This thread may exist somewhere; I’d argue big Max is the best player we have, as well as the most consistent and to top it off, an exceptional leader. He is playing top notch footy still but owing to how tough his role is on the body, won’t have too much longer to go.

What is the plan to replace him? There will be many holes in many area across the ground. Is there anyone that will come close to Big Max?

You replace him with a workman like 203cm plodder who competes hard, just like every other clubs ruckman

14 minutes ago, adonski said:

You replace him with a workman like 203cm plodder who competes hard, just like every other clubs ruckman

Yeh.. cos that works against Max.. oh wait it doesn’t.

23 minutes ago, adonski said:

You replace him with a workman like 203cm plodder who competes hard, just like every other clubs ruckman

Agree but as well keep searching for the elusive 200 centimetre mobile support

9 minutes ago, Deestroye said:

Yeh.. cos that works against Max.. oh wait it doesn’t.

Don't think we'll need to worry about playing against Max

13 minutes ago, Deestroye said:

Yeh.. cos that works against Max.. oh wait it doesn’t.

Is Max playing his final years out elsewhere?

30 minutes ago, Deestroye said:

Yeh.. cos that works against Max.. oh wait it doesn’t.

Trying to find another Max would be like trying to find another Gary Ablett senior or another Wayne Carey. Every club would love to have one, but the reality is that very few ever will, so they just work with someone who is competent enough at that position.

Hawthorn one a bunch of premierships with Ben McEvoy as their main ruck. He was an above average ruckman, but nothing as good as Max.

23 minutes ago, BLWNBA said:

Is Max playing his final years out elsewhere?

Not a chance in hell.

We've been very fortunate with quality rucks in my time supporting the Demons. I first remember Big Carl, then Garry Baker and Crackers Keenan; into Peter Moore; then Steve O'Dwyer and Jim Stynes; Jeff White; Darren Jolly and then Mark Jamar and now the greatest of them all in Max Gawn. The ruck has never been a position we've had to worry too much about. We seem to be good at finding them.

1 hour ago, Deestroye said:

Yeh.. cos that works against Max.. oh wait it doesn’t.

Richmond won 3 flags with Nankervis as a ruckman and using midfielder Shaun Grigg as backup ruck. It's unlikely we'll be going up against another dominant ruckman like Max in future. Even if we do, reality is rucks are one of the least impactful positions on the ground. Flags are usually won with legitimate spuds in the ruck.

We need to continue to invest in quality young mids and talls.

2 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

We need to continue to invest in quality young mids and talls.

And a key forward.

Archie Ludowyke kicked another 2 for the AFL Academy today

Edited April 27Apr 27 by dice

there's never likely to be another max

he's the greatest ruckman ever

40 minutes ago, BLWNBA said:

Is Max playing his final years out elsewhere?

I’m not suggesting that, I am stating that they have rucks loafing around, who work hard but Max smashes them.

my concern is we won’t find anything close to him or his output.

2 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

Richmond won 3 flags with Nankervis as a ruckman and using midfielder Shaun Grigg as backup ruck. It's unlikely we'll be going up against another dominant ruckman like Max in future. Even if we do, reality is rucks are one of the least impactful positions on the ground. Flags are usually won with legitimate spuds in the ruck.

We need to continue to invest in quality young mids and talls.

Don’t disagree with you, my question is purely on who will they fill his shoes with? Our backups are not fantastic.

Edited April 27Apr 27 by Deestroye
Error

3 minutes ago, Deestroye said:

I’m not suggesting that, I am stating that they have rucks loafing around, who work hard but Max smashes them.

my concern is we won’t find anything close to him or his output.

Don’t disagree with you, my question is purely on who will they fill his shoes with? Or backups are not fantastic.

Despite being young still verrall is developing well. no one will ever be max Gawn because he is generational and the best football player I have ever seen (I’m 22 so take my opinion with a grain of salt) we have Will, who will hopefully be ready to take over when max finishes up in a couple years. Or like others have said pick up a workhorse like most other clubs because no one will be Max Gawn.

