Opinion Minson - Essential or Not Essential?

[acker]

Heard the post season exit interview with McCartney didn't go well

Will has problems in the Centre Bounce and he sees Tom Campbell ( although raw around the ground ) as a threat

A hit out around the ground or from a boundary throw in doesn't give a team the advantage a CENTRE BOUNCE does !

WILL MINSON often gets "TAP OUTS" around the ground - but then gets SMASHED in the CENTRE BOUNCE --- and when that happens Western Bulldogs get SCORED HEAVILY AGAINST

Yes is a post that may cause criticism - But after finishing 13th I wonder how much worse a Campbell / Cordy could be.

Yes we saw it once - but if they are given time and matches .. the upside may be big

On the other hand - we have WILL MINSON 30yo good around the ground but cr@p in the CENTRE BOUNCE ! .... Your call that's just my opinion

 

[Dale4captain]

Solve the problem by not making will go it alone and give him a hand with another ruckman.

 

[inyourfacedunk]

His game against GWS when he was opposed to Mumford was his best of the season.
I think his interrupted pre-season took a bigger toll than most expected. Especially when he was played solo for most of the season.

Is he essential? From a pure list management point of view, probably not.
If a ruck or two got injured though, then the team would be hard pressed to cover the ruck with any sort of impact. That's the trade off though.

The one thing the Dogs have been lucky with in recent times is the recruiting of robust rucks. I think Campbell will be one of them.

I think it would be better to keep him, while Campbell continues to develop into that number 1 ruck he will become. But if he were to be traded, although a pretty sad, wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Solve the problem by not making will go it alone and give him a hand with another ruckman.

If they play 4 interchanges next year, ask him to get fitter and run 2 rucks in tandem. He will need to change roles a bit, but if he can get over the back problem and get around the ground better.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

You heard this from whom?

 

[VitalDread]

As macca said to me today, don't believe everything you hear or read.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Heard the post season exit interview with McCartney didn't go well

Will has problems in the Centre Bounce and he sees Tom Campbell ( although raw around the ground ) as a threat

Stopped reading there.

 

[Iluvdalhouse]

Thanks will---but remember Richmond could have had pick 3 for him Hodge what a mistake give to grow

 

[Dav1d]

Essential if we don't get another decent ruckman at around 25, he might have had a down year but clubs won't forget his AA year

 

[murphy2bedabest]

Ok here I go

I have always been a huge fan of minson's love the way he goes about it, love he's passion for the club and if you go back a few seasons I was saying that he needs to be the number 1 ruckman at the club, while others were asking him to be traded while he was stuck in the VFL.

We have 3 options with Will IMO

Keep him - he's a bulldog for life, he has 2-4 years left in him he is ATM our number 1 ruckman and rucks best when 1 out. This happens I find it hard how we can develop our younger rucks if we keep him.

Trade him (for a trade that fills holes for us) we then spend the next 2-4 years getting games into cordy and or Campbell, I've also said in the draft thread that I would target luke lowden and even rookie Darcy fort. By the time we are ready to challenge again we will have filled the holes we have now and our rucks will be in the middle of their prime.

Trade him we fill our needs but cordy and Campbell don't take that next step and are flops, by the time we are ready. If this is the case that's ok because we can then cherry pick for a ruck.

That all being said I back the club in doing what they think is best, if he stays or leaves I will always love big will.

 

[go you pups]

Ayce was sensational today. When he went in there we won most clearances, Campbell tried but wasn't as effective.

If Minson wants out well he can go, rucks can be replaced etc Darcy/Street out in Hudson.

 

[Zephiisdaman]

You aren't going to replace Minson like for like. If we trade him we are going to have to put up with Cordy, Campbell or a possible recruit.
So in that regard he is essential as neither Cordy or Campbell are much more than VFL quality at this stage.
That said, with responsibility comes opportunity and maybe they might flourish becoming key rucks.
As our finals window is still a way off yet, maybe a good trade for Minson suits our purposes for long term strategy in list development.
I can live either way with trading him, however the trade has to be advantageous to us. I reckon a lot of clubs in the here and now would be desperate for a ruck of Minno's quality. Geelong for example. If they had Minno the other night, the result probably changes.
Blicavs is a talent but I'm not sure he is suited to centre bounce work. HMac is just about gone, Simpson and Vardy are just about gone. Minson is the perfect fit.

 

[TMoney22]

Moving minno on would mean both Campbell and cordy would have to play afl every week. I dont think we are ready for that.

 

[murphy2bedabest]

Moving minno on would mean both Campbell and cordy would have to play afl every week. I dont think we are ready for that.

