Jump to content

Tom Fullarton - back up ruck?

mrnolsy
mrnolsy
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

  On 21/07/2024 at 22:46, dazzledavey36 said:

I think this comes down to due diligence.

And Tim Lamb is quoted as saying "Tom we’ve been tracking for a fair while". So it's not like they just decided at the last minute. 

But could this - and Billings and Hunter and others - simply be a case of taking the only option available? In other words, nobody else was interested in coming to Melbourne. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Shocked 1
     

    We took a speculative low-cost risk on Fullarton hoping he could become something he clearly hasn't yet. We traded pick 47 in a supposed 'shallow' draft for him, not a first rounder. Clearly hasn't come on as we hoped but was who we believed to be best available for our needs at the pick and within our wage budget. 

    Would I like a Lloyd Meek who can come in and fill a need? Of course. But even if we have one, come the end of the year we're rebalancing our cap and working out who we need to let go to pay our back up ruck an above average wage. Lists will always have holes due to the nature of the salary cap, backup ruck is one for us. Can only fill these holes by taking calculated risks that sometimes work and sometimes don't.

    I'm excited to see what we do this off-season but won't be at all surprised if we have the same issues next year as you just can't afford to pay a backup ruck anything other than minimum and Gawn needs to be first ruck. 

  • Quote
    • Like 3
      On 21/07/2024 at 23:08, RedBlueandTrue said:

    We took a speculative low-cost risk on Fullarton hoping he could become something he clearly hasn't yet. We traded pick 47 in a supposed 'shallow' draft for him, not a first rounder. Clearly hasn't come on as we hoped but was who we believed to be best available for our needs at the pick and within our wage budget. 

    Would I like a Lloyd Meek who can come in and fill a need? Of course. But even if we have one, come the end of the year we're rebalancing our cap and working out who we need to let go to pay our back up ruck an above average wage. Lists will always have holes due to the nature of the salary cap, backup ruck is one for us. Can only fill these holes by taking calculated risks that sometimes work and sometimes don't.

    I'm excited to see what we do this off-season but won't be at all surprised if we have the same issues next year as you just can't afford to pay a backup ruck anything other than minimum and Gawn needs to be first ruck. 

    Disagree. Every other club has back up ruckman ready to go. No other team of recent has lost clearances so convincly

  • Quote
    • Like 7
     
      On 21/07/2024 at 21:44, kozzyisalegend said:

    I'm baffled as to the recruitment of a back up key fwd over a back up ruck. Verall is very raw and we gave Grundy up very easily

    I agree with this. Add to that the mid season draft pick that we used to sadly effectively replace a midfielder we again used a let’s call him a forward that can ruck. Absolutely nothing against Kentfield but seemed bizarre to me at the time when I would have thought bigger priorities were a genuine ruck or pure midfielders as the cupboard is bare at Casey. In my opinion our overall list is extremely unbalanced. 

  • Quote
    • Like 5
      On 21/07/2024 at 23:15, kozzyisalegend said:

    Disagree. Every other club has back up ruckman ready to go. No other team of recent has lost clearances so convincly

    Don't think any of them make much of a difference to anything yesterday. Naismith maybe? Might've just got injured for us too. Goldy? Might've been a worse outcome having him trudging around. As if we weren't flat-footed enough. Certainly would've liked Moyle out there but how long is he going to be a backup for. I of course hope we can get someone like him for our next roll of the dice!

  • Quote
    • Thanks 1

      On 21/07/2024 at 21:03, dazzledavey36 said:

    Well this pretty much explains it. 

     

    Didn't Fullarton have 30 hit outs in a VFL match a few weeks ago? Classy by Goodwin to pump up Fullarton's tyres in public.

    And wonder if he noticed Pup's 24 tackles on the weekend? Didn't seem to notice/reward Pup's match saving one against Norf

  • Quote
    • Shocked 1
    • Sad 1

    It really makes you wonder why we have him and some others on our list. Are he and Schacke contracted for long?

    Did the club make a mistake in drafting these two?

    Seems like it. 

