Opinion The Ruck

[nineteen eighty]

how many outstanding ruckman are there in the comp.
Say in the top 20 players overall, top 50 even.

Cox was a superstar at his peak, Sandilands to me is overrated and injury prone, then who is there? Ruckman arent necessarily overrated, but there arent actually many who are elite players.

I think Mumford/Pyke gave us one of the better ruck combos in the comp, but it did have an expiry date given fitness and age, but we have gone from near the top to down the bottom for ruck set ups.

I would like to see us move to a better stop gap next year whilst developing youth as i question Pykeys ability to carry the number one role long term and Derrickx who lifted in the second half last week and tries hard is no real solution.

I also am not a fan of rucking Tippett at all.

Excuse the intrusion folks...I am kinda a Swans supporter given I watch the Swans more than the Tiges these days.

You are right, there aren't that many outstanding rucks in the comp. There are however, around 20 rucks that you would be comfortable having as your first ruck. You don't need elite rucks in a team...you need competitive rucks who allow clearance and stoppages structure to be built around them and who can take a grab. Any of the first 20 in the list below provide that. Most of the Swans rucks over the years have certainly provided that. Structure is absolute key for your midfield.

http://www.afl.com.au/afl/stats/player-ratings/overall-standings#position/ruck

Derickx unfortunately will be found out severely tomorrow night around this area. I've said this on the Tigers board and I take more than a passing interest in rucks given I'm an old hack myself but Derickx was not even a VFL standard ruckman. Don't get me wrong, he tries. He just isn't up this standard. No buts, no maybe's, no if's...just not.

I'll be cheering for the Swannies tomorrow night and truly hope you get up. And if you do, I think your midfield would have earnt its keep on the night.

OMG did Derickx sleep with your gf/wife/mother/sister??? (not implying they're all the same person...)
Look, Derickx is still relatively young in terms of development, and he came from Richmond which isn't exactly renowned for their ruck development. He has steadily improved each game he plays with us, so projecting that out, by finals time he will be the leagues premier ruckman.
It's not an ideal situation to be in, but if we wanted a tap ruckman that did nothing around the ground, then we could pay overs for Goldstein, or we could pay peanuts and stick with D-Rex.

See above. Not having Pyke will hurt you badly tomorrow night. I expect McEvoy to have a night out. I also have my fingers and legs crossed the Swans mids control the stoppages. Mitchell out will help enormously.

 

[Sydswans0512]

Excuse the intrusion folks...I am kinda a Swans supporter given I watch the Swans more than the Tiges these days.

You are right, there aren't that many outstanding rucks in the comp. There are however, around 20 rucks that you would be comfortable having as your first ruck. You don't need elite rucks in a team...you need competitive rucks who allow clearance and stoppages structure to be built around them and who can take a grab. Any of the first 20 in the list below provide that. Most of the Swans rucks over the years have certainly provided that. Structure is absolute key for your midfield.

http://www.afl.com.au/afl/stats/player-ratings/overall-standings#position/ruck

Derickx unfortunately will be found out severely tomorrow night around this area. I've said this on the Tigers board and I take more than a passing interest in rucks given I'm an old hack myself but Derickx was not even a VFL standard ruckman. Don't get me wrong, he tries. He just isn't up this standard. No buts, no maybe's, no if's...just not.

I'll be cheering for the Swannies tomorrow night and truly hope you get up. And if you do, I think your midfield would have earnt its keep on the night.



See above. Not having Pyke will hurt you badly tomorrow night. I expect McEvoy to have a night out. I also have my fingers and legs crossed the Swans mids control the stoppages. Mitchell out will help enormously.

Thankyou!

 

[alanlau34]

Derickx unfortunately will be found out severely tomorrow night around this area. I've said this on the Tigers board and I take more than a passing interest in rucks given I'm an old hack myself but Derickx was not even a VFL standard ruckman. Don't get me wrong, he tries. He just isn't up this standard. No buts, no maybe's, no if's...just not.

Not having Pyke will hurt you badly tomorrow night. I expect McEvoy to have a night out. I also have my fingers and legs crossed the Swans mids control the stoppages. Mitchell out will help enormously.

All jokes aside, noone thinks that Derickx is a superstar. He has done ok as second ruck, and definitely stepped up as the sole ruckman last week. He won't beat the Hawthorn ruck combo, but he will put in a solid effort and the best we can ask of him is to minimise the damage caused.

 

[Sydswans0512]

All jokes aside, noone thinks that Derickx is a superstar. He has done ok as second ruck, and definitely stepped up as the sole ruckman last week. He won't beat the Hawthorn ruck combo, but he will put in a solid effort and the best we can ask of him is to minimise the damage caused.

This alone could potentially cost us the game

 

[alanlau34]

This alone could potentially cost us the game

We could lose for a myriad of reasons, placing blame on the ruck division (or lack of) could be a tad short sighted. We get smashed constantly in hit outs and clearances against good teams, but still find a way to win off the half-back line.

