Opinion Port's ruck strategy

[PatientMental]

The Eagles implemented the 'Web' last year to compensate for the absence of two key backs.

Pretty sure Hinkley is smart enough to come up with a strategy to compensate for the loss of a ruck if required. I'm not even worried.

We could adopt the 'Ayce Cordy' by having an inanimate carbon rod sit in the place of where our ruckman used to be and stand next to or near the opposition ruckman for four quarters.

Anyone 195+ can fill this roll

 

[snozulu]

Sticks Frampton to the rescue.

It's a shame he hasn't got more time to eat more egg whites and boiled chicken to add to his frame.

 

[Shaucob_Burjan]

Part time rucks to the rescue.

Trengove, Dixon, Butcher, Howard

 

[bomberclifford]

This could be the making of John Butcher.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

This could be the making of John Butcher.

Have we had his eyes tested yet? Butch n' Ebo to the optometrist

Frampton n' Howard to the pancake kitchen for the next 6 weeks

 

[bomberclifford]

Frampton n' Howard to the pancake kitchen for the next 6 weeks

Billet them with me for a month. Guarantee they'll put on kilos.

 

[Big Rig Power]

Anyone that has been to trainings recently have u seen butch doing any ruck work at all?

 

[Smithy7]

This could be the making of John Butcher.

Funny that .. was thinking this morning, why don't we try Butcher as a ruck...

 

[Trewth]

To me personally, I'd rather rely on our mids studying the oppo ruck and sharking their taps than having to rely on a guy who's well known for not being able to handle pressure situations and has never played ruck before. But that's just my opinion (man)

 

[shewho]

We have a unique squad where 3 field players (Dixon, Trengove and Westhoff) can ruck and run. Trengove can be covered down back by Jonas for stints in the ruck.

Am I blinkered? Does any other club have 3 field players (one a defender) who do a good job in the ruck?

Our strength is our running power. By picking only one ruck or no rucks if Lobbe is injured, we will only add to our running power. This could be our winged keel.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

We have a unique squad where 3 field players (Dixon, Trengove and Westhoff) can ruck and run. Trengove can be covered down back by Jonas for stints in the ruck.

Am I blinkered? Does any other club have 3 field players (one a defender) who do a good job in the ruck?

Our strength is our running power. By picking only one ruck or no rucks if Lobbe is injured, we will only add to our running power. This could be our winged keel.

Sounds good in theory until you go into a game without Lobbe & the "chop outs" get slaughtered all day by a Sandilands or a Jacobs type.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Sounds good in theory until you go into a game without Lobbe & the "chop outs" get slaughtered all day by a Sandilands or a Jacobs type.

Jackson Trengove v Sandilands in 2014 board.

Jacobs always slaughters Lobbe anyway, so that one doesn't matter too much.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Jackson Trengove v Sandilands in 2014 board.

Jacobs always slaughters Lobbe anyway, so that one doesn't matter too much.

Yea after Renouf had played on him for 3 quarters, Trengove would struggle big time in any more than pinch hit roles in ruck.

Still rather have a recognized ruckman going against a Jacobs than not

 

[TeeKray]

It's Lobbe or bust. People are kidding themselves if they think some kid or part timer is going to be able to ruck all day to any great effect against the likes of Sandilands, Goldstein, Jacobs, Naitanui, etc. If we go into a game against any of the league's top ruckmen without Lobbe we are at a significant disadvantage that will be very difficult to overcome.

 

[KenOath]

I wonder if we could look at using Westhoff in a Blicavs type role? Lobbe rucks centre bounces but then Hoff starts on a wing and follows him to all the contests and does a lot of the rucking around the ground as a third man up. Could take some of the workload off Lobbe and be an opportunity to utilise Hoff's mobility and endurance.

With Schulz and Dixon as permanent forwards (and hopefully Butch playing some more footy this year) we can probably afford to take Hoff out of forward line structure this year. Trengove and Dixon can then be used as relief for short spells throughout the match. And then blood Frampton for a few games to give him some experience in case he's needed later in the year.