    On a more positive note Billings wasn't too bad v the Dockers coming in as the sub.

    He's probably the better of the three on him, Hunter and McAdam.

    But despite our clubs excellent recruiting I on general, I feel like we have picked up quite a few that are not up to speed.

     

  • Quote
    • Like 3
      On 22/07/2024 at 00:36, dice said:

    Didn't Fullarton have 30 hit outs in a VFL match a few weeks ago? Classy by Goodwin to pump up Fullarton's tyres in public.

     

    Was he playing against two quality AFL ruckman?

    I highly doubt that what Goody is saying publicly, he hasn't told Fullarton privately.

    Do you think Tom is walking around wondering why he isn't getting a game? Or do you think he's been made fully aware of what he has to work on?

  • Quote
    • Like 5
     
      On 22/07/2024 at 00:36, dice said:

    Didn't Fullarton have 30 hit outs in a VFL match a few weeks ago? Classy by Goodwin to pump up Fullarton's tyres in public.

    And wonder if he noticed Pup's 24 tackles on the weekend? Didn't seem to notice/reward Pup's match saving one against Norf

    Playing against the Northen Bullants.

    Which is pretty much playing against an undersized EDFL ruckman at suburban level. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
      On 22/07/2024 at 01:14, Jaded No More said:

    Do you think Tom is walking around wondering why he isn't getting a game?

    Yep I do. And I reckon he's p*ssed off

    Edited by dice

  • Quote
    • Sad 1

      On 22/07/2024 at 02:18, dice said:

    Yep I do. And I reckon he's p*ssed off

    Watch some Casey games - he has absolutely no reason to feel hard done by or p*sided off atm 

    I’m not always convinced by Goodwins comments but re him not getting a hit out in the AFL atm he is spot on

    Personally I don’t think he will ever be a ruck at AFL level - his only chance realistically is to focus on KPF - imo we should park him at CHF and Jefferson at FF for every game for the rest of Caseys season and see what they can do - They have been playing Schache back and maybe that’s his only chance (another Rory Lobb ?)

  • Quote
    • Like 5
      On 22/07/2024 at 04:29, Sydee said:

    Watch some Casey games - he has absolutely no reason to feel hard done by or p*sided off atm 

    I’m not always convinced by Goodwins comments but re him not getting a hit out in the AFL atm he is spot on

    Personally I don’t think he will ever be a ruck at AFL level - his only chance realistically is to focus on KPF - imo we should park him at CHF and Jefferson at FF for every game for the rest of Caseys season and see what they can do - They have been playing Schache back and maybe that’s his only chance (another Rory Lobb ?)

    schache's best footy at afl level for footscray was as a tall defender

    he's been pretty good at the role at vfl level

  • Quote
    • Like 2
      On 22/07/2024 at 04:42, whatwhat say what said:

    schache's best footy at afl level for footscray was as a tall defender

    he's been pretty good at the role at vfl level

    Probably true re Schache and the the dogs - and yet a team that has struggled for KPD happily let him go 🤔 

     

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Shocked 1
      On 21/07/2024 at 22:20, Jaded No More said:

    I understand that this was what Twomey thought, and maybe that is what we thought to, but clearly we were sold a player who is not a ruckman or who needs a LOT of work in order to become one.

    He's played 19 games and he's 24 already. Not really sure that we thought he would be anything other than a complete break glass in case of emergency option this season.

    What I don't get is why we got him, and also kept Schache. 

     

    Our trading of Senior players has been atrocious since 2021 and it is now coming back to bite, very hard. 
     

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Sad 2

      On 21/07/2024 at 21:40, Jaded No More said:

    Losing the hitouts wasn’t the problem. It was not competing when the ball hit the ground that was the problem. 
    Gawn does two things better than any other ruck, he wins his own clearances (he averages 5 a game!), and he takes marks (averages over 5 a game). Those are his elite stats that we cannot replace even if we “win” the hitout stat. 

    Fullarton would therefore have not helped as he neither wins hitouts, clearances nor is a particularly strong contested mark. 
    I hazard a guess that we recruited him as a backup for a tall forward rather than as a ruck backup. 
    It has to be a real priority in 2025 to have at least one ready to go ruck on our list outside of a 33 year old Gawn. 