 

[Sydswans0512]

We could lose for a myriad of reasons, placing blame on the ruck division (or lack of) could be a tad short sighted. We get smashed constantly in hit outs and clearances against good teams, but still find a way to win off the half-back line.

When we had 2 good Ruckman we were one of the best in the league at clearances if not the best, the Proof is in the pudding
Either way give someone else a go Derrickx is a hack and LRT isnt a backup

 

[robbieando]

When we had 2 good Ruckman we were one of the best in the league at clearances if not the best, the Proof is in the pudding

When we had two good ruckman we won a Grand Final yet still lost the clearances that day. The Pudding isn't what you think it is

 

[Sydswans0512]

When we had two good ruckman we won a Grand Final yet still lost the clearances that day. The Pudding isn't what you think it is

Mumford was cooked in that grandfinal

 

[robbieando]

Mumford was cooked in that grandfinal

So equal to or worse than Derickx??? If better you have no point and equal/worse you have no point

 

[Sydswans0512]

So equal to or worse than Derickx??? If better you have no point and equal/worse you have no point

So you want to revolve it around one game? Why not make it the GWS game in round 1?

 

[robbieando]

Nope. You can't change your tune when proven wrong

 

[Sydswans0512]

Nope. You can't change your tune when proven wrong

You dont revolve things around one game! say Derrickx goes down friday night in the first quarter and LRT Rucks without winning a hit out and we win, do we go without a ruckman for the rest of the year?

 

[robbieando]

LRT isn't likely to play so throw another example, say Tippett.

But if Derickx goes down, Pyke comes back. Simple as that or is that hard for you to understand?

 

[Sydswans0512]

LRT isn't likely to play so throw another example, say Tippett.

But if Derickx goes down, Pyke comes back. Simple as that or is that hard for you to understand?

If you cant see how bad Derrickx is then you must be watching a different game

 

[robbieando]

I watch the game and he does the job is asked to do. Its not all about winning hitouts. Stop looking at your stat sheet and watch the game for once

 

[Sydswans0512]

I watch the game and he does the job is asked to do. Its not all about winning hitouts. Stop looking at your stat sheet and watch the game for once

He cant kick he struggles to handball, for hecks sake he got slaughtered by Pederson of Melbourne and i thought he was a bigger hack than Derrickx before then!

 

[Sanecow]

Mumford was cooked in that grandfinal

Wait, wait, so Mumford was the pudding all along?

 

[Sydswans0512]

Wait, wait, so Mumford was the pudding all along?

Sausage pudding

 

[Sanecow]

I watch the game and he does the job is asked to do. Its not all about winning hitouts. Stop looking at your stat sheet and watch the game for once

He did nothing in his first couple of games but in the last two, he has improved. If he's peaking, then oh ... but I'm hoping he's on the rise.

 

[baja]

LRT isn't likely to play so throw another example, say Tippett.

But if Derickx goes down, Pyke comes back. Simple as that or is that hard for you to understand?

What if Derickx goes down and Pyke is still injured some think we may struggle in the ruck, is that to hard for you to understand?

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

He did nothing in his first couple of games but in the last two, he has improved. If he's peaking, then oh ... but I'm hoping he's on the rise.

People seem to forget he is 26yrs old but has only played 8 games at AFL level.

 

[robbieando]

What if Derickx goes down and Pyke is still injured some think we may struggle in the ruck, is that to hard for you to understand?

Read the post I was replying to. I'm not suggesting we are struggling in the ruck, just not as bad as some think

 

[baja]

People seem to forget he is 26yrs old but has only played 8 games at AFL level.

Im not having a crack at you mate but what choice do we have? a 19yr old unproven first ruck that hasent played a senior game yet, an injured ruck in Naismith who is still a rookie, a key forward as the first ruck? PLayers that aren't hardened to run out a senior game as our first ruck spot? etc, etc, you don't have to be a fan of Derickx but he is carrying our ruck division I think we should be all getting behind him and not bagging him all the time, he is having a crack even if hes not good enough all the more reason to admire the bloke. Whats that old saying again? Don't hate the player, hate the game.. or something like that

 

[baja]

Read the post I was replying to. I'm not suggesting we are struggling in the ruck, just not as bad as some think

Sorry I just felt like being rude too. lol

 

[GotTheGoodes]

Im not having a crack at you mate but what choice do we have? a 19yr old unproven first ruck that hasent played a senior game yet, an injured ruck in Naismith who is still a rookie, a key forward as the first ruck? PLayers that aren't hardened to run out a senior game as our first ruck spot? etc, etc, you don't have to be a fan of Derickx but he is carrying our ruck division I think we should be all getting behind him and not bagging him all the time, he is having a crack even if hes not good enough all the more reason to admire the bloke. Whats that old saying again? Don't hate the player, hate the game.. or something like that

Yep. This.