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Pierce.Who do you guys think is more likely to get a game this year - Holmes or Pierce?
Talentwise, our big man stocks are looking pretty good, (apart from experience). The only issue I would look at is who can play that ruck/fwd role cos you can't have 2 rucks in the same side anymore, either 1 ruckman with some kind of relief (Bruce? Lee?), or 1 ruckman and one ruckman who can actually play fwd. Some say Pierce could be that person. How about Hickey though - kicked 3 goals last year before he got injured in one match didn't he?
Who do you guys think is more likely to get a game this year - Holmes or Pierce?
I see what you did there...
That game of Hickey's was when he was playing in the ruck though and pushing forward, like the game the year before when Mac kicked 3 goals in a game. One of Hickey's goals was also after a 50m penalty that took him from about 70m out to 25m out and another came from a mark in the goalsquare that most would say wasn't a mark (didn't hold it anywhere near long enough), so he could have just as easily kicked just the one goal for the game (albeit it was a corker of a goal, from 45m out on the left boundary!). It's a completely different ball-game when you're actually playing forward and he was pretty much terrible at it the year before, when he was playing 2nd-fiddle to Mac. That said, I did think he was reasonably effective at times when stationed forward last year for spells, as his big tank allowed him to lead out to the flanks well to take marks.Talentwise, our big man stocks are looking pretty good, (apart from experience). The only issue I would look at is who can play that ruck/fwd role cos you can't have 2 rucks in the same side anymore, either 1 ruckman with some kind of relief (Bruce? Lee?), or 1 ruckman and one ruckman who can actually play fwd. Some say Pierce could be that person. How about Hickey though - kicked 3 goals last year before he got injured in one match didn't he?
That game of Hickey's was when he was playing in the ruck though and pushing forward, like the game the year before when Mac kicked 3 goals in a game. One of Hickey's goals was also after a 50m penalty that took him from about 70m out to 25m out and another came from a mark in the goalsquare that most would say wasn't a mark (didn't hold it anywhere near long enough), so he could have just as easily kicked just the one goal for the game (albeit it was a corker of a goal, from 45m out on the left boundary!). It's a completely different ball-game when you're actually playing forward and he was pretty much terrible at it the year before, when he was playing 2nd-fiddle to Mac. That said, I did think he was reasonably effective at times when stationed forward last year for spells, as his big tank allowed him to lead out to the flanks well to take marks.
As for Pierce, I'm not sure even those who are very bullish about his long term prospects expect to see him do much at AFL level this year, so I wouldn't exactly be building our forward structure around him playing the forward/ruck role. I'd suggest he is still very raw and has only just turned 20yo (very late year birthday).
I think this is underplaying Hickey in that game. I rewatched it recently and he was all over the ground taking marks and using the ball effectively until he injured himself I think in the third quarter. No there is no certainty that he will go forward and do the same every week but the reality is we dont need a ruckman to be kicking 3 goals a week anyway.That game of Hickey's was when he was playing in the ruck though and pushing forward, like the game the year before when Mac kicked 3 goals in a game. One of Hickey's goals was also after a 50m penalty that took him from about 70m out to 25m out and another came from a mark in the goalsquare that most would say wasn't a mark (didn't hold it anywhere near long enough), so he could have just as easily kicked just the one goal for the game (albeit it was a corker of a goal, from 45m out on the left boundary!). It's a completely different ball-game when you're actually playing forward and he was pretty much terrible at it the year before, when he was playing 2nd-fiddle to Mac. That said, I did think he was reasonably effective at times when stationed forward last year for spells, as his big tank allowed him to lead out to the flanks well to take marks.
As for Pierce, I'm not sure even those who are very bullish about his long term prospects expect to see him do much at AFL level this year, so I wouldn't exactly be building our forward structure around him playing the forward/ruck role. I'd suggest he is still very raw and has only just turned 20yo (very late year birthday).
Longer played nearly every game last year. Just play who is in form.The most important thing to do with our ruck stocks, IMO, is to give Longer a good run to see what he can do. Hickey is a long way ahead, as far as talent is concerned, but it may be the case that Longer has improved, which, combined with Hickey's injury concerns, makes Billy the best option for us. We can't afford to have one or the other be languishing (struggling to cope with injury, or due to form, or whatever else), even if it means the other thrives. Play them both, pick our favourite, but then manage them so as to ensure that the "other ruck" is still playing well enough to be worth some solid trade value in the near future.
I think this is underplaying Hickey in that game. I rewatched it recently and he was all over the ground taking marks and using the ball effectively until he injured himself I think in the third quarter. No there is no certainty that he will go forward and do the same every week but the reality is we dont need a ruckman to be kicking 3 goals a week anyway.
another great post!!
how do you see our setup long term ARR? do you we go with as our no 1 ruck and who do we use as the resting ruck and do we play them fwd or back?
myself personally i think we have 4 ruckmen right now who could be good no 1 ruckman, but the unknown is who is our resting ruck...not sure what the solution is
I think this is underplaying Hickey in that game. I rewatched it recently and he was all over the ground taking marks and using the ball effectively until he injured himself I think in the third quarter. No there is no certainty that he will go forward and do the same every week but the reality is we dont need a ruckman to be kicking 3 goals a week anyway.
Cheers.another great post!!
how do you see our setup long term ARR? do you we go with as our no 1 ruck and who do we use as the resting ruck and do we play them fwd or back?
myself personally i think we have 4 ruckmen right now who could be good no 1 ruckman, but the unknown is who is our resting ruck...not sure what the solution is
I'm very well aware of how well Hickey played that day (I was there and have seen it more than once on Foxtel since, including just a couple of weeks ago again myself), and I consider it one of the best games I've seen live from someone playing ruck for years- especially for us- but running around the ground pretty much by yourself and plucking grabs is very, very different from being stationed in the forward line all game and having someone on your hammer, trying to stop you marking it, every time you go for the ball.I think this is underplaying Hickey in that game. I rewatched it recently and he was all over the ground taking marks and using the ball effectively until he injured himself I think in the third quarter. No there is no certainty that he will go forward and do the same every week but the reality is we dont need a ruckman to be kicking 3 goals a week anyway.
For such a dominant ruck game, does anyone realises the opposition ruck stats?
Suggest having a look before considering it a dominant game...
Mumford
18p, 46ho, 1g, 5cl, 8t
You've mentioned this before, so yes, I'm pretty sure most, if not all of us realise this, even if we weren't aware of it at the time.For such a dominant ruck game, does anyone realises the opposition ruck stats?
Suggest having a look before considering it a dominant game...