PJ > White

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Should Paul Johnson be the number one ruckman next week?

[praha 11,240]

Should Paul Johnson be the number one ruckman next week?

Whites career after the first 4-5 years >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> PJ's career after the first 4-5 years.

Right now though, yes, PJ > White.

That's a disappointing/worrying turnaround.

[Nasher 33,617]

Drop them both and don't play a ruck next week. Have an extra midfielder waiting at the feet of the opposition ruckman instead of contesting the ruck contest. At least that way we might get some use out of that position around the ground.

[praha 11,240]

Drop them both and don't play a ruck next week. Have an extra midfielder waiting at the feet of the opposition ruckman instead of contesting the ruck contest. At least that way we might get some use out of that position around the ground.

lol Put Jones in there. He did one ruck contest and won it to our advantage, one of a few we got today.

[kramer 0]

Drop them both and don't play a ruck next week. Have an extra midfielder waiting at the feet of the opposition ruckman instead of contesting the ruck contest. At least that way we might get some use out of that position around the ground.

i thought PJ was our best player, it would be an insult to drop him before 10-12 others

[Yze_Magic 3]

Stefan Martin > Jeff White

[Jaded No More 68,974]

I just want to understand what the contingency plan here is.

We have had ONE ruckman for as long as I can remember. White is done for, this year, next, it doesn't matter. What matters is that we don't have a second ruckman, because nobody has been given an opportunity to really learn the position. White is still rucking far too much, and doing far too little around the ground.

Jamar, Meesen and PJ might be crap, but they are the ones waiting in the wings. So if they are crap, lets find out and get rid of them now.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Jamar, Meesen and PJ might be crap, but they are the ones waiting in the wings. So if they are crap, lets find out and get rid of them now.

Jamar is crap, I know nothing about Meesen and PJ is good.

[Doggo 32]

Yes.

White was absolutely horrible and should be started on the bench next week.

The stats will say he got the most hitouts (28) of the 4 ruckman playing, but most if not all of his taps were ineffective, and his laconic work around the ground and off the ball today suggest that he was the worst of them. Possibly carrying an injury? Or just disinterested. Soft.

PJ's workrate, on the other hand, was phenomenal. Was one of only a select few who looked like they were willing to put in the gut-busting hard yards. A few of his fellow midfielders (and forwards) around him could learn a thing or two from his defensive efforts. On todays performance, he should be ready to take over White's spot very soon. And on White's performance, we need him to.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I've always rated PJ. He has a long way to go, and one good showing does not a great player make, but I'm pleased he'll turn a few doubters around.

He'll have rough patches this year, and may be dropped every so often, but progress is being made, which is more than can be aid for many of the jokes that play in the red and blue these days.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

Jamar is crap, I know nothing about Meesen and PJ is good.

Actually, when it comes to rucking, I think Jamar is better than PJ. Jamar is stronger and gets his hands on the ball more.

Around the ground PJ is better, but that's not hard given Jamar is practically a statue. He's there for decorative purposes only.

That Meesen couldn't get a game ahead of our current plethora of brilliance is a real worry.

P.S.- nobody is carrying an injury in Round 1. For god's sake, Bailey said nobody will play unless they are 100%. Injuries are not an excuse this early in the year. If we have players who are under-done and they are playing, than Dunn, Rivers, Bartram and Whelan should sue!

[Yze_Magic 3]

Brian Peppers > Jeff White

[jacey 333]

So if they are crap, lets find out and get rid of them now.

I'm willing to let $400,000+ play for Sandy.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Actually, when it comes to rucking, I think Jamar is better than PJ. Jamar is stronger and gets his hands on the ball more.

Around the ground PJ is better, but that's not hard given Jamar is practically a statue. He's there for decorative purposes only.

Jamar almost always jumps at least half a second too early for the ball.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

Jamar almost always jumps at least half a second too early for the ball.

It's a tactic, for you see, he is so slow he needs to be half a second behind to make it to the contest on time <_<

Seriously though, that's a coaching issue which can be fixed.

I'm not advocating that Jamar should become our ruck saviour, but if you're going to play a second ruckman, you have to actually play them as a second ruckman. That was probably one of my biggest issues with Daniher. 10 years, 1 ruckman.

[Doggo 32]

White is still rucking far too much, and doing far too little around the ground.