This is were we would have to bring help and I think we have 3 option

1, pick up lowden and rookie say Darcy Fort- I think having all 3 rucks and no clear number 1 ruckman at the start of preseason would push them and get the best out of each other.

2, pick a leuenberger or a kreuzer type- not my preferred option but something to think about.

3, give dean cox a 3 year deal- play/coach this year, then next 2 seasons as coach, looks like the blues will take him, but worth sounding out? Could help cordy and Campbell with the rucking loads during the season.

If all these plans fail and we are ready to challenge again, that's ok because there will be plenty of ready made options at other clubs that we can cherry pick.

 

[timtamWB]

3, give dean cox a 3 year deal- play/coach this year, then next 2 seasons as coach, looks like the blues will take him, but worth sounding out? Could help cordy and Campbell with the rucking loads during the season.

I love Cox. Big Cox especially. But he's past it now, he's not going to do the Ben Hudson retirement tour, and it would be a waste to get him as a player. As a coach? Definitely.

 

[Mattdougie]

His exit interview didn't go well coz he probably sick of being screwed over one out in the ruck and given no help

AND doesn't wanna play the rest of his career out in a bottom 4 tea am

Can't blame him

 

[Kennel Master]

You gotta keep Minson. As already said it is a tough ask to be the sole ruckman week after week.
With Cordy and Campbell showing out in the VFL, one may make the next step to AFL. Neither has yet.

Minson has his deficiencies but he is our best option. All Australian last year. Can be again.
Also he is a terrific spokesperson for our club. His off field role is growing and he is second behind Murphy.

Finally I am very uncomfortable trading players unless they want out. Not the Bulldogs way.
Doesn't build loyalty and working for a common purpose if you ship off players.

Plus I like him!! Could be captain!

KM

 

[DognBones]

Moving minno on would mean both Campbell and cordy would have to play afl every week. I dont think we are ready for that.

Agree. Neither are showing No 1 ruckman qualities at senior level. They are both OK tap ruckmen but are not offering much as marking, mobile bigmen. Using both in the same team would not be a good idea either, two lumbering rucks just doesn't work.
Much of Will's recent problems stem from the change in the rules regarding using body contact and strength to outmanouevre taller ruckmen, he just can't jump very high to counter them.
I wouldn't trade him, however, until a better option is clearly identified and not at the expense of giving up high draft picks.

 

[paul scholes]

So Minson performs badly because he needs a chop out?
Hang on he had his best year working solo in the ruck?
Can he play forward? Ummm no.
So where should he be when not rucking? The bench?

 

[paul scholes]

Agree. Neither are showing No 1 ruckman qualities at senior level. They are both OK tap ruckmen but are not offering much as marking, mobile bigmen. Using both in the same team would not be a good idea either, two lumbering rucks just doesn't work.
Much of Will's recent problems stem from the change in the rules regarding using body contact and strength to outmanouevre taller ruckmen, he just can't jump very high to counter them.
I wouldn't trade him, however, until a better option is clearly identified and not at the expense of giving up high draft picks.

Good points made. Can't play forward nor back.

 

[timtamWB]

So Minson performs badly because he needs a chop out?
Hang on he had his best year working solo in the ruck?
Can he play forward? Ummm no.
So where should he be when not rucking? The bench?

Rucking one out for a year with no breaks is going to impact you in the next year. Add that to the fact that he's had a couple of injury concerns this year, and that's pretty much why he's struggled. THat and down on form.

 

[paul scholes]

His exit interview didn't go well coz he probably sick of being screwed over one out in the ruck and given no help

AND doesn't wanna play the rest of his career out in a bottom 4 tea am

Can't blame him

So he has a career best year AA ruck rucking solo.
Then has a stinker because he had no help .
Are you just perennially winding people up? Or just a pathological hatred of McCartney?

 

[paul scholes]

Rucking one out for a year with no breaks is going to impact you in the next year. Add that to the fact that he's had a couple of injury concerns this year, and that's pretty much why he's struggled. THat and down on form.

That's a fair point, but it could be argued that Will's had his career season rucking solo.

 

[lindsay_bulldogs]

Minson is essential if we want to go up the ladder. With two other genuine Rucks on the list Minson is prime bait to get us picks to further our climb.

 

[Dogs54]

I think this depends on whether we think Campbell can be No1 ruck because both Campbell and Minson cannot play in the same game as neither can impact up forward and we loose a running bench rotation if we have one on the bench. I have been disappointed with Campbell this year and equally with Minson so I am undecided but would lean to keeping Minson for 2015. He also needs a back up and this could be Cordy or Roughy.