 

[PAFC66]

Adelaide dealt with the same thing last year. Its Jacobs or bust for them as well as it is for many other clubs. We'll be fine.

 

[PAFC66]

One thing is for sure, frampton will play all 3 NAB.

 

[TeeKray]

Adelaide dealt with the same thing last year. Its Jacobs or bust for them as well as it is for many other clubs. We'll be fine.

The big difference is that we think of ourselves as a contender whereas the Crows are obviously not a contender. All of the big contenders have two ruckmen. Hawthorn have McEvoy and Ceglar (previously had Hale). West Coast have Naitanui and Lycett (previously had Sinclair). Freo have Sandilands, Clarke and Griffin. Sydney have Sinclair and Tippett (previously had Pyke). The only team that is any good that has one recognised ruckman is North Melbourne.

 

[Lawnchair Larry]

There will be a lot of 2 men (ours) up this season to try to overcome the problems we might have around the ground.

While I agree that Westhoff is a distinctly average ruck performer, he can be a a participant in that sort of stuff.

Even some of the smaller players like Ebert will be important in that role.

Around the ground ball-ups have lost a lot of significance these days due to heavy crowding in the ball-up area. This is where we have the advantage, particularly with Gray and Polec (and the in-and-under Boak) who basically hypnotise opposition players while "Inspector Gadgetting" a path through traffic.

The big desire is for Lobbe, as a specialist, to at least nullify the central ruck duel to re-create a congested game in the centre as well, wherein Gray and Polec can work through the usual congestion that occurs around the ground. If he can win the centre bounce then so much the better.

This will be a big job for Lobbe, as he seemed to become a prisoner of gravity last year. Maybe it was a confidence thing.

 

[Powerstufff]

One thing is for sure, frampton will play all 3 NAB.

Fitness, i.e. being injury free, allowing. He wasn't out for the recent open training session. I guess we'll see this Friday

 

[actiongreggars]

Adelaide dealt with the same thing last year. Its Jacobs or bust for them as well as it is for many other clubs. We'll be fine.

Crows fans disagree, reckoning they have depth in Lowden, Obrien and rookie hunter. Lol.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Crows fans disagree, reckoning they have depth in Lowden, Obrien and rookie hunter. Lol.

Every one of those guys would be clearly the second best ruckman on our list right now.

 

[RossFC]

Would love to have Lowden on our list right now.

 

[Janus]

The big difference is that we think of ourselves as a contender whereas the Crows are obviously not a contender. All of the big contenders have two ruckmen. Hawthorn have McEvoy and Ceglar (previously had Hale). West Coast have Naitanui and Lycett (previously had Sinclair). Freo have Sandilands, Clarke and Griffin. Sydney have Sinclair and Tippett (previously had Pyke). The only team that is any good that has one recognised ruckman is North Melbourne.

And now Port Adelaide, for the grand total of one season.

It's a good thing we don't double up against any of those sides with two rucks then huh? Honestly, if rucks made a huge difference, West Coast wouldn't have been slaughtered by Hawthorn in the GF last year. Naitanui is probably the best ruck in the competition, and he was useless, because the idea of one position becoming a dominant force is just an excuse for the poor performance of the rest of the team.

Last time I checked, you can't tap a ball to score a goal, so even if the opposition ruck is spoon feeding their midfielders, our mids should be able to rove to that. We should be able to run further and harder than any side that is carrying two lumbering talls - forget trying to focus on what we can't control and focus on what we can. Run their midfield into the ground. Keep possession of the ball and limit the opportunities the opposition have to use this 'advantage'. The AFL wants to reduce congestion and stoppages anyway, so we'll give them what they want.

What the * happened to the Port Adelaide I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts? This could be the greatest season of our lives...but you're going to let it be the worst.

 

[SureBuddy]

Would love to have Lowden on our list right now.

Or Gorringe.

Dare we go against the norm and play 4 pure midfielders in the square?! Concede the tap, but have the extra player for the clearance.

I'm being ridiculous, but one day a team will do it.