When the game was well and truly done-for in the third quarter, i thought Dean just HAD to play PJ in the ruck for the majority of the remainder of the game, and experiment with White forward or loose behind the play. Instead, he stuck with White in the ruck for the majority of the quarter and PJ on the pine and a short cameo loose in defence.

PJ didnt come back on, if i remember correctly, until just before time-on in the 3rd, and spent a fair portion of the last on the pine as well before rucking the last 10 mins or so.

Maybe PJ was blowing hard after half time and needed the rest, as he'd run his guts out and had around 10 touches to half time, but surely that 2nd half was the perfect opportunity to trial him in ruck with the added responsibility and see what he's made of?

He did well in his time on the ball though i thought, and was probably the best ruck on the ground up until half time. In the end he broke even in limited opportunity in the 2nd half and will take a lot away from that match. One of only less than a handful of MFC players who could hold their heads high.

[Yze_Magic 3]

Troy Simmonds > Jeff White

[waynewussell 6,237]

White's time is over! There isn't another ruckmen at AFL level that fears White's presence. That, with the new centre circle rule (which negates White's only athletic advantage) is reason alone to move on. he has been a great servant of the club. There were years where he was one who demanded the ball down the corridor. he has taken some wonderful high marks and slotted some telling majors, but he is not helping us get the ball out of the middle and PJ, MJ & JM should be given a challenge. For a start PJ and MJ ar far more agressive and agression is needed when you suffer a 100 point demolition in a landmark opening round. Heads will roll. The White is dead, long live the White!

[maximum bob 462]

PJ two years at West Coast....moved on....three years at Melbourne = not up to it. Good backfill in a champion team at best. Delist.

Yze...pay him out if necessary. Delist.

Neitz...retire with honour.

Wheatley...never made it. Delist.

JMac...retire with honour.

Robbo...half made it...delist.

Dutchy...delist.

Wheels...delist (with honour).

Green...delist.

Bruce...delist.

Newton...maybe get a fair trade for a flake.

Miller...delist.

Warnock...delist.

White...delist (with honour).

Jamar...the incredible hulk with footy nous to match.

Okay, so there goes the ruck division. But it's not like we've been dominating the centre clearances for quite some while. We simply couldn't do any worse. Why we haven't roved to the opposition ruck in the last few years has astounded me when our ruck division has been crap.

It's a new broom or we're off to the Gold Coast.

[waynewussell 6,237]

maximum bob or maximum gob? Your analysis is as helpful as a wet sponge in the Ash Wednesday fires. Glib, drab and flaccid. Get thee to the Gold Coast!

[Little Goffy 14,639]

It's kind of tragic that PJ appears to have had something of a breakout game on such a terrible day for the team.

I was particularly impressed by his midfield running efforts. Reminds me of a game I saw a while ago where the ball was moved down the corridor by the opposition, and this 200cm titan was the only person bothering to try to interfere with their flow.

Good on Paul Johnson. Looks like he'll get a few games this year, given he is now a ruckman / buckup key positoin AND a frickin midfielder.

[maximum bob 462]

maximum bob or maximum gob? Your analysis is as helpful as a wet sponge in the Ash Wednesday fires. Glib, drab and flaccid. Get thee to the Gold Coast!

'Glib, drab and flaccid'.

Couldn't have summed up our team's performance better.

Already downloaded a few Gold Coast realtors' sites and I might just have a high-rise apartment overlooking our new home ground.

[Gouga 570]

Jamar almost always jumps at least half a second too early for the ball.

As opposed to White who jumps half a minute too early for the ball!

[beelzebub 23,383]

OMG....OMG OMG !!!!!!!

are people finally waking up to the Jeff whitewash ??? cant be !!!

Some of us told youz lot to trade him years back... we were looked upon as strange little hobbit like nuff nuffs !!.....

all I can say now is suck eggs !!

Id be prepared to give PJ more of a shot.. hell he can do no worse than wonder boy.. and please...dont trot out all them stats again.. is all cr@p !!

Jeff you WERE really good once.. but that was then !! this is now

[Melbourne_777 0]

For starters White was absolutely hopeless today, but he hasn't been good in a very long time.

PJ was excellent today and not just his ball handling etc, but I like how he is a team player, unlike players such as Roberston who never hand the ball off etc While I am not writing Robertson off, I just don't like those who try and make a hero of themselves.

Maximum Bob are you a Melbourne supporter? How could a supporter be so cynical and your comment about PJ shows how much of a true supporter you are, PJ made a mark last year and is playing again this year, give it a rest.

Good on you PJ!