    This.

    We're stuffed when he's gone. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
      On 18/07/2024 at 13:44, Tracca said:

    start building

    Ouch. Backed the wrong horse there.

    Edited by layzie

  • Quote
    • Sad 1
      On 22/07/2024 at 04:08, Diamond_Jim said:

    Has anyone analysed his 2023 vfl season for Brisbane?

    Thanks

    Averaged around 15 disposals, 5 marks, 5 hitouts per game. And kicked 30 goals across 18 games. Similar stats in 2022.

    Just give the guy a chance in the seniors. Who knows - he may surprise everyone on this forum

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1
    • Vomit 1
      On 22/07/2024 at 06:25, dice said:

    Averaged around 15 disposals, 5 marks, 5 hitouts per game. And kicked 30 goals across 18 games. Similar stats in 2022.

    Just give the guy a chance in the seniors. Who knows - he may surprise everyone on this forum

    5 hit outs per game in the VFL tells you everything you need to know about his rucking ability 

    His one and only chance at this level is a KP player because he isn’t big enough or strong enough to play ruck against the big boys 

    It is that simple 

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
      On 21/07/2024 at 23:15, kozzyisalegend said:

    Disagree. Every other club has back up ruckman ready to go. No other team of recent has lost clearances so convincly

    Correct .they have hit the young talent well but gaping holes in getting ready experience talent to maximise the flag window which is now shut!

  • Quote
    • Sad 1

      On 21/07/2024 at 21:44, kozzyisalegend said:

    I'm baffled as to the recruitment of a back up key fwd over a back up ruck. Verall is very raw and we gave Grundy up very easily

    kial - do you have a strategy whereby we could keep Brundy and play Max?   Our brains trust couldn’t. 

      On 22/07/2024 at 06:25, dice said:

    Averaged around 15 disposals, 5 marks, 5 hitouts per game. And kicked 30 goals across 18 games. Similar stats in 2022.

    Just give the guy a chance in the seniors. Who knows - he may surprise everyone on this forum

    dice - are you seriously suggesting that we just “give him a go”? Where and for whom?

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Sorry but if the answer is Fullarton, Billings and Schache then the wrong question is being asked. 

    Hunter probably in similar category. 

  • Quote
    • Like 3
      On 21/07/2024 at 22:20, kozzyisalegend said:

    There's a bloke in the vfl called Brayden crossley. Absolute unit in the ruck. Makes fullarton look silly

    GOOBER

  • Quote
    • Like 2
     
      On 22/07/2024 at 11:03, Demonsone said:

    Correct .they have hit the young talent well but gaping holes in getting ready experience talent to maximise the flag window which is now shut!

    Drafting has been great: trading has been pretty awful TBH (since May Lever)

    Edited by monoccular

  • Quote
    • Like 3
      On 21/07/2024 at 23:08, RedBlueandTrue said:

    We took a speculative low-cost risk on Fullarton hoping he could become something he clearly hasn't yet. We traded pick 47 in a supposed 'shallow' draft for him, not a first rounder. Clearly hasn't come on as we hoped but was who we believed to be best available for our needs at the pick and within our wage budget. 

    Would I like a Lloyd Meek who can come in and fill a need? Of course. But even if we have one, come the end of the year we're rebalancing our cap and working out who we need to let go to pay our back up ruck an above average wage. Lists will always have holes due to the nature of the salary cap, backup ruck is one for us. Can only fill these holes by taking calculated risks that sometimes work and sometimes don't.

    I'm excited to see what we do this off-season but won't be at all surprised if we have the same issues next year as you just can't afford to pay a backup ruck anything other than minimum and Gawn needs to be first ruck. 

