Geelong: Where ruckmen go to die?

[Pollywaffle]

I have grown up barracking for the cats and, through thick and thin we always seemed to have good, or at worst, serviceable ruckmen.
Farmer, Newman, Hampshire, Flanagan, Barnes, Bourke, King, Otto, even Blake. (apologies if I missed someone)
What happened? Despite all our ups and downs we always seemed to have a reliable ruckman who got pencilled in early on Thursday night.
Not any more.
Did Scott, Wells and co get seduced by the third man up concept and put all eggs in the wrong basket or is it just that they did not place value on the position per se.
Most of our ruck picks in recent times have been pretty much duds, rejects, or at the very least, flakey.

 

[Partridge]

You would be completely forgiven for thinking the club just doesn’t value the position at all.

 

[STPer18]

We don't even need a world-beater, like you said just a reliable hunk of meat who can be relied upon week after week to be a consistent contributor. Dare I say a McEvoy type would be ideal.

 

[Scottland2007]

2005 we trade Brent Maloney to Melbourne for a first round pick so we can give Richmond two first rounders for Brad Ottens.
2015 we give Saints pick 21 for Rhys Stanley and pick 60.
Clearly trading or drafting a high quality ruckman is not important anymore. Hell Scott wouldn’t even give Blake 1 game to get him to 100.

 

[Pollywaffle]

We don't even need a world-beater, like you said just a reliable hunk of meat who can be relied upon week after week to be a consistent contributor. Dare I say a McEvoy type would be ideal.

McEvoy has been tearing us a new one for years. Most underrated big guy in the comp
would take him in a heartbeat.

 

[Cataholic]

You would be completely forgiven for thinking the club just doesn’t value the position at all.

I think Scott believes his incredibly clever game craft has rendered the position obsolete

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Stanley can perform, he's shown that, atleast to a level our midfield requires.
The MC just refuse to back him in.

 

[Ratcat]

Geelong: where ruckmen go to die?
That's gold.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Pointing the finger at the wrong person here.
'Tis Wells who struggles in this department. Doesn't exactly have a stellar ruck drafting record.

Blake landed in his F/S lap. King while winning a flag was moved on as captain for someone a bit more hard nosed, and needed the recruitment of Ottens as he may not have been good enough to get us there.

Rookie'd Mumford but couldn't keep him and apart from that has had a very checkered past recruiting ruckmen.

 

[cynical]

Stanley has been pretty good but he should be a stopgap for a kid.

He has been on our list for 5 years and we still dont have a young developing ruck.

 

[Turbocat]

I have grown up barracking for the cats and, through thick and thin we always seemed to have good, or at worst, serviceable ruckmen.
Farmer, Newman, Hampshire, Flanagan, Barnes, Bourke, King, Otto, even Blake. (apologies if I missed someone)
What happened? Despite all our ups and downs we always seemed to have a reliable ruckman who got pencilled in early on Thursday night.
Not any more.
Did Scott, Wells and co get seduced by the third man up concept and put all eggs in the wrong basket or is it just that they did not place value on the position per se.
Most of our ruck picks in recent times have been pretty much duds, rejects, or at the very least, flakey.

Thats thingo with scottys eyebrows is a bit freaky... LOL

To some degree I wonder if it as something to with Peter Street... we that Wells.. I think that convinced them to avoid early picks on rucks
also I think there is the car needs fuel , a service and new tyres... and only so much money. So..I think with only so much to spend they sort of prioritise other areas.. which really has to change now.. cause we have put off the new tyres for so long that we are lacking grip.

 

[Raabs]

Stanley has been pretty good but he should be a stopgap for a kid.

He has been on our list for 5 years and we still dont have a young developing ruck.

Who did we draft ahead of Sean Darcy?

I assume they're in our best 22?

 

[Pollywaffle]

Thats thingo with scottys eyebrows is a bit freaky... LOL

To some degree I wonder if it as something to with Peter Street... we that Wells.. I think that convinced them to avoid early picks on rucks
also I think there is the car needs fuel , a service and new tyres... and only so much money. So..I think with only so much to spend they sort of prioritise other areas.. which really has to change now.. cause we have put off the new tyres for so long that we are lacking grip.

Peter Street, Steven Hooper, Dawson Simpson..3 strikes and you’re out?

 

[Cursed Cat]

been saying since around mid-season that we need to go back to the drawing board and somehow get the currency in order to draft the best tall junior in the country (or Victoria if we're not confident of retaining) - the question is though, do we have the staff to develop such a player?

 

[CatRiot]

Don't worry, Luke Jackson with our First Pick.

If they don't, then I'd laugh my head off and it will be Grundy 2.0

 

[Spazz Cat]

Pointing the finger at the wrong person here.
'Tis Wells who struggles in this department. Doesn't exactly have a stellar ruck drafting record.

Blake landed in his F/S lap. King while winning a flag was moved on as captain for someone a bit more hard nosed, and needed the recruitment of Ottens as he may not have been good enough to get us there.

Rookie'd Mumford but couldn't keep him and apart from that has had a very checkered past recruiting ruckmen.

I can't say how it works. But doesn't the club tell Wells what the list needs are and its his job to get the best he can.
It's how most clubs work.
If your going for a flag the very next year why the he'll would you spend a top pick on a young Ruckman?
They usually take ages to develop. That is long term thinking, not trying to swim against the tide and stay competitive which makes us so proud.

 

[BotsMaster]

Don't worry, Luke Jackson with our First Pick.

If they don't, then I'd laugh my head off and it will be Grundy 2.0

That's only if he acts like a campaigner in the interview.

 

[longtimecat]

Scott clearly does not value ruckman and would rather play our fullback and fullforward in that position

 

[Micksy]

I think Scott believes his incredibly clever game craft has rendered the position obsolete

Why have a ruck when you can have a ninth defender?

 

[Reppie]

Oddly enough for a ruckman you would at least expect the would be capable of jumping at the bounce.
King for one for whatever reason decided this wasn't in his makeup.
Never seen a ruckman thinking standing still at a contest was a good tactic.

 

[fpm84]

If Stanley played in the QF we’d likely have won and there’s a good chance we’d be preparing for a GF right now.

Just let it sink in.

Still can’t fathom how we self sabotaged that one.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Who did we draft ahead of Sean Darcy?

I assume they're in our best 22?

Parfitt 12 picks prior

 

[Biggy_Boy]

If Stanley played in the QF we’d likely have won and there’s a good chance we’d be preparing for a GF right now.

Just let it sink in.

Still can’t fathom how we self sabotaged that one.

Same way we did in 2013.

 

[Ratcat]

Scott clearly does not value ruckman and would rather play our fullback and fullforward in that position

Richmond gave up that crap so why does Scott persist.
In fact they run two genuine rucks and two tall fwds all at once, things change.

 

[Partridge]

Richmond gave up that crap so why does Scott persist.
In fact they run two genuine rucks and two tall fwds all at once, things change.

They would be playing two key defenders too except Rance is injured. Helps that Grimes can do that job as well, plus Broad too I guess.