Good, well researched Gawn vs Grundy article here:

Splitting Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy as the AFL's best ruckman is almost impossible

Thanks for the link Fifty-5. 

I liken Gawn and Grundy to the AFL's version of Federer-Nadal. 

Gawn is the best tap-ruckman I've ever seen and by a long margin. Grundy is a fantastic as a new prototype. And they're both above average in what each other excels at. 

With Jackson we may soon have one of each. 

I don't get why Gawn doesn't smash it forward once a game, has a great touch no doubt but adding in a set "controlled chaos" type play for us alas Tigers could be hugely beneficial. 

Gawn was great for 4 quarters but Carlton seemed to make better use of him in the second half. The % hit out to advantage does not seem a very important statistic.

It is so good to read a well researched well written analysis that treats fans as though they have a brain. So sick of the hyperbole driven coverage of tribal religious skirmishes. It is a game and a business that has great cultural value in the community. The hubs and the spirit the games have been played in at the moment are showing this.

I am so sick of professional wrestling type commentary that overstates the obvious and has unnecessary speculation on what may or may not have happened. Unfortunately the point of poor commentary, especially from "experts," is to make lowest common denominator fans feel smarter and better about themselves. Next time anyone wants to [censored] about bad commentators, remember they are there to misread the obvious.

Max is great at boundary throw ins but he can’t risk a big jump at the ball at centre bounces due to injury risk and difficulty recovering and following up. Combined with slower inside mids it’s why we’ve always been defensive out of the centre square.

Around the ground he’s the best intercept marker in the comp not named McGovern. I just hope we find a defensive system that allows him to keep up with play and be an attacking option as well. 
 

If Jackson comes on quickly there’s a case to be made for experimenting with Gawn at CHB like McEvoy 

They are both great,  but whos the 3rd best ruck in the comp?

It would be daylight from Gawn/Grundy.

13 minutes ago, TheKozzieExperience said:

They are both great,  but whos the 3rd best ruck in the comp?

It would be daylight from Gawn/Grundy.

I love and value Max but quite frankly Naitanui smashed him in R1

18 minutes ago, TheKozzieExperience said:

They are both great,  but whos the 3rd best ruck in the comp?

It would be daylight from Gawn/Grundy.

Goldstein is the closest. Nic Nat if he gets a consistent run of it.

Marshall the one who will bridge the gap to the top 2. 

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

If Jackson comes on quickly there’s a case to be made for experimenting with Gawn at CHB like McEvoy

Judging by last week, that's a failed experiment.

...and to be honest a dumb idea.

McEvoy is a liability at CHB.

Won't be long before he is back in the ruck full time.

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

If Jackson comes on quickly there’s a case to be made for experimenting with Gawn at CHB like McEvoy

Taking the league's most dominant tap ruckman away from what he does best would be crazy IMO. I think Jackson is years away from being able to hold his own in the ruck - I said it when he was drafted, and nothing has changed my mind since. No tall in the modern era has ever looked good in their first couple of seasons (except man-children like Darling and Hogan) - I don't get why so many think that Jackson will buck the trend. I really don't understand the rush to play him (happy to be proven wrong of course!)

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

Goldstein is the closest. Nic Nat if he gets a consistent run of it.

Marshall the one who will bridge the gap to the top 2.

Agree, Marshall will be a gun. I also think that Martin doesn't get the hype he deserves - he's been a very consistent player for a long time now. 

27 minutes ago, rjay said:

Judging by last week, that's a failed experiment.

...and to be honest a dumb idea.

McEvoy is a liability at CHB.

Won't be long before he is back in the ruck full time.

I'm willing to give Clarko the benefit of more than one match. McEvoy has a better kick and movement than Max and is the second best intercepting mark for a ruck, I think it can work in a team that has more run and skill around him. Less Stratton and Frawley, more Impey etc. Gawn sometimes plays like our best backman when he sits behind the play and takes marks, would it really be that crazy to erect a 208cm wall at CHB!

 

9 minutes ago, Accepting Mediocrity said:

Taking the league's most dominant tap ruckman away from what he does best would be crazy IMO. I think Jackson is years away from being able to hold his own in the ruck - I said it when he was drafted, and nothing has changed my mind since. No tall in the modern era has ever looked good in their first couple of seasons (except man-children like Darling and Hogan) - I don't get why so many think that Jackson will buck the trend. I really don't understand the rush to play him (happy to be proven wrong of course!)

 

I'm thinking more do it for a half or so in a game this year if the game is all but over at half time, or trial it a bit next year. Not this week. 

Jackson has the tank to play a role early, yes he doesn't have the size and strength to win hit outs and he has a heap of work to do with marking contests, but the run in the legs means he has something to offer. Hit outs themselves are the most overrated part of ruck work, our midfield weren't any worse with Pedersen than there were Gawn.
 

51 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I'm willing to give Clarko the benefit of more than one match. McEvoy has a better kick and movement than Max and is the second best intercepting mark for a ruck, I think it can work in a team that has more run and skill around him. Less Stratton and Frawley, more Impey etc. Gawn sometimes plays like our best backman when he sits behind the play and takes marks, would it really be that crazy to erect a 208cm wall at CHB!

 

Yep...

What's with you and Donald and building walls.

They don't work...people go around, over or under them.

Tonight will be interesting.

There an interesting table there that shows clearances, groundball gets, effective disposals, score involvement etc. While they are highlighting the difference between Grundy and Gwen, check out who else features prominently.

None other than our very own Clarence. 

3rd for clearances

4th for effective disposals

1st by a mile for groundball gets

6th for score involvements

On 6/18/2020 at 5:39 PM, rjay said:

Yep...

What's with you and Donald and building walls.

They don't work...people go around, over or under them.

Tonight will be interesting.

The McEvoy Mexican wall worked! Worth watching how it goes for a longer sample size and having at as an option for Max