we know he is a great leader and would add to our midfield and yes we need our young midfield to get games we also need to think about if any of them get a serious injury. We need other players to help. I think he'd be a great addition 

He's about to be sacked as the captain of his club.

2 minutes ago, armstrong35 said:

Would love Rockliff. Mature age, we know he is a great leader and would add to our midfield and yes we need our young midfield to get games we also need to think about if any of them get a serious injury. We need other players to help. I think he'd be a great addition 

Not so sure on that bit.

 

Rockliff to the fruit tingles is gaining momentum fwiw.

12 minutes ago, DemonAndrew said:

Rockliff to the fruit tingles is gaining momentum fwiw.

Who are the fruit tingles. Multi coloured? Freo? Adelaide? 

18 minutes ago, Dee-licious said:

Who are the fruit tingles. Multi coloured? Freo? Adelaide? 

Radelaide?

Fruit tingles are Adelaide. I think it was KrazyJay that used the expression to describe them the other day. Being an SA boy, he'd know.

Edited August 31, 20168 yr by A F

3 hours ago, DemonAndrew said:

Rockliff to the fruit tingles is gaining momentum fwiw.

Of course he will end up at a top 6 club.

Heaven forbid we have an even comp.

Pedo has been mention as a tall forward/ruck at 193 cm. O'Mac,Weed and Watts are taller and Frost is around the same ht as Pedo. Why not use the taller players as back up ruckman or call them ruck-rovers? How tall is Keity does anyone know?

11 minutes ago, ENYAW said:

Pedo has been mention as a tall forward/ruck at 193 cm. O'Mac,Weed and Watts are taller and Frost is around the same ht as Pedo. Why not use the taller players as back up ruckman or call them ruck-rovers? How tall is Keity does anyone know?

194cm 88kgs

1 hour ago, Petraccattack said:

Of course he will end up at a top 6 club.

Heaven forbid we have an even comp.

To be fair to Adelaide, they have perhaps lost more players than anyone. They are doing remarkably well.

1 hour ago, A F said:

Fruit tingles are Adelaide. I think it was KrazyJay that used the expression to describe them the other day. Being an SA boy, he'd know.

Adelaide have been referred to as the fruit loops, and sometimes licorice all sorts, because of their coloured looped jumpers, rather than fruit tingles. But yeah, Adelaide. 

11 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

He HAS to play fwd-ruck, he's not coming as a back-up 1st ruck, we've got Spencer in that role and he's as good as we'll get.  In fact he may be off elsewhere in 2018 looking for AFL opportunity.  The knock on Clarke from Freo supporters is his intensity and his knee issues - maybe we can address both those with development (e.g. Watts) and medical assessment.  It might be that he hates Ross, Sandi, Perth or all three and a fresh start would see him invigorated.  There's not going to be a perfect option.

As I posted in the Butcher thread - Jacobs and Jenkins were "spuds" traded cheaply a few years ago.

I would say we may look at de-listed aged rucks who would like to go round again, and a young ruck around 22-23 yrs, who is looking for opportunities.

If Vardy gets the shove, that'll be interesting?

9 minutes ago, DV8 said:

I would say we may look at de-listed aged rucks who would like to go round again, and a young ruck around 22-23 yrs, who is looking for opportunities.

If Vardy gets the shove, that'll be interesting?

If Vardy was available l say get him subject to a medical of course. We need another backup ruck, forward for Max and Spencil. 

On 29 August 2016 at 4:30 PM, stevethemanjordan said:

Well I think we have to be if we want to see a jump in ladder position again. And I think the games against Geelong and Carlton have only highlighted the fact that we need to be active. Not only that, it's worth remembering that St Kilda, Collingwood, Essendon and Port will be vying for a top eight position. Supporters tend to forget that other clubs also improve over the off-season.

Whilst I agree that we don't have much to work with at present, I'm hoping we can somehow creatively make a play for some upgraded draft picks which we can ontrade or creatively make a play for topliner. But that's not our only concern.

I think one of the age-old cliches that circulates these parts at the end of the season is the following: 'Natural improvement from young players over the off-season'. An obvious observation in which some supporters (not saying you) seem to magically think doesn't apply to any other club within the AFL. 

If any Melbourne supporter genuinely thinks we'll make the eight next year on the back of only adding Hibberd during the off-season will be in for nasty surprise.

In my opinion there are three key areas that need addressing if we're to make the eight next year:

 

1 - Age and games experience across all lines of the field. 

2 - Foot-skills and running power.

3 - A Ruckman/forward who has the ability to play in tandem with Max Gawn.

 

In my view, all three can be achieved without much fuss. 

For point 1, I really think that we can bring in some guys who will provide leadership both on and off-field and games experience which we desperately. Equally important will be the fact that these players can fill positions that certain players have manfully struggled to fill for the entire year like Oscar McDonald. 

The fact is, our backline is in desperate need of age and games experience to protect and cover for so many kids who have played through there this year. Let's say we landed Hibberd in a trade and signed Nathan Brown as a restricted FA. The entire back six would look and feel so much more cohesive and would be so much better supported.       

B            Jetta           Brown         O-Mac 

HB        Hibberd        T-Mac      (Spot up for grabs)

 

^ Just looking at those names inspires so much more confidence. It allows for one of Frost or O-Mac to continue to develop their game and bodies at VFL level (which frankly is where both should have been this year if it weren't for degenerate leaders; Dunn and Garland). It would provide healthy competition of spots for Oscar and Frost and it increases our key position depth overall. Personally, I'm still not convinced Frost has the fundamental footballing ability to be a consistent performer at this level. He has an incredible athletic profile, but he is way way too much of a risk to carry into a finals campaign as a definite starter at this current point as is Oscar. Especially both of them playing at once. That should be obvious.

A backline with the addition of Hibberd as a flanker would also allow the release of Hunt to come up to the wing and really add a dimension that has been missing through our midfield for a long time. Serious running power. His ability to cut angles and break lines is huge as we have almost nobody else on the list who can do the same and many of our mids are single-geared runners. 

Key area number 2 will commence tomorrow.

To be continued...

When to post and somehow ended up quoting you Steve....

Edited August 31, 20168 yr by Bombay Airconditioning

6 hours ago, Tough Kent said:

He's about to be sacked as the captain of his club.

 

6 hours ago, stuie said:

Not so sure on that bit.

 

I heard something on 3AW the other night but didn't catch the whole thing.  Something along the lines of his style of captaincy doesn't sit well with certain players, did anyone else here this? Were they referring to the younger players at the club?  If that's the case I don't think it's such a big deal.

I got the feeling there was a bit of Mark Neeld about his captaincy.