Rhett Biglands

[whitito 187]

Did I hear correctly this morning that he had done his knee and will miss another 12 months?

If so they will be skinny at the ruck with Meesan and Hudson being traded. Hopefully I am wrong.

[Dalrot 85]

They will hardly be skinny, Crows still have plenty of ruckman.

Griffen, Maric, Tippert as well as Moran from the Roos who is a bit of project player. All are quite young as well.

[paddo 0]

They will hardly be skinny, Crows still have plenty of ruckman.

Griffen, Maric, Tippert as well as Moran from the Roos who is a bit of project player. All are quite young as well.

Plenty of ruckmen??

I don't think Tippett has played a game, Moran was used primarily as a backman at the Roos, and Griffen and Maric are young 19-20 year olds who wouldn't have played 30 games between them.

The Crows will really struggle this year IMO. I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish bottom four.

[Dalrot 85]

Why do you think they got rid of Meesen and Hudson?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

This is always the challenge with salary cap and list number restrictions.

To plug areas of weakness in your list you often have to "sell" areas of potential oversupply.

For short term periods it can leave you exposed until inexperienced players step up. Biglands injury is a blow to the Crows. However what did they trade away and what di they receive in the process?

Hudson is workmanlike and Meesen is unproven. Its a chance for young players to step up. However, for ruckman under 21 I think AFL is a phyisically challenging proposition.

[mauriesy 6,845]

Why do you think they got rid of Meesen and Hudson?

I thought Hudson and Meesen wanted to get rid of the Crows, not the other way round.

[Dalrot 85]

I thought Hudson and Meesen wanted to get rid of the Crows, not the other way round.

Maybe they got out before their chances became more limited.

Hudson had off-field issues and Meesen is probably behind both Maric and Griffen.

[jacey 333]

They will hardly be skinny, Crows still have plenty of ruckman.

Griffen, Maric, Tippert as well as Moran from the Roos who is a bit of project player. All are quite young as well.

Tippert is a jet. If he didn't get injured last year, he would've played.

Tippert(1) and Griffen(2) will be their ruckmen for the next ten years.

They won't dominant in '08 but they'll hold their ground.

[Little Goffy 12,765]

Biglands, Rhett 134 games. Has pinged his knee.

Griffin, Jonathon 16 games from debut, 2007.

Maric, Ivan 14 games, debut in 2006, played 8 games in '06, then 6 in '07.

Moran, Bradley 3 games, Twelve hitouts in his AFL career!

Sellar, James 0 games. Listed as ruck / forward.

Tippert 0 games.

I'm not going to say any of these players are duds or anything, but it's definately a tough situation to be dependent on very inexperienced players to hold together a ruck division for an entire season.

Last year, Ben Hudson had 365 HO at 16.5 a game, with Griffen getting 142 and Maric 50, both at about 8 a game. Then fresh air.

I don't see any of the Adelaide rucks doubling their output, even with more time on the field. And Hudson wasn't setting the world on fire to start with - White average three more disposals and five more hitouts a game.

[Hards 2]

Biglands has gone to Dubai with the team but there's a chance he won't ever play again, I believe with a knee problem not to far off what Mark Williams has at Hawthorn.

[whitito 187]

amazing how the players careers are on a knife edge.

[Little Goffy 12,765]

amazing how the players careers are on a knife edge.

A scalpel edge?