2 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

We've been very fortunate with quality rucks in my time supporting the Demons. I first remember Big Carl, then Garry Baker and Crackers Keenan; into Peter Moore; then Steve O'Dwyer and Jim Stynes; Jeff White; Darren Jolly and then Mark Jamar and now the greatest of them all in Max Gawn. The ruck has never been a position we've had to worry too much about. We seem to be good at finding them.

Yes. We seem to get hit in the [censored] with rainbows 🌈 regularly

Edited April 27Apr 27 by DiscoStu17

We've Kalani White coming through, Will Verrall seems to be progressing ok and Max has 2 after this year. If we can nab an ok ready to go ruck in his mid 20's we should be fine. I'm going to miss Max a lot though, absolute legend and he'll only grow in stature in our memories. He's immortal, joins Barrassi and Flower and then daylight.

Both Hale and McEvoy were top 10 draft picks and are seriously underrated. Both about 200cm/105kg.

Nankervis is very similar.

All were specially recruited

3 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

We've been very fortunate with quality rucks in my time supporting the Demons. I first remember Big Carl, then Garry Baker and Crackers Keenan; into Peter Moore; then Steve O'Dwyer and Jim Stynes; Jeff White; Darren Jolly and then Mark Jamar and now the greatest of them all in Max Gawn. The ruck has never been a position we've had to worry too much about. We seem to be good at finding them

Some memories there. In terms of overall impact for the team over their time with us I would go

Gawn

Stynes

White

Big Carl

Moore

O'Dwyer

Baker

Jamar

Jolly

Keenan

So we will either have Max until George is ready - another 10 years or more;

get hit by another rainbow;

recruit;

invest in cloning research.

31 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

We've Kalani White coming through, Will Verrall seems to be progressing ok and Max has 2 after this year. If we can nab an ok ready to go ruck in his mid 20's we should be fine. I'm going to miss Max a lot though, absolute legend and he'll only grow in stature in our memories. He's immortal, joins Barrassi and Flower and then daylight.

I saw Jeff say on twitter he took a hanger today in the afl academy game. I pray he chooses us but it’s pretty telling the club left #34 open for this year.

keen to see how white goes in the red and blue

Edited April 27Apr 27 by Demongirl35

7 minutes ago, LePig said:

I saw Jeff say on twitter he took a hanger today in the afl academy game. I pray he chooses us but it’s pretty telling the club left #34 open for this year.

I heard somewhere that the Suns only are allowed to bid on 2 Academy players if they make the finals and there are 2 standouts in front of White. atm. Maybe thats wishful thinking and we know things can change in season quickly such as form and AFL policies.

They are certainties to make finals.

Edited April 27Apr 27 by Wizard of Koz

5 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

We've been very fortunate with quality rucks in my time supporting the Demons. I first remember Big Carl, then Garry Baker and Crackers Keenan; into Peter Moore; then Steve O'Dwyer and Jim Stynes; Jeff White; Darren Jolly and then Mark Jamar and now the greatest of them all in Max Gawn. The ruck has never been a position we've had to worry too much about. We seem to be good at finding them.

I'd definitely add Steff Martin to that group as well.

To think that at one point we had all of Mark Jamar, Steff Martin, Max Gawn, Jake Spencer and Jack Fitzpatrick at the club at the same time. Although Fitzpatrick never quite made it, he wasn't that far off the mark and did have some good football qualities about him. Spencer was the kind of solid backup option that we'd love to have now.

And if only we could re-recurit another young Cam Pederson. Was a great forward/ruck on his day and very handy backup. If AJ can produce the sort of career with us that Peddo had, I think we've done well.

The other recent also rans of quality that we never really got the best out of of course are Brodie Grundy and Majak Daw.

Edited April 27Apr 27 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

12 minutes ago, Wizard of Koz said:

I heard somewhere that the Suns only are allowed to bid on 2 Academy players if they make the finals and there are 2 standouts in front of White. atm. Maybe thats wishful thinking and things can change in season quickly such as form and AFL policies.

They are certainties to make finals.

I’d be shocked if they don’t make finals from here. They have some pretty ridiculous academy players, that zeke Uwland in particular looks ridiculous. besides they dont need key position or ruck depth you’d have to think kalani knows that and knows he’s much more likely to crack into our team rather then the suns.

Plan?

there is no plan

No plan