rpfc

Maybe I picked the wrong poster... A ruckman's job is in the centre square. Don't get fooled by pundits telling you that they 'need to be more involved.' Jeff White's best years were when he could run at the ball and dominate the centre, his possessions as a link man across the half back/wing were met with indifference by me. Jamar absolutely needs to be more damaging when not rucking, but ruckmen live and die by what they do in the middle and he is the best we have got for 2014.

Ok, I will clear up the confusion with Restricted FA (bookmark this page in your browser of choice): A club extends an 'offer sheet' of sorts to a player from another club. If that player would like to go to that club he can sign it. If his club would like to keep him, they may say "we will meet that contract." At this point, the player can sign with his club or go through the ND or the PSD. In the NBA - a restricted FA must remain with his club if his club meets the offer sheet, but that is not the case in the AFL. Frawley can agree to go to a team and we can 'meet his contract' and he can still go through the drafts. Please understand this - it might save you some headaches later on (hopefully not heartaches...).

Love it pants. Someone tweet that to the [censored]. Tos ser is censored? C'mon man!

If he is really keen to leave he can simply leave the old fashioned way - through the PSD.

RGRS had his tongue in his cheek with the above. From wikipedia: During January 2012, Scotland was involved in a brawl at the Mulwala Ski Club near Yarrawonga, which left one man unconscious. In April 2012, he was formally charged with common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and violent disorder relating to the incident.[12] At the court hearing in October 2012, he pleaded guilty to assault, and was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond without a conviction. No thanks from me.

I think you underestimate how much you won't care about what Jamar is doing if he is getting the ball to Tyson, Trengove, Cross et al.

What does it matter if Jamar is getting 3 kicks less than you want if he is getting the team first use of the footy? The other two are not where Jamar is at stoppages, and until they surpass him there, they won't become first ruck.

He will be there if the players see him there. I think they would. We will see.

I don't want to rob our forward line of Clark. Maybe it is best that Jamar is there to give cover to two promising but nowhere near ready ruckmen over the next couple of years. I am really interested to see what Jamar's effectiveness is like in the middle with players to tap to and, importantly, offensive minded players. Trengove, Tyson, Vince, and Cross actually trying to help Jones win the football. That helps Jamar.

I am not 'afraid' - I disagree with you.

Where is our 'well-rounded ruck'? lol The immateriality of it is that Jamar is not so ineffectual around the ground that he will be beaten out by Gawn or Spencer. And Clark as 2nd ruck does take pressure off Jamar to get involved than if Gawn was second ruck. Jamar/Clark tandem gets: 50 HO, 15 kicks, 12 marks, 15 HBs, 4 goals. Jamar/Gawn tandem gets: 50 HO, 7 kicks, 7 marks, 12 HBs, 2 goals. Those numbers are my prognostications. I note the hazard of predicting things like this, I am just using it as an example that if a second ruck is able to contribute around the ground, it lessens the pressure on the first ruck to do so.

Completely agree. Frankly, our first ruck stocks are not in great shape. But Jamar is still ahead of Gawn and Spencer. And Clark being 2nd ruck seems a fait accompli; Roos has flagged it and Clark is more than capable of it, so it is going to happen. That leaves it as a three horse race for 1st Ruck and with Clark as 2nd ruck there is less pressure on the first ruck to get touches around the ground or kick goals up forward - the focus will be on the centre square. With that in mind, Jamar is a better tap ruckman than both of the others. It's almost immaterial that Jamar only gets a few kicks a game - he is a ruckman. He can have a near BOG game with 35 HO, 4 kicks, 8 handballs, 3 marks, and 2 goals if the midfield is getting first use out of the middle and around the ground.

If you don't have a midfield, can you have 'hit outs to advantage'?

Agree about Thomas. And Scotland was up on assault charges last year wasn't he? Correct me if I have that wrong.

Some on here also have a 'glass jaw.' Incidentally, that isn't meant to be offensive but will be taken by some in that fashion. I think it is well past time to get down from that high horse D2014. You are a prolific recent addition to the Land family and you rub some the wrong way - stop taking offence at the slightest dig. And if you still have issues - contact Nasher or Demonland and they will hear you out.

Ok, that's enough. You can come down now.

You make a fine point. The improvement would be 300%. I apologise.

If he becomes a soft-winger type outside player Yze imitation... I will take that.

Jones played every game of a AFL season. He would have had a few niggles to say the least. I think you are making some laughable judgements on players, which is your right to do.

I am excited too, stmj. I agree about his physicality, I also think that people can develop that area of their game. And he has the size to back it up. And he doesn't have to be the go-to clearance player in there, far from it; Jones, Viney, Tyson and Trengove will be the focus in there. His value will be his ability to push hard and find the footy and deliver facing our forward line. Oh, and Hogan might be chance to rotate through the middle too...

You can say "I wouldn't know"...

This is the kind of thing I would be cautioning against; do we know whether they were lazy over October, or were they unable to do some work - if they are indeed 'thoroughly unfit?'

No doubt that those with headstarts and those that have kept their fitness are important. My point was more that some players have surgeries in the off-season, some cannot work, this is when the hard work begins for a great number of the players, and I notice that there was a large 'injured' group today. They will have time to get their 'fitness points'...

I really hope Roos/Stone makes something of Howe as a mid... (sigh)

I don't know, but there are 17 teams that would easily take the ball out of that forward line as it is so top heavy.