15 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

@dieter took the wordS out of my mouth - I hate tennis too (maybe we are bonding??).

The point I'm making is that Melbourne significantly underrated the aforementioned ruckman we let go of.  Jolly was a dual premiership ruckman.  Carlton gave up a first pick for a ruckman who hasn't every looked like being half the player Jolly was when we let go of him.

Martin had played one great season and we gave him up as a lost cause.

It's a fairly common phenomenon that ruckman a) take a long time to develop and b) with a few exceptions, tend only to flourish when given the license of being the No.1 man.  That's the commonality I see with Preuss, thay he has shown some potential, but has been locked out of showing his worth.  I'm hoping we are the beneficiary this time.

To some extent, I think it's the nature of the position that limits the number of good ruck players on any one list.  The main club I can think of having made two ruckman work is West Coast with Cox/Nick-Nat and Nick-Nat/Lycett and I think that worked out ok for them both times.

For what it's worth, I'm not 100% sold on Preuss as being an out and out champion just yet either, but I think he has shown some ready made potential to fulfill a desperate need we have for a Gawn backup/load sharer that adds value to our overall compeditiveness.

I don't agree with your recollections of history. 

I agree re Lewis.

My Brother made the observation that he's too slow, however, he didn't get caught with the ball and made good decisions with quality disposal.

I haven't been including him in my best 22 to start the season, but I'm certain he'll be there. 

I take almost nothing away from scratch matches except perhaps the fitness level of individuals. Any AFL listed player can look like a star when the opposition lowers their pressure.

Stef Martin would've been nice. Blind Freddy could see the Martin was going to be a gun. Not sure who it was that decided to get rid of him but I saw his all-australian potential from the outset. 

5 minutes ago, ProDee said:

I agree re Lewis.

My Brother made the observation that he's too slow, however, he didn't get caught with the ball and made good decisions with quality disposal.

I haven't been including him in my best 22 to start the season, but I'm certain he'll be there. 

Whilst Lewis might not get caught with the ball, his pace does get shown up when opponents take advantage in transition and when they have the ball.

This will be the make or break for him this season, along with the ongoing problem with his discipline.

We can't afford the brain fades.

Having said that I think he's been a good acquisition for a young group on the way up.

I think his job may well be done here...

30 years ago we had Big Jimma and Strawbs O’Dwyer 

They went alright together in the same team (when Strawbs wasn’t getting reported!!)

14 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

30 years ago we had Big Jimma and Strawbs O’Dwyer 

They went alright together in the same team (when Strawbs wasn’t getting reported!!)

Thats exactly how i see it. Pruess will not be a superstar and he doesnt have to be. Its more about looking after Max and freeing up the other talls. Simples.

33 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Thats exactly how i see it. Pruess will not be a superstar and he doesnt have to be. Its more about looking after Max and freeing up the other talls. Simples.

Dead right. Max was exhausted last year and the year before he tore the Hammy off the bone. 

It’s not rocket science as to why Preuss was targeted. The fact that he was keen is a bonus

2 hours ago, Dr.D said:

Stef Martin would've been nice. Blind Freddy could see the Martin was going to be a gun. Not sure who it was that decided to get rid of him but I saw his all-australian potential from the outset. 

He decided, was going to give footy away, personal issues

16 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

He decided, was going to give footy away, personal issues

He had a falling out with a player which led to him falling out with further players and a coach. 

Edited February 23, 20197 yr by Ethan Tremblay

2 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

30 years ago we had Big Jimma and Strawbs O’Dwyer 

They went alright together in the same team (when Strawbs wasn’t getting reported!!)

In 1868 we played big Alf Fricker and Harold Rutland, and the game hasn't changed one bit since then, has it?

2 hours ago, Dr.D said:

Stef Martin would've been nice. Blind Freddy could see the Martin was going to be a gun. Not sure who it was that decided to get rid of him but I saw his all-australian potential from the outset. 

Yeah sure, I bet you know the winning tattslotto numbers every saturday night as well

6 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

He had a falling out with a player which led to him falling out with further players. 

I went for less specific, but yes

1 minute ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

He had a falling out with a player which led to him falling out with further players. 

I think another player had a private 'falling in', as it were, which forced Stef to leave

1 minute ago, Satyriconhome said:

I went for less specific, but yes

Yep, no doubt it became a ‘personal issue’. 

2 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

In 1868 we played big Alf Fricker and Harold Rutland, and the game hasn't changed one bit since then, has it?

The role of the tall ruckman hasn’t changed much at all. 

Big Jimma was the first really mobile Half Back Sweeper

His style of play is still used today

6 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

In 1868 we played big Alf Fricker and Harold Rutland, and the game hasn't changed one bit since then, has it?

Are they still available?

 

5 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Daw wont play this year, Xerri is still raw and Brown is just too good of a forward to throw in the ruck.

They have just recruited Tom Campbell from the WB. So at least he is a handy back up if Goldy goes down.

Daw was best 22 until recently.... 

3 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

The role of the tall ruckman hasn’t changed much at all. 

Big Jimma was the first really mobile Half Back Sweeper

His style of play is still used today

I disagree. The expectations of ruckman and the game as a whole has changed considerably IMO. The constant is their size and that they are called ruckmen 

2 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

30 years ago we had Big Jimma and Strawbs O’Dwyer 

They went alright together in the same team (when Strawbs wasn’t getting reported!!)

30 years ago we didn’t win a flag.. that’s all that counts.

3 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

30 years ago we didn’t win a flag.. that’s all that counts.

If Strawbs hadn’t been suspended for the ‘88 GF we were a much better chance. 

Danny Hughes started in the Ruck that day. Whorethorn must have been laughing theier guts out sadly. 

When it's all distilled, I don't quite get what all the discussion about the lad Preuss is about. It's bleeding obvious Goodwin and co understood that Gawn cannot be expected to run the whole race on his own - like he was last year - without an inevitable collapse in output.Hence Preuss. It will turn out to be one of the wisest and smartest recruitment coups in our history. Agreed, Spencer was a handy backup, but - without any condescension to Spencer - Preuss is simply a more agile and better coordinated athlete. Even better, he's a German...I put it to you, the sooner our list gets filled by the Obsts, the Neitz's, the Schwartz's, the Muellers, the Manns, the Nietzsche's, Ditterich's - I could go on - of this world, the sooner we'll vin anozer flag.

Edited February 23, 20197 yr by dieter

6 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

I disagree. The expectations of ruckman and the game as a whole has changed considerably IMO. The constant is their size and that they are called ruckmen 

Ruckman have always worked with little guys. 

They still remain tall when the shorter guys who can take a high mark lose their spring late in the game. 

That has always been the case. 

Yes they are more mobile now and cover more of the ground, that was what Jim started. Stynesy was superfit before it became a standard level for big men

22 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

In 1868 we played big Alf Fricker and Harold Rutland, and the game hasn't changed one bit since then, has it?

Alf "Fiery" Fricker! Could hoist a bag of wheat onto his shoulder with one arm.

And "Harmful" Harold. Victorian Railways Commission Tug of War champion 5 years running. He used to be our local night soil man. All the kids were in awe of him.

Those were the days. Seems like yesterday. (give or take 150 years)

26 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

Daw was best 22 until recently.... 

Yes, 

But i believe the roos were training him to be that Forward/Ruckman before he had his fall.

Its only a personal opinion that i believe he wont play again. I hope he proves me wrong.