    Sure but we could have rookied a VFL ruck and had a better outcome. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • FEATURE: 1925

      A hundred years ago today, on 2 May 1925, Melbourne kicked off the new season with a 47 point victory over St Kilda to take top place on the VFL ladder after the opening round of the new season.  Top place was a relatively unknown position for the team then known as the “Fuchsias.” They had finished last in 1923 and rose by only one place in the following year although the final home and away round heralded a promise of things to come when they surprised the eventual premiers Essendon. That victory set the stage for more improvement and it came rapidly. In this series, I will tell the story of how the 1925 season unfolded for the Melbourne Football Club and how it made the VFL finals for the first time in a decade on the way to the ultimate triumph a year later.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREVIEW: West Coast

      Saturday’s election night game in Perth between the West Coast Eagles and Melbourne represents 18th vs 15th which makes it a tough decision as to which party to favour. The Eagles have yet to break the ice under their new coach in Andrew McQualter who is the second understudy in a row to confront Demon Coach Simon Goodwin who was also winless until a fortnight ago. On that basis, many punters might be considering to go with the donkey vote but I’ve been assigned with the task of helping readers to come to a considered opinion on this matter of vital importance across the nation. It was almost a year ago that I wrote a preview here of the Demons’ away game against the Eagles (under the name William from Waalitj because it was Indigenous Round).  I issued a warning that it was a danger game, based on my local knowledge that the home team were no longer easybeats and that they possessed a wunderkind generational player in Harley Reid who was capable of producing stellar performances playing among men a decade and more older than he.  At the time, the Eagles already had two wins off the back of a couple of the young man’s masterclasses and they had recently given the Bombers a scare straight after their Anzac Day blockbuster draw against the then reigning premiers.

        • Haha
      • 1 reply
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 08

      Round 08 of the 2025 AFL Season kicks off on Thursday with a must-win game for the Bombers to stay in touch with the top eight, while the struggling Roos seek a morale-boosting upset. Friday sees the Saints desperate for a win as well if they are to stay in finals contention and their opponents the Dockers will be eager to crack in to the Top 8 with a win on the road. Saturday kicks off with a pivotal clash for both sides asthe Bulldogs look to solidify their top-eight spot, while Port seeks to shake their pretender tag. Then the Crows will be looking to steady their topsy turvy season against a resurgent Blues looking to make it 4 wins on the trot. On Election Night a Blockbuster will see the ladder-leading Pies take on the Cats, who are keen to bounce back after a narrow loss. On Sunday the Sydney Derby promises fireworks as the Giants aim to cement their top-eight status, while the Swans fight to keep their season alive. The Hawks, celebrating their centenary, will be looking to easily account for the Tigers who are desperate to halt their slide. The Round concludes on Sunday Night with a top end of the table QClash with significant ladder implications; both Queensland teams are in scintillating form. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

        • Like
      • 148 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: West Coast

      The Demons hit the road in Round 8, heading to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium. With momentum building, the Dees will be aiming for a third straight victory to keep their season revival on course. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 563 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Richmond

      The fans who turned up to the MCG for Melbourne’s Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond would have been disappointed if they turned up to see a great spectacle. As much as this was a night for the 71,635 in attendance to commemorate heroes of the nation’s past wars, it was also a time for the Melbourne Football Club to consolidate upon its first win after a horrific start to the 2025 season. On this basis, despite the fact that it was an uninspiring and dour struggle for most of its 100 minutes, the night will be one for the fans to remember. They certainly got value out of the pre match activity honouring those who fought for their country. The MCG and the lights of the city as backdrop was made for nights such as these and, in my view, we received a more inspirational ceremony of Anzac culture than others both here and elsewhere around the country. 

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Richmond

      The match up of teams competing in our great Aussie game at its second highest level is a rarity for a work day Thursday morning but the blustery conditions that met the players at a windswept Casey Fields was something far more commonplace.They turned the opening stanza between the Casey Demons and a somewhat depleted Richmond VFL into a mess of fumbling unforced errors, spilt marks and wasted opportunities for both sides but they did set up a significant win for the home team which is exactly what transpired on this Anzac Day round opener. Casey opened up strong against the breeze with the first goal to Aidan Johnson, the Tigers quickly responded and the game degenerated into a defensive slog and the teams were level when the first siren sounded.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All